Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #71

 

Back to back: Midas or Marcos?

Mini Marcoses at Techno Classica Essen 2025

Aussie Nunan Special, back end finally revealed 

Hooper Mini Moke comes out for the season

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #69

Cox GTM for sale (1)

Cox GTM for sale (2)

Heerey GTM for sale (1)

Heerey GTM for sale (2)

Mk1 Mini Jem 'Mae West' turns up in Germany

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #46

Minis at the 'Ring: Roy Johnson's Mk1 Mini Marcos

What happened to the original Camber / Maya GT demonstrator?

The ART Mini Marcos at the 1969 Amsterdam Racing Car Show

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #38

Minis at the 'Ring (5) - crashing the Martini Mini ASC

The real Mini Miura - Lamborghini's Mini based prototype

Preparing the Ogle for Knebworth Park

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #23

Minis at the 'Ring (4): Martini Mini ASC in 1964

MiniSprint Travellers in Australia

What exactly is this mould..?

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #14

Available again: Ridgway Sports Conversions front end

Minis at the 'Ring (part 3) - crashing another Deep Sanderson

Bonkers Mengers Mini Mokes for sale

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #9

Minis at the 'Ring (2): Deep Sanderson 301 at 1000kms race, May 1963

A comprehensive look at the car number 97 and its preparation 

Late 1960s Scamp Mk1 - unknown, unbuilt and... unregistered

Jem Marsh and the Mk4 Mini Marcos, not built by Marcos Cars

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #6:

A photographic look at the DART's launch in January 1964

Richard Oakes and the 1977 Midas prototype 

Warwick Mk2 racer - a Mini derivative..?

Yes, that does look very much like a Mini engine ...but...

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #4:

New series starts: 'Minis at the 'Ring'

Part 1: the Deep Sanderson 301 Prototype

New Ogle badges now available 

Mystery MiniSprints in Japan

Mystery Mini derivative (83)

From Denmark (where the last mystery Mini derivative was located) over to Germany for the next. And this is an intriguing one, which I really hope some of you here will be able to tell me more about. I was made aware of these pictures with the question for more information. I didn't know anything about it but managed to get in touch with Ralf Streethawk, who took these pictures. Unfortunately he didn't know much either, writing: "Hello, I made these pictures in Bergkamen in the Easter weekend. The car was parked next to a Pilgrim and a Spartan. Greetz, Ralf."

Next, I asked a German friend. Again he didn't know it but he did ask another friend who did, leading to the following information, translated from German: "Yes I know this racing series. It's similar to a Formula V but with the Mini engine and the smallest diameter disc brakes of the Cooper that exist. I can't think of the name of these racing cars since it was a long time ago."

Well, well, a German racing series of its own using Mini power. Surely some of you will know that? Do note that this car appears to be road registered also! Thanks Ralf Streethawk for allowing me to use the pictures.

Sleek single seater racer from Germany, used in a racing series. 1990s or 200s?

Picture Ralf Streethawk

Wheels (12") may be the only giveaway to this racing car being Mini powered

Picture Ralf Streethawk

But there you go. That is a Mini engine driving the rear wheels. Who knows more?

Picture Ralf Streethawk

Mengers Beach Mini is beautiful Beach Car replica

When Beach Car owner John Reymondos contacted me about a brand new Mini Beach Car replica made in Germany by Mini Mengers I had to admit I had to look twice. Was that really a replica? Well, it was and Dierk Mengers was happy to provide me with a press pack, showing the conversion carried out by him. From the press info: "To celebrate the 60th birthday of the Beach Mini, Mengers is giving Mini enthusiasts the unique opportunity to own their very own doorless fun machine. 60 years after the original Beach Minis left their place of birth, a new brother left our manufacture in Germany. We simply call it the Mengers Beach Mini."

According to Mengers the car looks just like the original, but is different in many ways. But you will have to look pretty good to see that. Apart from the fact that a later shell appears to have been used for the conversion, I noticed smoother panelwork on the door cut-outs and some differences in the interior. Especially in the seats, which have been made by Lloyd Loom never the less - the company that was also responsible for the originals back in the early 1960s. They now look to be double-sided and finished with leather edges.

Mengers also ads: "Since there were no original blueprints available it remained unclear how and if the structure of a Beach Mini was strengthened to make up for the structural losses from removing the B-Pillar. 30 years of experience in converting classic Mini Saloons into convertibles helped us to find the perfect balance between lightweight and tough. The chassis of a Mengers Beach Mini stays stiff while not adding much weight compared to a regular Mini." Furthermore it is fitted with a 50hp strong 1000 cc engine rather than the 850 of the original and a fully synchronized and shorter ratio gearbox. Finally Mengers ads: "We can also imagine a fully electric Mengers Beach Mini."

Yes, this really is a Beach Car made recently and not one of the originals!

Picture Mini Mengers

It was made by Mini Mengers of Oldenburg in Germany and is now offered for sale

Picture Mini Mengers

Mengers says it is different from the original in many ways but you will have to look good

Picture Mini Mengers

Even the wicker seats were made by the same company which did the originals in 1962

Picture Mini Mengers 

Leather edges and back are a giveaway that these are different though

Picture Mini Mengers

The Mini's dashboard in its simplest and purest form, just like the original Beach Cars

Picture Mini Mengers

Engine is a 1000 cc now, good for 50 hp. But Mengers would also do an electric conversion

Picture Mini Mengers

With just 15 Beach cars built (plus a prototype) this may be the next best thing!

Picture Mini Mengers 

Mini Mengers plate shows this is Exklusiv Umbau (exclusive conversion) number 1

Picture Mini Mengers 

The original (Mary Falvey's car on the left) versus the Mengers replica - spot the differences 

Picture Bonhams auctioneers / Mini Mengers

Is American mystery racer an SWM prototype?

A mystery Mini based racer from the USA has intrigued me ever since I saw it for the first time in 2012. (click here). In the next years I got in touch with now-owner Steve Steeb of Michigan, who told me: "I have had no luck trying to identify it. I contacted a number of Vintage Racing people and a lot of Mini Cooper racers but have struck out." (his full story with more detail here).

Now, last week I bumped into some old pictures of a racing prototype built under the SWM name in Germany in the mid-1960s. This car was sold through auctioneer Bonhams (here), which gave some interesting information in its description. It was supposedly made in small numbers (6 to 7) by brothers Stefan and Wenzel Mannl of München. The cars originally used BMW 700 boxer-power 'which was later changed for an 850cc unit equipped with twin-plug ignition'. They were hill climbed and raced at a great number of events, amongst them the Ratisbona Bergrennen, Sudelfeld Bergrennen, Neubiberg Flugplatzrennen, the Schainsland hill climb, Rossfeld hill climb (where no less than 3 SWMs were entered in 1965) and at the circuits of Trier, Ulm-Laupheim and Innsbruck.

What struck me most is the body shapes and the size of the SWM prototype, definitely bearing similarities to our American mystery racer. At least more than any other contemporary racer car I can think of. Owner Steve Steeb ads: "Interesting. Similar wheel openings and front and rear profiles. I'll go back down the rabbit hole and see what I can turn up. I also recently contacted a guy in Florida who does a lot of research on American fibre-glass one-offs. I sent him a few pictures. He apparently travels sometimes and I am close enough to Detroit that maybe he could come see it someday. Meanwhile it is tarped and awaiting its turn in line (might be a few years!). THANKS for keeping me in mind! Cheers, Steve". Do let me know what you think, too.

This Mini powered racer has been a mystery for ages now. Can it be solved?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

The car's owner believes it was never finished and has no clues about its identity

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

But looks at these two! They are SWM prototype racers from Germany

Picture Bonhams Auctioneers

They were raced in the mid-1960s and supposedly 6 or 7 were made

Picture Bonhams Auctioneers

Initially they used 700 cc boxer engines from BMW's small rear-engined car

Picture Bonhams Auctioneers

This example was sold by Bonhams auctioneers in 2011

Picture Bonhams Auctioneers