Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #124

2026 Season in Swing

The intrepid IMM trio: McCoy GT

The intrepid IMM trio: Heerey GTM

The intrepid IMM trio: Ranger Cub 4

The Otematata Engineering Elin

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #95

Getting ready for Poland 2026: 3 men, 3 project cars

Coldwell GT in its earliest stage

Happy Halloween 2025!

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #48

Buying and building a Mini Marcos in 1974 - Eric's story

McCoy GTs and a GTM Coupe in a field in Scotland - now for sale

Taking the Ogle to the last show of 2024. Well... probably

Ogling to the Octane Scramble

Now that the SX1000 is on the road I'm all about classic car meetings these days. Latest was the Octane Scramble 3. A beautiful drive right through the heart of the Dutch bible belt to get there - on a Sunday morning with churchgoers out in force - and then the gathering itself on the serene and rather beautiful surroundings of a monastery.

I wasn't the only one who'd made it in a Mini derivative. The Birchall McCoy of Peter Ecury was parked in a corner while Hans Efde and Peter Camping had both come over in their Midases. Another great day out. The pictures are from Johan te Keurs, his full series can be found here.

And yet on another field full of classic cars! Little DAF makes Ogle looks tiny

Picture Johan te Keurs

The car behaved well with new radiator and dampers. Steering rack is next now

Picture Johan te Keurs

I really feel the need to stress once again that it does look better on pictures!

Picture Johan te Keurs

Midas Gold twins of Hans Efde and Peter Camping were there, too

Picture Johan te Keurs

Hans (black shirt) explaining an unsuspecting visitor about the virtues of Midas ownership

Picture Johan te Keurs

Nice and well-used Birchall McCoy has to be the only one in The Netherlands?

Picture Johan te Keurs

Unfortunately I didn't see the car's owner, fellow-scribe Peter Ecury

Picture Johan te Keurs

Find the Mini derivatives to see for yourself how small they are compared to the other cars

Picture Octane Magazine NL

A McCoy (and Mini Jem) in France

I was surprised to learn of a McCoy in The Netherlands last month (click here), but it's not the only example of the species outside of the UK. Raynald Claudine has one in Brittany, France and recently took part in the car in the Florio Cup in it; a local hill climb in Saint-Brieuc. The newspaper Ouest-France wrote the following: "For almost forty years, Raynald Claudine has been passionate about the original Austin Mini, even to the point of setting up a veritable museum to its glory. During the Coupe Florio, which will be held from September 9 to 11, 2022 in Saint-Brieuc (Côtes-d'Armor), it will be possible to admire his latest acquisition: a car produced in only 83 copies and unique in France."

The McCoy wasn't the only Mini variant entered in the Coupe Florio as there was a Mk3 Mini Jem on Luxembourg plates also. I don't know how the cars did in the hill climb, but I understand both of them finished.

 

Raynard Claudine in his Brittany workshop with his McCoy GT

Picture Ouest-France 

The Mini based McCoy was born out of the Imp based Clan Crusader

Picture Marie-Paul Claudine

Rubbing shoulders with another Mini variant in Saint-Brieuc: a Mini Jem

Picture Marie-Paul Claudine

This is a Mk3 car on Luxembourg plates

Picture Marie-Paul Claudine

Summer 2022 - the show is on

It's summer and it's showtime once again! I have been sent lots of pictures of cars making it to shows in the last month or so and share some of the best of these here, together with some more bits and pieces that may interest you folk. I hope you'll enjoy them - and keep those pictures coming. 

Over in Australia this Jem was spotted last month by a friend of Ogle owner Neil Griffin. Neil wrote: "Jeroen, a friend who now lives in South Australia saw this at an impromptu car show over there." 

I think it's a Taylorspeed built car?

Picture via Neil Griffin

Neil Kilbane of Ireland spotted this 1977 Jimini Mk1 "Came upon it at a car boot sale about 25km from me. The guy said he had it for 20 years but never had it on the road. He was looking for €3500 for it!"

Picture Neil Kilbane

Not one but two Mini Ice cream vans with 'Batman' bodies by Whitby Morrison. One of them is owned by Andy McPail, who took this picture on a show at the British Motor Heritage Centre in Gaydon

Picture Andy McPhail

US reader Burton Reif attended the Mini Meet West in Kingston, Washington with his Ranger Cub, which he drove from Portland Oregon (previously seen here). He was surprised to see a Mini Marcos Mk4 driven all the way from Sacramento, California!

Picture Burton Reif

And a picture from the other side, giving a better view on Burton's Ranger. This photo was taken by the Marcos' owner Michael Kimball who is a keen Mini Marcos promotor in the US

Picture Michael Kimball

Three coachbuilts in a row! Gorgeous Radford Mini De Villes left and right with a Wood & Pickett Mini Margrave in between them, all three absolutely stunning cars owned by one and the same enthusiast

Picture George Knight

Mini Jem racer Pete Crudgington took this picture at Castle Combe of his own racer (left) back to back to the Mini Marcos Mk3 of Sam Polley. Both race in the CSCC Swinging 60’s Series

Picture Pete Crudgington

Ever saw a Status 365 from the underside? I hadn't! Stimson-fan Paul Wylde took this picture while his mate's Status was placed on the lift for some work to be carried out

Picture Paul Wylde

Another Mosquito came out of its hiding in July. Damien Lescroart wrote: "I knew about the existence of this Mosquito for years but never found any info or pictures of it. It appeared today"

Picture via Damien Lescroart

Mark Glasher's pretty Unipower GT made it to the prestigious concours d'elegance of the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June. It came out in a class for mid-engined 1960s cars

 Picture DrGrumoLunatic / Youtube

A well-used Birchall McCoy was seen at a show not far from my place in The Netherlands recently. It's the only McCoy that I have ever heard of in my country, and I really should have been there!

Picture Erik van den Eijnden

Also in The Netherlands, this Ogle SX1000 is in for a brake overhaul. Oh, hang on, it's my own car!

The full Cooper 'S' braking system was incomplete and clogged but works fine again by now

Picture Sipke Blom

Maximum Mini fan Barry Tilbury has been collecting Mini variants for years now. But it was only recently that he managed to find a place to put them all together. Scamps and more here...

Picture Barry Tilbury

...And more! Hat tip to anyone who can identify all of them under those covers, they're all Mini derivatives... Barry wrote: "When are you in the UK next I would love you to visit" Great!

Picture Barry Tilbury

Barry's latest purchase is a very interesting Mk1 Biota, which now joins the others. The car was seen here before when it was found on a peacock farm in Wales back in 2014 (click here)

Picture Barry Tilbury

Quite a line up of Mini derivative shells and moulds!

Arch Maximum Mini enthusiast Tony Bucknall of ABS MotorSport has been buying, selling, building and modifying Mini based cars and moulds for them for decades now, and continues to do so. As a matter of fact he has just emptied one factory of its composite shells and moulds as he plans an expansion of his premises. That gave quite a nice overview of Tony's projects, amassed over the years. Mind you: there is lots more in ABS' Alladin's cave, but what we see here, from left to right:

McCoy moulds with extra moulds for skirts plus the estate (McIvoy)
Mould for a lowered Mini race shell with added arches
Mould for a MiniSprint replica
Complete shell for a Stimson Mini Bug
Shell for a space framed MonteCarlo Mini
Shell for a space framed Mini Dominator
A complete full fibreglass bodied FRA Mini
Complete shell of a TiCi including moulded-in interior
Complete shell of a Domino Pimlico
Complete shell of a Phoenix Estate
MINI Countryman display shell

Thank you very much for sharing Tony!

Panoramic view of some of Tony's projects, shells and moulds

Picture Tony Bucknall / ABS MotorSport

This is the McCoy with all the moulds including those for added skirts plus the estate option

Picture Tony Bucknall / ABS MotorSport

Space framed Minis? Tony is your man if you want to build one

Picture Tony Bucknall / ABS MotorSport

A Stimson Mini Bug in its bare essence

Picture Tony Bucknall / ABS MotorSport

FRA Mini, TiCi, Domino Pimlico or Phoenix Estate, you'll find it here!

Picture Tony Bucknall / ABS MotorSport

Market round up (Autumn 2018)

Time for the traditional market round-up, and although the end of Summer is not there yet (just a couple of days left), I call this one the Autumn 2018 edition. You have made me aware of another great number of Mini based cars offered for sale in the last couple of weeks, and I have added another few to these. Keep them coming!

A rare Andersen Cub Six-wheeler, this one is said to be imported from South-Africa. Ad here.

Deep Sanderson 301 is for sale once again, now in France. The price fluctuates heavily. Ad here.

Stimson Mini Bug project with no paperwork in Chelmsford. Cheap though. Ad here.

This Wood & Pickett Mini is seen for sale for some time now. I really like it. Ad here.

This is the Stimson Scorcher from the derelict collection that came by here several times. Ad here.

Rare ASD Hobo was spotted for sale before, too. Come on, somebody give it some tlc! Ad here.

Many of you tipped me about this intriguing Mini based wedge. I am still hoping to find out its history. Ad here.

Another mystery: a Moke replica, presumably home-made and looking rather good. Ad here.

This Scamp Mk2 sppears to be fully ready for the Christmas tree already! Ad here.

A very green Magenta Sprint. This one is in as new condition. Ad here.

Cool Unipower GT with racing history from the other side of the ocean. Ad here.

A right hand driven Midas Bronze in Belgium. Love the colours. Ad here.

French Mk4 Mini Marcos comes with a rather strong asking price. Ad here. 

Hrubon Phaeton, or is it a Schmitt? For sale in southern France. Ad here.

Q-reg Hustler Six is seen in an auction in North-Yorkshire. Ad here.

Birchall McCoy is said to need just some finishing touches. Cheap. Ad here.

Good-looking Foers Nomad, seen for sale in greater Manchester. Ad here.

The Tony Anchors' built Trimini is now offered for sale as 'Tritanic'... Ad here.