Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #43

The Mini based electric cars of Crompton-Leyland

Fabulous Cox GTM from Japan

How the Houghton-Coldwell Mod really ended up

Mini 25 at Donington Park - the variants

I was tipped off about this cool video by Pete Flanagan. It shows the 25th anniversary party of the Mini held at Donington Park in August 1984 as it was filmed by members of the Mini Club Oldenburg in Germany. From their arrival at the shores of Blighty (per hovercraft!) to the parade laps at the track. What's most interesting to me is that the filmers had a keen eye for the Mini based cars. 

Skip to 3.20 minutes to see a duo of TiCis, one of them being the works demonstrator, followed by a duo of Stimson Safari Sixes, one of them still being owned by Maximum Mini fan Colin Baines (this one). Then over to a Mini Marcos, an interesting hatchback Mini Cooper 'S', a Status Minipower (owned by Arthur Bills at the time, more here), an LDD Monaco and early Midas. Go ahead to 8.15 to see a Hustler Six, Hustler in Wood and - I think - Hustler Sport. Then at 8.50 there's that funny green mystery roadster seen here before (click here and here) and a Gecko, again the works demonstrator I think. The parade laps shows even more stuff such as the Michelotti Mini (ADO 70) and a Scamp six-wheeler. Pete wrote "You're gonna love this..." Well... I do! 

The last days of Summer (and how to spend them)

Summer holidays are just about to end and the same goes for the Summer weather. Here at least. If it's raining it may be an idea to spend the last days of Summer in a museum. There are a few with Mini derivatives on display. I made a selection below, you just click on the museum's names to get to their websites. Let me know if you know of other cars in other museums or public collections.

Jeff Lane of the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tennessee has a Peel Viking Minisport

Picture courtesy Lane Motor Museum

And you will also find a Midas Bronze in the same collection, focussing on small cars

Picture courtesy Lane Motor Museum

The British Motor Heritage Centre in Gaydon have had the 'Michelotti Mini' for ages

Picture Jeroen Booij

It's back to back to the 'Pininfarina Mini', also on permanent display in Gaydon

Picture Jeroen Booij

Australia cherishes the Nota Fang in the Science & Design Museum in Sydney

Picture courtesy powerhousemuseum.com

While the Southward Car Museum in Paraparaumu, New Zealand has an Elswick Envoy

Picture courtesy flickr.com 

This Ogle SX1000 can be found in the Bentley Motor & Wildfowl museum in Kent, UK

Picture Jeroen Booij

The car is on loan and is modified in a typical 1970s fashion

Picture Jeroen Booij