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

Ranger - the haunted Pick-Up

Still a great little hummer - the Ranger Pick Up. The way to 'transform your old, rusty 1100/1300 into an exciting all purpose road car' in the early- to mid-1970s. Initially the car was made at an old used car lot in Romford, but when the Pick-up turned out to be profitable, Ranger Automotive Ltd. was set up and the whole project was moved to more suitable premises in 1972: a disused 1920s cinema in Leigh-on-Sea, formerly with 1,200 seats and its own orchestra. What's more: the old theatre was supposedly haunted! A few six-wheelers were made as well as one twin-engined variant by former Broadspeed engineer John J. Thomas.

Ranger Pick-Up - made in an abandoned and haunted cinema in the 1970s

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Some 300 were made between 1971 and 1976, making it a success

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Most Pick-Ups use the 1100's rear lights turned sideways - this one doesn't

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Summer's over but the pictures remain

That seemingly endless summer of 2022 has now really come to an end. These will probably be the last pictures of a lovely season, found on the web by myself or sent over to me by others. Enjoy.

Richard Ellis drove his Jimini to the south of France. The dog came along...

Picture Richard Ellis

...as came the roof tent. That's clever camping

Picture Richard Ellis

Mini based three-wheeler spotted by reader Chris Clifford earlier in September

Picture Chris Clifford

It's a Skip, one of 4 or 5 made in Durham in the late 1980s

Picture Chris Clifford

Paul Blank wrote: "This specially converted Mini Van was used for hot dog sales 1980s and 1990 in Perth, Western Australia"

Picture via Paul Blank

Paul: "Traded as 'Dan The Hotdog Man'. I found these pictures on Perth Reflects page, with no useful information. I remember the van being in use outside night clubs"

Picture via Paul Blank

Meanwhile, a Ranger Pick Up needing lots of work was found by Mark Law in Canada

Picture Mark Law

This lovely Ogle SX1000 changed owners for the first time since 1963! 

Picture CCK Historic

New owner Jason Dalton brought it to the workshop of CCK Historic for some tuning 

Picture CCK Historic

And the last ice cream of the summer of 2022 comes from a Vendavans Ice Cream Van

Picture Steve Rendle

Mini variants in 'massive barn find collection'

NCM Auctioneers is selling a remarkable lot of classic cars, which they call a 'massive barn find collection'. The sale lists 135 lots with a number of kit cars and Specials among them - seven of these being Mini powered. I have included pictures of them below. The auction takes place in Lancashire on November 1 and 2, but you can bid online also. Click here to give it a go!

Domino Pimlico looks to be in a good state. There's no engine though

Picture NCM Auctioneers

No engine for this Midas either, but it does seem to have (Y-) registration

Picture NCM Auctioneers

Midas Gold convertible. This one comes with power train, and it looks to be a 1275

Picture NCM Auctioneers

Ranger Pick Up looks a bit sorry for itself. Bonnet appears to be with the car, though

Picture NCM Auctioneers

Pink Scamp Mk2 looks rough around the edges; Morris mill hides under the bonnet

Picture NCM Auctioneers

Another Scamp Mk2, engine-less but this one comes with the factory gull wing doors

Picture NCM Auctioneers

Hustler Six looks complete but will definitely need work, too

Picture NCM Auctioneers

Market round up (Autumn 2019)

Is it autumn yet? I'm not sure but fact is that there are plenty of cars offered for sale at the moment. So it's about time for a little look at what Mini derivatives are in the market right now.

An ABC Tricar with a modified body in Yorkshire

Seen for sale Here

A Mini Mouse, again with a modified body and in the US

Seen for sale Here

A Robert Mandry-built RTV that's ready to run

Seen for sale Here

A Ranger Pick Up that needs lots of work

Seen for sale Here

And a very good looking Jiffy
Seen for sale Here

An ABS Freestyle in The Netherlands
Seen for sale Here

And a Midas in Belgium

Seen for sale Here

Nice AEM Scout, unfortunately horribly photographed

Seen for sale Here


Hustler Six to be auctioned by Bonhams
Seen for sale Here


GTM Rossa Mk2 with low-mileage 1275 engine
Seen for sale Here

That Status 365 again. Who dares?

Seen for sale Here

And who is going to finish this Mini Wildgoose project?

Seen for sale Here

Or how about an Outspan Orange Mini? Said to be the prototype

Seen for sale Here

Funny looking Scamp Mk1 in checker plate wear

Seen for sale Here

The Silcoates Ascender has been seen here before

Seen for sale Here

Beatifully restored Crayford Mini Sprint

Seen for sale Here

Lovely Whitby Morrison Batman ice cream van

Seen for sale Here

A very colourful Hrubon Schmitt in France

Seen for sale Here

Banham Sprint with fast engine

Seen for sale Here

Rare Japan-built Moke Sports Tottini in the UK

Seen for sale Here

A British registered Jimini found in France

Seen for sale Here

Correctly registered Scamp Mk2

Seen for sale Here

Mini Marcos Mk3, looks like a lovely project
Seen for sale Here

Another Jimini, this on on the Cote d'Azur
Seen for sale Here

The Twini Ranger by ex-Broadspeed man John J Thomas

While the infamous Twini Scamp, built by former McLaren engineer John Hornby, is now restored (seen here on a Maximum Mini display in 2016) and the Deep Sanderson 105 Twini still for sale (all about that here), pictures of another Twini emerged last week through Magenta owner Ken Warburton. It's the Twini Ranger! 

Ken got hold of them through builder John J. Thomas, who is a bit of a legend if you ask me. Thomas was a former Broadspeed employee who later went to work on his own and came up with a number of interesting projects. Best known, perhaps, was his six-wheeler version of the Ranger Pick-up - the Ranger VI - which he marketed himself. I have been trying to get in touch with the man for some time - to no avail - but must admit I had completely forgotten when Ken came up with these shots.

They show another one of Thomas' projects, which was a Twini Ranger. The car was powered by 1275cc A-series engines front and rear thus coming with four-wheel drive. I'd never heard of it before and would be interested to learn a bit more about it. About time to get in touch with John J. Thomas after all! Meanwhile, I'll place it together with the other two Twinis that are still missing: the Butterfield Musketeer Twini and Bufi Mowog...

Proof of its existence: the Twini Ranger was built by former Broadspeed man John J. Thomas

Picture John J. Thomas via Ken Warburton

Seen here without its hardtop on snowy surface. The number 'MAY 208' is on a BMW these days

Could the car survive? The Twini Scamp all of a sudden resurfaced some 10 years ago (click)

Picture John J. Thomas via Ken Warburton

Seen here with two more of John J. Thomas' projects: a Ranger six-wheeler and a Magenta

Picture John J. Thomas via Ken Warburton