Maximum Mini: TiCi

Showing posts with label TiCi. Show all posts

Tuesday, 24 March 2026

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #115

Fletcher's crash in more detail

Investigating a Nimrod (2)

NEC Classic Car & Restoration Show 2026

Tuesday, 14 January 2025

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #58

Sir Elton John and his Wood & Pickett Mini Margrave

Where is the Winter brothers Heerey GTM today?

Mini derivatives of Los Angeles - say a little prayer

Wednesday, 14 December 2022

Find of the Year 2022: the candidates

One of the traditions after almost 13 years of Maximum Mini online (!) has become the election of the 'Find of the Year'. Many barn-, shed-, garden- and field-finds have come along since day one and I've selected another five cool discoveries for this year's voting.

As every year: to vote simply drop a message below or send me an e-mail if you like. The car with the most votes wins the prestigious title 'Maximum Mini Find of the Year 2022'. So... over to the 5 candidates:

Rare Mk1 Stimson Mini Bug, one-family owner since the early 1980s

Full story here

Unbuilt TiCi in the USA with links to some great Mini motoring heritage

Full story here

One of two Unipower GTs that were freed after long-term storage, this one in the UK

Full story here

Camber GT first heard about in 2011 but now finally photographed in its barn hiding

Full story here.

A one-off Hooper Mini Moke built for a knighted racehorse breeder

Full story here

Friday, 11 November 2022

NEC Classic Car Show 2022: the Mini derivatives

This weekend the NEC will be hosting the Classic Motor Show and, like last year, the Minikits Club is present with a great number of Mini derivatives. On their display a freshly restored TiCi, barn find Biota Mk1, Heerey GTM, Mini Marcos Mk4, Hustler Sport, Ogle SX1000 and Minus Maxi. What a fun stand!

Another club attending is the Unipower GT Owners Club & Register with three cars looking very good too. Apart from Gerry Hulford's yellow racer there's also the ex-Janspeed competition car that now appears to be road-registered. Third is a freshly restored car in orange/white of which I hope to learn more soon.

UPDATE 13 November: Fantastic news: Minikits wins the award for most interesting selection of cars in the Classic and Sports Car Club Awards at the NEC Classic Motor Show. Well done boys!

Minikits display at the NEC 2022

Picture Paul Wylde

Biota Mk1 at the Minikits display

Picture Paul Wylde

Mini Marcos Mk4 at the Minikits display

Picture Paul Wylde

Hustler Sport at the Minikits display

Picture Paul Wylde

Ogle SX1000 at the Minikits display

Picture Paul Wylde

Minus Maxi at the Minikits display

Picture Paul Wylde

Heerey GTM 1-3 at the Minikits display

Picture Paul Wylde

TiCi at the Minikits display

Picture Paul Wylde

And three Unipower GTs at the marque's Owners Club & Register's stand

Picture Lez Dix

UPDATE: The boys from Minikits receive their trophy for 'most interesting selection of cars'. Congratulations!

Bonus picture: an Outspan Orange Mini, also seen at the NEC

Picture Andy McPhail

And one more: that cool Clubman camper van, now fully restored and looking great

Picture Andy McPhail

Friday, 21 October 2022

How an unbuilt TiCi in the USA links to Brabham and McLaren

Avid Maximum Mini enthusiast and multiple Stimson cars and TiCi owner Paul Wylde wrote to me a while ago: "How about this then J. The rights to the TiCi were sold back in 1974 and now live in the States with a man who brought them back in 1974 along with a car that he still has. I have asked him for more info too, as he was a good friend of the designer. He used to visit the factory in Bourne when they were making them on several occasions and there is a connection with James Hunt with them too."

Well, that was interesting! Here's what followed from the man in question, Rodney Butterfield: "My car was acquired direct from Anthony Hill himself when I was at Loughborough University in Leicestershire in 1974. He lived in the adjacent village and that’s also where all the remaining assets of TiCi were stored when the company was liquidated. I began to build the kit in 1975 using the mechanical parts from a Austin Mini Van that I owned at the time. Interestingly the Mini Van was one that I’d bought from another F1 race mechanic when I went to work at McLaren Racing in 1972, and it was the ex-Brabham parts collection Van before being relocated to McLaren at David Rd, Poyle trading estate. I now believe it was the test mule that was used at McLaren to get downforce numbers for the rear wings and which is featured in a photograph of that testing expertise to be found in the McLaren history books. Kinda cool story all these decades later. I never completed the build I’d started in the 1970’s, partly because it was too small to take my 6’2” frame, but I’ve kept this TiCi ever since, and it came to the USA with me when I moved here in 1992. It’s now stored in the restoration shops I own in Forest City, North Carolina. That’s the whole story. I probably still own the company name of TiCi as I bought all the remaining assets out of the bankruptcy in 1974."

What a great story! I'd seen a picture of the Mini Van with massive rear wing for aerodynamic testing before and include a copy below. It makes this TiCi not the first Mini based car with a link to McLaren cars. The Gordon Murray-built IGM Minbug was of course another. And there was also the one-off Twini-Scamp built by McLaren engineer John Hornby. Thanks Rodney and thanks Paul!

Together with the rights and assets, this unbuilt TiCi was sold to Rodney Butterfield in 1974

Picture Rodney Butterfield

The build was started in 1975 and the car was brought along to California in 1992, but never finished...

Picture Rodney Butterfield

..."Partly because it was too small to take my 6’2” frame, but I’ve kept this TiCi ever since"

Picture Rodney Butterfield

The car was acquired direct from designer Anthony Hill who lived in the adjacent village

Picture Rodney Butterfield

The Mini mechanicals came from a an Austin Mini Van "bought from another F1 race mechanic"

Picture Rodney Butterfield

It was in fact this: the ex-Brabham parts collection Van and later McLaren test mule Mini Van!

Picture Hemmings

Monday, 2 May 2022

Season in swing

It's been some time since us like minded were allowed to meet up, so now that we are the Mini derivatives are coming out of their hiding again. Below some great pictures shared by others and brought together here for your enjoyment. Hope to see you at an event soon.

Not one but two Minus Maxis at the Stoneleigh kit car show last weekend!

Picture Paul Wylde

And a lone TiCi in the morning waiting for its Mini based friends

Picture Paul Wylde

And flying the flag for the Scamp Owners Club: a lovely Scamp Mk1

Picture Rollo James Alderwick

More Mini based madness inside the agricultural halls: a Hustler Sports

Picture Richard Porter

A GTM at the Mk1 Performance day at Blyton Park 2022. What a paint job!

Picture Andy Barrass

Out for a sunny spin in his Mosquito: Damien Lescroart and daughter

Picture Damien Lescroart

Offered for sale in New Zealand: a genuine Broadspeed GT

Picture Kelly Ann Brass

And a Broadspeed GT replica that has just been finished in Germany

Picture Doc Mabo

Monday, 15 November 2021

Lining up the Mini derivatives!

There's no doubt that Mini derivatives are gaining popularity. The NEC in Birmingham was the venue of a classic car show last weekend and the Minikits Club had really done its best to show a wide variety of Mini based cars, which had worked out particularly well. On their display not only three Stimson cars (Mini Bug, Trek and Scorcher) but also a lovely TiCi and ultra-rare Hustler Sport. They also had a separate corner with a Mini Marcos and two GTM Coupes in primary colours red, blue and yellow. Well done boys!

Another display which looked particularly good was that of the Unipower GT Owners Club & Register, with three cars on display: Mark Glashier's road car, a chassis/body under construction and Gerry Hulford's racer. Gerry has also just finished a long-awaited book on the Unipower marque, of which I hope to receive a copy soon.

Meanwhile, Curborough track was the scene for a photo shoot of four Mini based beauties, soon to star in Classic & Sports car magazine. Two of them with the power at the front wheels - a Mini Jem and an Ogle SX1000 - and two with the power at the rear - a Unipower GT and a Deep Sanderson 301. Roger Garland was there to assist and take a few pictures himself, which he flashed over. He added: "We had tried to get a recently restored GTM, but the owner had to work that day. We also had difficulty finding a suitable Mini Marcos, hence the Mini Jem - a very capable substitute!" Absolutely, and thank you very much Roger. Soon in their full glory at the newsstand near you, or so I understand!