Mini Testing...

Discussion in 'Classic Mini' started by Metalman, May 17, 2016.

  1. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    I wonder how the 1st, 2nd and 3rd gen MINI's would handle this testing? Pass or Fail?

    https://www.facebook.com/TheMiniWorks/videos/1124435190948125/

    [quoteThe Mini Works Tony Fall and others, testing for BMC Comps. According to John Brigden, Sporting Minis - "The BMC press office never allowed the release of these photos for the fear that it might show the mini to be an unstable car. In fact, they are testing for the RAC Rally, although neither of these cars was ever entered for the event.
    CRX 91B came 26th in the 1965 Monte Carlo rally in the hands of Paddy Hopkirk, and the car was later sold to Rauno Aaltonen. 18CRX had competed in the 1964 Monte, when it retired and in the 1964 Alpine, in which it came 6th overall. The car was later sold to Paul Easter."][/quote]
     
  2. vetsvette

    vetsvette MINI Alliance Ambassador

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    Very cool video MM. The only car I've ever owned that might handle that was my old FJ55 Land Cruiser, and it couldn't have touched that little Mini for speed. Damned impressive little car. I like that full belly pan/skid plate.
     
  3. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    I had a new 1973 FJ40 Land Cruiser many moons ago.... Drove that vehicle all over the place... Florida Keys twice, Maine, Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia and Yellowstone, Glacier National Park and Durango Colorado....

    Great vehicle.... Lousy gas mileage, government regulations forced a cat on the vehicle... Ran lean... Burnt valves...

    Wish I still had it....Built like a tank.... Old one in good shape goes for big bucks...

    I had this blue color....:D

    [​IMG]
     
  4. vetsvette

    vetsvette MINI Alliance Ambassador

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    This is what mine looked like, except I had the extended front bumper with the PTO winch. Great vehicle, but like you said, lousy mileage. But, with 4:11 axles and that Chevy "stove bolt six" clone it was to be expected. Drove mine all over Okinawa for a couple of years and sold it when I rotated back to the states.
     

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  5. Firebro17

    Firebro17 Dazed, but not Confused
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    ^^^ I had one of those! My wife hated it and it didn't stay in the fleet too long.
     
  6. vetsvette

    vetsvette MINI Alliance Ambassador

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    I can understand that. It was not a comfortable ride, but the thing was bulletproof. The "performance" parts I ordered for it had paperwork in the box for a '57 Chevy. Definitely not a freeway cruiser.
     
  7. mrntd

    mrntd Well-Known Member
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    I think all the air bags in our newer cars would have gone off in that first bounce around.
     
  8. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    ha, I had a red one (mostly rust) with a Chevy small block conversion. No power steering and big tires, it was a workout, but a beast off road. It now lives somewhere in South Dakota with a new body on the frame. I certainly didn't get big bucks when I sold mine in the late 90s

    [​IMG]

    Just after tugging a Bronco out of a deep mud hole.
     
  9. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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  10. vetsvette

    vetsvette MINI Alliance Ambassador

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    When you flipped my second row bench forward there was a bunch of factory tools and a hand crank for the motor clamped to the bottom. Mine only had three speeds on the column.
     
  11. BruceK

    BruceK Active Member

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    Those BMC works-prepared rally Minis were tough little boxes. Of course the factory competition team had the resources to swap out a battered bodyshell with a completely new one whenever they needed to do so - and they kept the same VIN and number plate.

    Contrary to the quote above, these videos of the extreme testing were in no way secret or withheld from the public. BMC very much wanted the public to see how tough the Minis were and about half of this B/W footage of Mini destruction testing appeared in a BMC slickly-produced news reel of Mini rally successes circa 1965 (which of course I can't find right now on YouTube, but I have it on old VHS). It was great to see additional footage of the testing - amazing how well it the cars did with the deep water.
     

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