147 replies to this topic

[taffy1967]

I thought it was during Mk3 actually, the early Mk3s had drip rails and the later ones didn't.

My first Mini which was a 1975 Tahiti Blue MKIII Mini 1000 had drip rails.

[Ethel]

I never noticed it had gone

I know my 74 saloon had 'em. I also had a 79 clubby 'n never noticed if it didn't.

[Al*]

those driprails were wiped out at the production start of mk4 my 73 has them and my 79 doesnt...

heres a little fact.. thgose driprails are nicknamed "earsplitters" from people banging the side of their heads into them thus "splitting there ears"....

Al

[THE ANORAK]

The scene in the original "Italian Job" featuring the minis going like holy stink through the sewers & across the weir was filmed in Willenhall, Coventry - one of the very few reasons I am proud of my home town.

So Coventry is indistinguishable for an Italian Sewer???

Exactamundo!! Looks the same. Smells the same.

at last, something in this topic that is 100% true

I doubt the tracking car would have been a Mini Moke, until quite recently a 2CV was always the vehicle of choice for camera tracking due to its unique suspension. I suppose a Moke would have been more able to keep up with the Coopers in the tunnel though.

According to Philip Wrestler the second-unit director who filmed the sequence and the stunt man Remy Julienne the camera car was a Mini Moke.

More on the sewer scenes...........
The Alfa Romeo police car crashing through the sewer gate contained dummies and was fired out the tunnel with the same rig used to blow the Minis out the back of the bus. The remote control used was fired by a film crew member disguised as a football supporter who is seen to run in and shut the gate just before the crash.

(Loads more detail on all this is in the book and dvd of the Making of the Italian Job by Matthew Field.)

have you heard how many times Matthew Field gets "corrected" by Troy Kennedy martin on the Italian job DVD commentary, its actually embarrassing to listen to. i would take everything he says with a pinch of salt

the mini won the Monti four times, not three, but was disqualified on the third time, but it still won !!!

the trouble with this topic is that people seem to be quoting these facts without researching them, is just turning into chinese whispers again. many of these facts have been proven to be "re-written" and "adjusted slightly" by the research done for the Issigonis biography.

have fun guys, may the urban myths continue, after all, they're far more entertaining than the truth, that's how and why the stories got started

[minimender]

Did you know,

BMC works drivers initially thought of a Mini drive as a punishment, but after Rauno Aaltonen won the 1963 Alpine Rally in a 1071 Cooper, everyone wanted to abandon their Austin Healeys.

and

Issigonis and Downton built a specially tuned Mini for their friend Enzo Ferrari. He sent it back because it was right hand drive but did subsequently own left hand drive Minis for his amusement.

[taffy1967]

Did you know,

BMC works drivers initially thought of a Mini drive as a punishment, but after Rauno Aaltonen won the 1963 Alpine Rally in a 1071 Cooper, everyone wanted to abandon their Austin Healeys.

and

Issigonis and Downton built a specially tuned Mini for their friend Enzo Ferrari. He sent it back because it was right hand drive but did subsequently own left hand drive Minis for his amusement.

Yes I knew about the Enzo Ferrari connection: -

[minimender]

Nice one

I like the spots and side lights built into the wing, and those cross ply tyres on 'S' rims bring back memories.

Also, that is a very early model cooper !!

Edited by minimender, 02 February 2008 - 11:36 PM.

[minimender]

Any more ?

The legendary Mini was voted "The greatest car of all time" by Autocar and Motor Magazine in March 1991

[minimender]

When the Mini made its first appearance on August the 26th 1959 there was no intensive market research supporting it and no guaranteed slot in the market where it was bound to succeed.
It was a courageous management that backed the car and presented it to a disbelieving world.

The family motorist was unconvinced by a car so unconventional, the sporting driver sceptical, and the hardened motorist faintly amused.

Whereas the late sir Alec Issigonis had imagined the Mini to be a peoples car, the man in the street was suspicious of so much inovation and sales were dissapointingly slow. .

[Valver]

Very interesting

[minimender]

Did you know ?

the Electricity Council built an electric Mini in th 1980s . It was capable of 40mph over 25 miles after a 4 hour charge.

Previously, BLMC showed a Mini based Leyland Compton Electracar at the Geneva show in 1972.

[liirge]

In the BMC Production line Sir Alec Issigonis, was nicknamed sir Alec Arragonis! Due to not being able to take criticism!
It is also likely Sir Alec was homosexual and never married
Alex Moulton was an open Homosexual.

Edited by liirge, 09 February 2008 - 11:18 PM.

[minimender]

This is the last one (probably)

The Mini has used more SU Carburettors than any other car in the 90 year history of SU, taking over 5.5 million from the SU factory in Erdington, Birminham.