view build sheet of genuine works rally car

The history of the MINI

    The concept for the Mini was to be a cheap car for the masses and this simple

vehicle was contained in an automotive box 10 foot 4 inches long and 4 foot wide.

    The A- series engine with its Weslake design of cylinder head and the gearbox

underneath became the power unit , and fitted into a length of  3foot 2 inches and

 left a passenger compartment of 6 foot 6 inches and boot 1 foot 6 inches.

    This engine can trace its origin back to about 1947 , and originally in the mini was to be a

948cc unit, but this proved to be too fast and the best way was thought to reduce

capacity to 848cc. The engine was turned 180 degrees from original concept and this

also created more design changes.

    The turning around of the engine was to stop the carby  icing up and the engineers

were sure they could cure the problems of water in the ignition system.,and of course

this also required the idler gear train to transmit power to the gearbox from an engine

that rotated clockwise when viewed from the flywheel end.

    This assembly was then fitted into a front subframe that contained the lot.. suspension

driveline  radiator etc. An extremely brilliant design from the BMC star designer.

    Of course this designer was Alec Issignosis , who had designed among other things

the Morris Minor and had many clever features just waiting to be approved by BMC

management.

    Early prototypes had the gearlever coming through the dash like some euro cars.

The drive to the wheels was of major concern as getting power through a joint that

could swivel 40 degrees was unheard of, but Birfield came to the rescue and designed

what we now know as constant velocity joints (or CV joints)

    Suspension was also radical for BMC and consisted of independent rubber cone.

These cones absorbed shock loads well and consistently and allowed specially

designed shockers to be relatively light in their settings.

    Early prototypes failed in subframe  strength , but this was cured well.

    The suspension designs allowed low roll axis and helped create an extremely

stable and manoeuverable car in its day and set the standard that really many cars

cannot follow today.

    One of the major bonus for BMC was that they made their own carburettor , The

SU  (Skinners-Union)

    The brakes and 10" wheels could contain a chapter in themselves, but in that

era they were satisfactory.

    The body shell had little double skinning and weighed 310lb.

    Production body costs were minimised by those seams at each corner, and the

torsional rigity of the bodyshell was 6500lb per degree of twist... quite stiff by most

standards.

    August 24  1959   Morris Mini Minor  and Austin Seven   released

later in same year  handbrake quadrant fitted, radiator cowl split, caster and upped

from 1.5 deg to 3 deg. for better steering. better trim and more secure window catches

came later.shockers changed and fuel tank got a drain plug

    October 1959  British  Army testing Mokes

    April 1960    5cwt van

    September 1960  Countryman/ Traveller   earl models have battery and petrol

tank inside at rear.

    April 1961  Countryman /Traveller  all steel body for export at first

    September 1961   Mini super deluxe  extra intruments, duo-tone paint ,cooper trim

    September 1961  Mini Cooper  997cc  disc brakes twin su carburettors

    October 1961  Riley Elf /Wolsley Hornet   different  front grilles, extended boot,

extra sound deadening and better trim than super deluxe.

    October 1962  deluxe replaces super deluxe-- loses duo tone paint and cooper seats

, but retains instruments and gains Baulk ring synchromesh.

    March 1963  Mk11 versions of Riley and Wolsley  998cc engine and improved

brakes.

    March 1963  Mini moke

    April 1963   Mini Cooper S  1071cc  engine was developed from formula junior

racing unit

    January 1964   Mini Cooper 998  replaces 997cc

    March 1964   970cc and 1275cc Cooper S

    September 1964  mini mk11 released  Hydrolastic suspension on all models

except  van /countryman.  Twin leading shoe front brakes from Riley/Wolsley on all

models except Coopers. Diaghram spring clutch, oil filter warning lamp , key start

    October 1965 Automatic transmission available .

    January 1966     cooper s gets oil cooler and twin tanks

    October 1967 uk  mk11 mini 848cc and 998cc different grille style wider rear window

    October 1968  synchro on first gear

    October 1969   uk clubman mini released   longer front  different rear lamps

    November 1969  uk  mk111 mini released  larger doors  recessed door hinges wind up windows

rubber cone suspension  negative earth