Here in Japan I’ve found one 998cc MK1 Cooper, my car was a Mazda MX5 NC version, so I sold the mx5 and still not having the money to buy that Cooper. I ended up with a crazy loan. And when I got that Cooper the car was full hidden with rust, even today the boot floor, back wheels arch and the floor still need replacement, since I have no money for a full restoration process for now I did the best to relief the rust. You can see the welded patches here and there when open the boot lid. The car came with original hydrolast, the interior with the original brocade finish, would say 95% of the car remains original, the head and valves still fitted with lead fuel seals. Me honestly after riding in others very nice cars, the classic mini is the only one that gives me smiles in my face when I’m driving… So damn proud of it!

If you have never driven a classic Mini even the least powerful versions you are really missing out on one of the most fun driving experiences. I have driven many high performance cars but they all have a major draw back "Speed limits" a Mini will give you the same feeling driving it within the speed limits as a super car will give you on a track.

One of most legendary moment, in mini was in 1967 finnish rally. Timo Mäkinen driving his mini's bonnet wide open and finished in 3rd fastest time.

The classic Mini is one of the automotive world's all time greats. An affordable, practical runabout with movie star appeal and motorsports pedigree; in fact you could argue it set the modern foundations of a whole automotive segment derived from its name; the Supermini.

I'm 6'2", and the first time I ever drove a Mini (belonging to a workmate), I was shocked by the internal room and the huge amount of headroom I had! I was daily driving a Datsun 1.8 SSS Coupé, which was no slouch in its day with its twin SU carbs, and I had a 2.0S Capri for weekends. Both were fun to drive and would make his little beige Mini an ever-decreasing dot in their mirrors from 0mph to 60, 70, or, ahem, 90mph; but Jeebus, was that thing *kerazy-fun* to drive around the tight, often cobbled, town centre back streets of Manchester! I thought the seats in the Capri were low, but in the Mini, it felt like my 4rse was a couple of inches above the road! It went around the tight corners in a way that shouldn't have been possible, and the handbrake turns had me laughing like a maniac! It would have smoked both my cars _every_ time around those backstreets, and the film _The Italian Job_ finally made total sense to me! 😄

my first car was a 2010 Cooper S, and I think I have to thank the ups and downs of working with that vehicle for my lifelong love of cars and racing. thanks for the great summary!

People often erroneously says that the golf GTI was the first hot hatch, completely forgetting about the Mini Cooper

A friend of mine had a 1275GT clubman mini. He drove it around mainland europe seeing the sights while serving in the army. Then when i worked with him (plus enjoying loads of beer together on our days off) we went to a wedding and reception. Throughout the day i kept asking him where are staying tonight as it was miles from home. He just kept replying dont worry it's sorted. The evening wears on, its 1 AM and we're now on our own and im getting mightily suspicious. We walk back to his mini, without a word he unlocks the door, reclines the front seat "lays down" on the back seat and instantly falls asleep!!!! When I've picked my bottom jaw up off the floor i put the seat back, put it in gear and let off the hand brake. I got about 2 hours kip. I drove to the seaside in the morning, he's still asleep, he woke up eventually about 9AM saying what a fantastic night's sleep he'd had!!! Fantastic memories of a truly great mechanic and even better friend. Sadly lost to cancer. RIP Phil.

Great video. When I was younger, my mum had an original Mini that had been chopped into a convertible and fitted with (if I remember rightly) a 1.3 turbo engine from a Metro. I now have an R53 (Gen 1 of the 'new' Mini) as my fun daily car, it's a great (supercharged) gokart :D

Keep putting out content of this quality and the channel will blow up in no time.

Really well made video. It was suitable that Jack Brabham owned a Mini since he won his first two F1 World titles with Cooper. Incidentally, the Cooper stripes which now appear on the bonnets of Mini Coopers originate with the F1 team. In fhe '50s, there were so many British teams running in green, the Cooper team chose to put two white stripes on the front of their cars to tell them apart from BRM, Vanwall, Lotus and all the others. That then became their trademark which ended up on the Mini.

Thank you for this video from the USA about one of our British success stories. As an ex Mini rallycrosser racing in the UK and Europe I really appreciated it. We won an International Rallycross in Belgium up against Cosworths and Porsches, carrying the A Final trophy back to England. The Europeans were amazed and hated us at the same sime, we were surrounded in the pits by enthusiastic spectators. I specified and built the car, Engine by a 1430 Swiftune on Webers and straight cut gearbox with LS diff gearbox by Jack Knight. We retained the rubber cones at the front but replaced the rear suspension with coilovers from Koni having removed the heavy rear subframe and replaced it with a semi structural roll cage. 160bhp on the dyno and weighing about 500 kilos it was the last competitive mini in Rallycross.

In 1965 I was 21, footloose and fancy free, and earning good money so I splashed out on an early Mk1, 1275 S. British Racing Green (of course). Used to eat Lotus Cortinas on winding Welsh and Pennine roads.

Great video. Who'd have thought that little car would have such a big impact. And to think it wasn't built for racing.

Thanks for the awesome video!

the mini was the first production car to use a transversely mounted engine with front wheel drive. all front wheel drive cars use the same layout today.

A fine tribute for a true English icon!

I accidentally clicked on this video after watching your Rally Cheating video, and I couldn't click off. I love your videos man, I didn't think I'd be interested in a Mini video but here I am! Love it 🙏

Got my first classic Mini 10 years ago restored it learned to drive still got it today and 3 more, nothing beats the real of driving one

...and in the US designers made their crude cars faster by stuffing in bigger engines and fatter tires. I love the early Minis, and their legacy, the efficient hatchbacks and hot hatches from the 1970s to the present day.

I owned various models of mini and loved them all. They we FUN to drive that has never been replaced by ANY car since including rally cars….

your videos are the best dude

Thanks for this lovely story avout the great Mini C. I loved it, great work!

The mini is really one of the best cars I've owned, it isn't the most reliable these days, and the cold weather and rain makes it not very happy, but its such a blast to drive, completely outweighing over cars in it fun factor

My first car was a 1000cc Mini Cooper back in 1969 , which i bought for 135 Pounds! It was a wonderful car , specially in London.

Great video, informative and entertaining. I was a mini car club member in the 80's here in Australia and had 2 Cooper S . Great fun cars and so quick up a mountain pass, I had drives where I would do up to 8 mountains on my way home from the parents place. The video mentions Australian endurance race wins so I'd bring to attention the 1966 Bathurst 500 mile race which the mini won 1st through to 9th, Known as 'The Year of The Mini' their dominance was only shattered by the local manufacturers Ford and Holden embarking upon a rivalry that has lasted since the 1967 GT Falcon until now with American made imposters in our top tintop series.

Loved every bit of the commentary

87 Mini was my first car. Loved it to bits.

In 1969 I drove a basic Mini round Thruxton Race circuit a few times , Quite good fun compared to my Morris Traveller.

My most memorable trip in a Mini was in 1976 after the Irish vs. All Blacks test match... being a rear seat passenger in a 1275cc hotted up Mini which still sported it's 850cc badges.... There were 7 of us on board, 3 in the front and four in the back driving quickly up the motorway from Wellington to Lower Hutt in New Zealand. A Torana XU1 pulled alongside and indicated it wanted a race. I watched the Mini's speedo wind past 90mph and continue on until "0" on the clock...after which the Torana, 2 up, disappeared up the road ahead of us.... Interesting times....

The first time I saw the classic Mini I knew I would want one. With its Rally build, I thought it would be a blast to drive! That was a long time ago. I would still like to have one of the older ones one day.

Great video. I had a 1967 Mini 850. Completely gutless but I loved it. Would be worth a fortune now.

We use to run slaloms for pole position on our Sunday rallies. The minis always won the slaloms! We called them: "go carts with a body"! The 'S' models were absolute terrors though the slaloms!

Nice one Being old enough to have owned a 1973 1275 get This video brought a tear to these old eyes Thank you 😎🇬🇧

Well crafted video, with good storytelling... Thank you for the upload

The original Mini was, and still is, a true giant-beater! I grew up in New Zealand, and when I left school back in 1976, I got a job at a 2nd hand car yard, and that was the perfect job for me at the time. Never enjoyed work as much since then! Anyway, I got to drive so many different cars, some of which I would drive home at the end of the day, so that I could take the car to get it's annual "Warrant of Fitness" check at a station on the way to work the next morning. The car that remains my all time favourite, was a souped-up Mini. She wasn't pretty on the outside, rough of the inside, but mechanically she was totally solid. It had a bigger engine 1200cc (reportedly), twin carbs, short diff ratio, throaty exhaust, and widened 10 inch steel rims. To this very day, that little car remains -by far- the most fun on four wheels that I have EVER had! I have driven maybe a hundred different cars, including cars that are WAYYY faster than that Mini, but no other car could match the go-kart handling and the sheer fun of revving it's little engine to the max and zipping through the gears! That tiny tin box could go from corner to corner at speeds I would not even consider in "average" cars - including modern cars. Actually, when talking about cornering, that Mini was the most fun I've ever had on 3 wheels! 😉

A brilliant little icon, and it's a joy when ever I see an original one on the road !!

Terrific video! This entire video can be my explanation for my obsession. Although I fear for the identity of the brand is getting lost with the newer german owners 😅

I have a 1980 1275 classic mini as my daily driver. Ive had them since i passed my test in 1994. There's no other car that compares to a proper mini. We've also got a 1275GT which will be the other half's daily driver once its finished

Shout-out to Nick Swift, Goodwood legend.

i love mini's, the classic ones. I have one myself, an Austin Mini Mayfair from 1986. LOVE IT.

"How do you start the story of Mini?" Small, you start small.

So enjoyable, I felt the need to subscribe! Thanks.

I remember being a little kid and watching them flying covered in lights for Rally New Zealand 😁

They look Fantastic!

My first car was a 2008 Clubman Cooper S. It was abused when i got it and i was always on the fence about getting rid of it. But with my grandad rallying all 3 of his and my family always road ralying theirs it felt like a sin to even think of it. The germans just made them a little too complicated when they came back in the new shape. What i Wouldn't give for an original.

Loved getting behind the wheel of my sisters mini, such fun. While the modern version is more refined, it lacks the charm and agility of the original.

very nicely done, thank you

I remember those times, I lived in the sleepy town of Abingdon where both MG and BMC special tuning works head quarters where based. My first car was of course a Mini minor. Shit that car got me in so much trouble.

Loving these videos! Great stuff my guy :)

Very interesting and well made video. Mini Cooper was simply a winner concept in a weird shape. As a Frenchman it makes me think of Alpine, a genius coming from nowhere also becoming a legend.

I'm not a front-wheel drive fan by any means but the Mini gets a pass. Just think how awesone it would have been if it was RWD. In another universe, maybe.

I have a mini clubman 1208 with twin doletto carbs ,free flow exhaust etc. I love it. 201km/hrs on the track.

Great videos man! Keep it up

Still an all time great. Car of the century if I correctly remember. I had a Cooper 1.3i MY92 in 2001, until it got fire in 2005. Most likely I am going to get another one soon.

Mentions of 55hp and 71hp, just missing the *David Vizard modified race engines making 107hp!* That was typically 20hp or more than most other race engine builders could muster for the Mini.

One point I seem to recall, about the original "Mini", but omitted completely here, is that when initially launched in both the Austin and Morris badges, it really looked as though it might "bomb". The intended market were sceptical to say the least, about the little cars' practicality and at the time, radical design concept. Then, although designed as cost effective transport for the ordinary man, the "wrong" people started buying them. British Film star and comedian, Peter Sellars bought one and and "H.R.H." Princess Alexandra was often seen around London's swank "Mayfair" in a black, chauffer driven "Mini". Fashion model "Twiggy", had one as did "Mary Quant". The "Mini" was becoming a celebrity in it's own right. Sales began to climb and buyers discovered the technical wizardry and sparkling performance(for the time) of the little car. Competitive success and a starring role in a "cult" film, "The Italian Job" staring Michael Cain, with an iconic car chase, cemented the cars' appeal..! Sadly under the stewardship of German automotive giant "B.M.W", the "Mini" has lost it's unique charm. With larger wheels and much larger overall dimensions, the addition of air-conditioning and other such creature comforts as well as the abandonment of the transverse mounted, front wheel drive system, in favour of the much more mundane rear wheel drive, the modern "Mini" is not much more than a pale shadow of the original...Don't get me wrong, it is a good enough car in it's latest form, but one needs more than a vague similarity in appearance, to be a true version of the distinctive and Iconic original "Mini"..."!!!

I learned to drive in a Mini, I knew Alex Moulton (because of his Bicycle Club museum) and my father in law knew Cooper, he used to drive a Cooper S sometimes instead of his own very boring car, it was stunning.

Mini's are great rally cars one of my fav

My First car was a 1965 850 Mini £ 275 in 1970 Brilliant car so small but so much fun

I feel like the fiesta is sort of comparable to the classic mini, obviously without the huge legacy, but it was born out of high fuel prices as a car for the people but has done tremendously well in rally and is a blast to drive, especially the st of course

I have a 67 the Weelad and a 79 dilivery van Bizzarow love driving them makes everyone smile when they see it and in return makes me smile i bring them to car shows we have in lots all around differint nights rather then bringing my 63 or 74 corvette convertables kuz there will be lots of vetts but hardly ever minis and it allways steals the show ........2 cheers 🥂🥂 to Mini

as how I usually call minis these days "small it is, but *mighty* it shall be."

I'm 58 and my first 3 cars as a teenager were Mini's. A '72 850, then a '72 1275GT and then another'72 1275GT bored out to 1400.... smoked the tyres in the first 3 gears and hilarious torque steer!

Underrated channel👑

At the age of 15, I was a passenger in a 1275 Mini Cooper S. Even by today's standards, half a century later, its performance was - IMPRESSIVE !!!

Love your work, keep it up!

I still miss my mid 80 Green Mini S with vinyl roof and a 1100cc H engine. We did modified with discbrackes from a cooper.

I had five or six of these between 1980 and 1987. Great little cars. They lent themselves to inexpensive tuning. I read a book by David Vizard 'Tuning the A series engine'. One section was about the Reece-Fish carburettor. I had a 1275 GT at the time. I bought the carburettor. My insurance company only wanted to know if I was changing it for twin-choke Webbers. The carb was unlike anything else I'd seen with a hollow needle through the butterfly valve. There were three holes on each side of the needle, slightly larger to the 'closed' side. As you put your foot down, the butterfly opened and more fuel went into the throat of the carburettor. It was like fuel injection. Coupled with an Oselli inlet manifold and a Ripspeed 3 into 1 exhaust manifold leading to a Peco big bore twin exhaust, the mini went like the proverbial sh*t off a shovel, with a fabulous sound. A brilliant car. I only felt the same enthusiasm for my first Mk1 1800 Golf Gti!

LOVE LOVE LOVE my mini there's nothing else that drives like it!

I remember the first time I climb into a Mini as a kid. I said, it's like a TARDIS. I was amazed.

I had the immense pleasure of being in an original Mini. It was so much fun. Most people can only understand if they try it.

My grandfather was a machinist at Rolls Royce, and they made the special crankshafts for the 970cc Cooper S engine. Nitrided Steel. He saw with his own eyes a factory 970 doing 10,000rpm on a Dyno. The valves were Stainless with heavy valve springs.

1974 Leyland mini panel van. The only car I have ever continuously put through a corner with my right welded to the floor panel the 1080cc screaming its lungs out in 3rd gear at 5000rpm, me with biggest grin I could muster, glancing at the speedo in pure delight as it dances around 100km. The original BMC LEYLAND MINI , one step away from perfection

the only car I've owned that stuck to the road better was a Scalextric car, anyone will tell you how fun they are to drive around twisting country roads, the lake district during the night with cibies is fantastic fun,

I don't remember the UK being inundated with "bubble cars" to the extent stated here. Our doctor had one that he did his rounds in, and you saw them from time to time. Sure, there were three-wheelers, like the Bond as well as the Messerschmidt and the Heinkels shown, but we were still very much a cycling-motorcycling-sidecar-bus-and-train nation in 50s. Doctors and other professionals and farmers had decent cars and the rest had second hand-me-downs, it seemed to a car mad lad like me. And the Mini didn't really get underway until there were second hand ones available and within the financial reach of the plebs, around 1960. Our first car was a 1961 Austin Mini 850, bought in late 68 and which we used to catch up on our local tourism in double-quick time. The highlight was a 22 hour, 800 mile excursion to Le Teil, near Montélimar in France, to visit a family I'd met on a school exchange. Happy days. We did over 2500 miles including excursions up and down the Rhône valley to see the sights. The old girl never missed a beat and used very little oil, but after a continuous downpour for over an hour before we got to the warmer Mediterranean climate, the interior was just about flooded, as the early cars could. Soon dried out in the "beau soleil du midi", though, but it was horrible in the back with your feet squelching about on the carpet.

When it was hardly "au courant" in Southern California in the mid-'60's, I latched onto a first generation Cooper S, the 1100 cc model (the first Cooper, the 997 cc model, was not an "S"). The car it replaced was a '57 Pontiac Safari, a 5000 lb behemoth that was actually pretty cool and, restored, would be worth $60-$80k now. That was basically a one-year-only model as it was replaced with the 1275cc Cooper S, which several of my friends had. We used to have great fun giving 356 Porsches fits on Sunset Blvd. from the Beverly Hills line to Pacific Coast Hwy (granted, most 356 drivers had no idea how to drive a car that, albeit potentially quick, had as its defining handling characteristic "terminal oversteer" - I know! I had a 356 Roadster in the late '70's). The Mini convinced me of the wisdom that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. My last car before health conditions ended my driving was an NC Miata!

Like racing a skateboard ,even at 50mph felt like 100 Great fun!Rule Britannia.Greetings from Montreal.

Wait a minute, i didnt even realize that this has only 6000 views. You guys need to comment, engagement triggers the algorithm.

My first experience of a mini was in my school days, when I was driven by a friend's mum. My mum drove an Austin A35, which recalls the Ralph Nader warning "unsafe at any speed" (especially when driven by my mum). In the mini, we approached a 90 degree corner, at a little under 30 mph. Friend's mum turned the wheel without braking. I braced myself, expecting us to go rolling. The car merely went round the corner, and continued on its way.

Great doco' .

While John Cooper was the boss and took the credit for the Mini Cooper the major part was played by his employees who took A series Formula Junior parts and hotted up the company parts getter Mini with them. Staff at the time such as world F1 champion Jack Brabham driving the Cooper F1 cars to the first mid engined F1 championship wins in 1959 and 1960 and Bruce McLaren. With staff like that they also convinced Dunlop to make disc brakes small enough to tame the high powered Mini Cooper when needed. They convinced John Cooper with what they easily put together from mosrly existing Cooper parts.

I had a 1966 mini coup. Still my favorite car to drive. No power unless you rebuilt but man fun to drive. Oh this is a story not based on fact. I lived it to a point. 😊

Back in the day I owned / drove Mini Cooper S with 1275cc engine, twin SU carbs & dual fuel tanks. Certainly did corner like it was on rails!

4:58 As a Brit growing at the time of the Suez Crisis, bubble cars definitely did NOT proliferate the streets of Britain and would not been a factor on mini design. The few bubble cars that were around were were regarded as a novelty. Many bubble cars were three wheeled and were attractive to younger drivers and people on low incomes because they could be driven on a motorcycle licence and had a lower road taxation. The brilliant design of the 2CV was seen as an eccentric French design for a farmers vehicle and not considered fun todrive . Minis were CARS and had none of the financial breaks of bubble cars but with a wheels on each corner and a low centre of gravity they could handle and go round corners much faster than other production cars of the day. There was therefore the desire from many owners to make them go even faster. Cars of that era were unreliable and enthusiastic owners were used to repairing and taking them apart. Needless to say anything that improved performance was added in the process and minis provided a perfect market for tuning and upgrading. Sadly with cars designed by computer geeks this no longer possible. Less is more. We have lost a lot in the intervening years 🥲

Best classic Mini cimmercial i have ever seen, one problem... i need one now

My first car was a low light side valve 11:37 '51 Morris Minor, 2nd a '59 850cc Morris Mini. Both fun to drive, both under powered. Wish I still had both! Leigh, NZ

Not many cars made so much history! 🏆 Thanks to Sir Alec Issigoni's, father of the Mini and John Cooper, who immediately recognized the potential of this little car. I love my little Mk1 Morris Mini Cooper S ❤😍🤩🥰

1:25 Those ships didn't sink in battles, they were sunk by the Egyptians to deliberately block the canal

You forgot to mention how Timo Mäkinen drove his Mini with open bonnet at Ouninpohja Jyväskylä Rally Finland.

Throughly enjoyed this video 👏🏼👏🏼🔥🔥

... I Really Enjoyed That Little Documentary, Many People Called The Mini Car "Tree Climbers". I've Driven a Couple and I Think The New Owner of a Mini has To Grow Into the Car, So To Speak.... Greetings from Saturn 🪐

A very long time ago it was explained to me that a go-kart is a pedal powered four wheeled kids' toy. Karts are the the ones with engines in them. But people persist in their misconception.

A 1275GT was my first car. Great fun in the snow…

Salamat po

You cannot drive a mini without smiling. Awesome little beasts

I have an r50 mini and Its been so fun to modify and just show up my friends that hate on it.

Dude, I had a clubman 1.1 and used to show all my mates out with it, Uno turbo ie, XR3, you name it in the 90s, I bet it.

Mini rules! Great video. I have never driven a classic Mini, but I love my 2013 R56 S. I don't condone street racing, and I usually won't give in to it. I smoked a Dodge Challenger off the line from a traffic light one day. The guy just kept messing with me, so I was like okay jack ass, let's go! He turned off left at the next light with his tail between his legs.

I had a Clubman with 10x6" 100+ wheels and a smaller steering wheel. It was fun ! :D ...