International Scale Modeller

Hi guys here is my entry for the
Non-Military Road Vehicles Long Term Group Build

Sprue Shots and Instructions






Scanned Instructions (NB I plan to scan all my build instructions to PDF so if you ever need a copy for some reason let me know if I have the one you want.. not many at this stage)

Thats the kit... next post is a little history and my reasons for this choice....Stay Tuned!

History

The MINI is one of those special cars that gets to define the vehicle class it belongs to. What makes it even more individual is that it was awarded the “European Car of the Century”. Let’s have a closer look on how the MINI became the car it is today.

The MINI was the small car icon of the 1960s. It was produced by BMC (British Motor Corporation) starting in 1959 and was the first car to come with front-wheel-drive. This space saving solution went on to influence all the manufacturers and nowadays FWD is the most popular drive-train layout.

The new BMW MINI was launched in 2001 with a completely new design from the BMW design team. Since then it rekindled the worldwide sales of mini, averaging around 250,000 MINI sold worldwide.

In 2006 BMW completely redesigned the MINI to meet stricter NCAP European safety standards and ratings. Every piece of bodywork was redesigned and different to the 2001 BMW MINI model , but if you visually compared the new 2006 MINI model, side by side to the 2001 MINI model there would be very little obvious difference between the two, with BMW choosing to adhere as closely as possible to the first classic MINI design.

The revolutionary design of the MINI was created by Sir Alec Issigonis (1906–1988) (see photo below), considered a visionary in industrial transportation. The MINI was intended as an affordable vehicle in response to the 1956 Suez oil crisis. Along its production period, the MINI was built at the Cowley plants in the United Kingdom, and afterwards in Australia, Belgium, Chile, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela. Today's BMW MINI is manufactured mainly at the MINI manufacturing plant near Oxford, England.

The first MINI, called the Mk I had three important updates: The Mk II, the MINI Clubman, and the Mk III. Sportier versions were the MINI Cooper and the MINI Cooper S (S standing for Special), that got to successful as rally cars. MINI even won the Monte Carlo Rally three times.


Mini Design and Development

The MINI was designed as a result of the 1956 Suez Crisis, which reduced oil supplies, and forced the UK government to introduce petrol rationing. Obviously, the sales of large cars, with high fuel consumption dropped and the market for so called “bubble cars”, including the MINI boomed.

BMC realized that they had to produce a small vehicle quickly. Issigonis, had a reputation for been gighly skilled in designing small vehicles was assigned to this task of creating a small, economical car. Together with a small team of designers Issigonis got to produce the original prototype of the MINI by October 1957. Originally called the New Market (as it was aimed at a New Market in the car industry), the name was soon dropped and changed to the MINI, a name reflecting its size and ecumenical prowess. The MINI used a conventional BMC four-cylinder water-cooled engine, mounted transversely with a four-speed gearbox transmission placed in the sump, and with FWD (Front Wheel Drive).

Mini Early Sketch

All of the MINIs smart technical novelties produced a car with minimum overall dimensions and maximized space for passengers and luggage.

Other MINI enhancements included the mounting of the carburettor at the back of the MINI engine. This allowed for an extra reduction gear to be mounted between the engine and the transmission to reduce loads on the gearbox and prevent rapid wear. The MINI engine had 51.7 cubic inches and offered an excellent a top speed for this type of a car of 72 mph.

Although the MINI’s design had utilitarian origins, the shape of the classic model became so iconic that Rover Group (the heirs to BMC) registered the MINI and its shape as a trademark in the early 1990s.


The above information was courtesy of http://www.johncooperworks.net/history-mini-forum.html

Why I chose this kit to build

I have always been a fan of the mini, since I was a little kid. My parents had as the family car a cooper mini, which had fat tyres and cool racing steering wheel but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a photo to show.
Last year a team of racing enthusiasts from my home town in Nelson, New Zealand took a modified 64 mini to Bonneville and broke the speed record for a production car under 1000cc at an average speed of 235.9km/h.
This was in the best tradition of Burt Munro of Fastest Indian fame. Burt's grandson him self was also invited to launch the project, only fitting

I plan to build this kit pretty much out of the box with a few bits of added detail. This will be practice of skills for when I attempt to build a replica of the Project 64 Mini

Hope you stay tuned

Great choice dude.

Original mini is always a winner.

Nice entry, look forward to seeing it started Gav

Nice.. I want to build one i'll be watching your build see how it all comes together

Cheers guys here is some footage of one of the mini runs at Bonniville, from inside the car. Starting my build this weekend
[youtube]AMEkQFfQqns[/youtube]

Looking forward to this Mini build Gav...
You gotta love a mini, the're a smashing little fun car...
Lets hope this kit is a fun build!!
Good luck matey...

Episode 2
The Engine

I got a bit of the engine done and have gone with stock green. I will however be using different colours from the sugested callouts on the alternator and other engine parts. I also intend to add cables and hoses, If anyone has great ideas on adding detail on a racing engine feel free to post suggestions.
As you can see I am using AK grey primer and a combination of Tamiya and Vallejio paints.



Fun Fact 1
Before founding the McLaren team, New Zealander Bruce McLaren was a junior partner in the all conquering Cooper Formula 1 setup and by virtue of his history at the 1959 Unites States Grand prix, the 22 year old became the youngest driver to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

He was also an enthusiastic racer of Mini Coopers. For the New Zealand Grand Prix in 1962, McLaren was hurriedly given one of the first mini Coopers off the UK production line, there being just 5 days to tune the car prior to the race.

By 1963 he had imported a green and a white Mini Cooper S for racing and this was later owned by his father Les and used as the family's second car.

In January of that year, Bruce won the Teretonga Internation race in a Cooper F1 car.

Great work on the engine dude.

Looking forward to the next update.

Nice little engine.. For wire and some hoses I use wire and paint it have a look at my 68 dart (in the road vehicles) im doing the plug wires and fuel lines and fuel filters all scratch built from wire and painted..

Episode 3
The Engine Still...
Hi Team, I have finally got back to the build. I had to wait for some Tamiya TS 43 British Racing Green Paint Can. Looking forward to getting the engine finalized and adding a few little bits of detail. I have been looking thru a few of the builds in this LTGB and looks like everyone is loving the chance to build a non-military model, more please!!!

sprayed wheel area British Racing Green. Now masked off to paint rest of Chassis black



Mounted engine. A few touch ups to follow on glued areas




While waiting on paint I went ahead and built the racing seat. I have used Tamiya masking Tape(painted Red) and a few spare bits of spru to build a basic racing harness, also used a spare decal from an old kit to add soem printed text on harness



Another Fun Fact
All four Beatles owned Minis, the most famous being George Harrison's psychedelic version which appeared in the 1967 film the Magical Mystery Tour (and has been remade in the new model of Mini - see photo below). Built by Harold Radford Ltd in 1965, Austin Cooper S LGF 965D was originally black but was painted in psychedelic colours in 1967 using ideas from an art book. George Harrison also had a wall of his house painted in the same style, much to the annoyance of his neighbours. It was in that mini that Goerge, John, Cynthia Lennon and Patti Boyd apparently had their first LSD trip after leaving the home of a freind who had slipped it into their cups of tea. George recalled driving very slowely because they didn't know what was happening to them. After Magical Mystery Tour, the car was given to Eric Clapton, but George got it back in the 1970's, lovingly maintained it and showed it at Goodwood as recently as 1998, three years before his death.

John Lennon brought his wife Cynthia a Mini in 1964 but because he didn't pass his driving test until 1965, he waited until then before getting a black Radford-built Austin Cooper S (LGF 696D). The following year he told a journalist: "I decided I'd been a bit extravagant and brought too many cars, so I put the Ferarri and the Mini up for sale. Then one of the accountants said I was all right, so I got the cars back". On August 28 1967, Lennon arrived at Apple Studios in his Radford Mini after hearing of the death of the Beatles manager Brian Epstein.

In 1965, Paul McCartney aqcuired a sage green Radford Mini Cooper S (GGJ 382C), which boasted rear lights from the Aston Martin factory, black leather interior, inside map lighting and a sunroof. He drovethe Mini to Primrose Hill, North London, in early 1967 and saw a strange man walking about. This was the inspiration for his song "The Fool on the Hill". The car now resides in a museum in Florida.

Ringo Starr owned Radford Austin Mini Cooper S (LLO 836D). The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein brought it originally in 1966 and the next owner shown in the logbook in Richard Starkey, who took possession of it on June 15, 1967. Epstein had an arrangement with dealer Terry Doran to get cars for the Beatles at trade prices. Doran is the 'man from the motor trade' referred to in "She's Leaving Home" on the Sergeant Pepper album.

great work mate i have owned a couple of mini's over the years great little cars

Looking nice m8

Episode 4
Building up the Chassis

Have got heaps done and the little beast is starting to take shape. Loving the progress of the other entries..a good GB!!

I have been adding a little more engine detail.


Have started putting a bit of wear on tyres..just need to smooth them out a bit


installing exhaust


started installing interior floor parts and walls


Dash Detail


Yet another Fun Fact
On 11 May 2008, during the International Mini Meeting, a total of 884 Minis paraded through Lelystad in the Netherlands, breaking the Guinness world record for the largest ever convoy of Minis.
This shattered the previous record of 310 Minis that took part in the 2007 Mini Grand Tour in North Devon, England.

This almost makes me want to do a car kit, excellent tyre wear.

Your doing a fantastic job an this one, Il be picking up a mini kit to build for fathers day for my Dad...he loves them so il be picking up a few tips from you
Good luck with the rest of the build

Looking great m8

Another very nice build here in the forum . To follow

Looking great !

It brings back memories.....my first car that I bought on my 18th birthday was a Mini Cooper.....back in the mid 70's. I stripped it down to bare metal, put red oxide rust protection all over it then sprayed it blue. Added twin white stripes that went from the bonnet to the boot, added flared wheel arches, wide alloy wheels and wheel spacers. I put a MG 1275 GT engine into it....the largest I could fit into the small compartment and finished her off with 4 halogen lights on the front grill. That baby flew round hairpin bends and stuck to the road like sh*t to a blanket!! I really enjoyed that car. I should dig out some old photos and post them.

Anyway....now I've finished reminiscing....you're doing a grand job on her and British Racing Green is a good choice of color.....can't wait to see the finished item.

Cheers,

Martin

Cheers guys, build heading along nicely. Will have another post soon

Great progress, look forward to the next update

Episode 5
Installing interior items

Have started installing seat and other interior items. I have thought about adding other detail to the interior. I built a extinguisher system and installed roll cage.
I am going for a semi-racing setup. Not the full on stripped out mini. If anyone has ideas, they'd be most welcome...come join me on the build.



Next up the body!!


gota love the original movie, but would never dump the Minis tho
[youtube]aIechPy5ycc[/youtube]

Great update, it looks fantastic

Nice! You are capturing the essence of that iconic car. Looking forward to more updates

Episode 6
Body Shop

I have now started on the body. My first time using Tamiya Rattle cans. I put down a dust coat and a light first coat, after this I am going to give the paint a rub down using fine wet n dry paper or a rubbing compound.

Door Panels painted


First Coat done


Another coat put down, waiting to dry and harden and then will look at any imperfections for final touch up



Mini celebrates 50th anniversary of Monte win
It was 50 years ago that a Mini conquered the famous Monte Carlo rally with Paddy Hopkirk at the wheel

Fans of the original Mini are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the car’s famous giant-killing victory at the Monte Carlo rally.
The Mini Cooper S snatched the win from much more powerful machinery on January 21, 1964, with Paddy Hopkirk, the famed Northern Irish driver, at the wheel.
His skill in threading the diminutive front-wheel-drive car around the treacherous icy roads above Monaco thrust both him and the Mini into the limelight on their return, with Hopkirk receiving congratulatory telegrams from both the Government and the Beatles.
The nimbleness of the 55bhp Mini cancelled out much of power deficit to the muscular but also massive Ford Falcon that finished second. A handicap formula designed to even out differences between the diverse field also helped, but the four-cylinder Mini impressed by finishing just 17secs behind the V8 Falcon in the famous "Night of the Long Knives" penultimate stage.
The Cooper went on to win two more Monte Carlo rallies in 1965 and 1967 driven by Finnish rally aces Timo Makinen and Rauno Aaltonen respectively.

That rattle can green looks great dude.

great paint work mate

Very nice paint job

This car looks the muts nuts dude. Awesome work. Can i drive it first

Sorry Wayne the Fiancee got first dibs!!

that paint work is mint m8 love the colour great work

i think I'm going to pick one of these up gav

Excellent paint work! Gloss can be a bugger to spray and get smooth,you did a great job!

Episode 7
Body Shop Continued...

Have continued working on Mini body rubbing down coats and laying on more coats. Put down a couple of clear coats.
Nearing the final bend onto the home straight heading for the finish line, excuse the motor racing pun

First clear - Next rub out orange peel - Using Tamiya TS13 Clear



Using Micro Kristal Klear to glue in Windows


Dropped the body on and adding chrome parts


Next update Decals and finish

Mini Special Edition
In 1976, the Mini became the first British car to produce a special edition - the Mini 1000 Special. Priced at £1406 (€1220), it came in Brooklands Green or Glacier White and featured a gold waist coachline, twin chrome door mirrors and reclining front seats. To reflect the fashion of the 70s, the interior had an orange-striped brushed nylon seat trim from the MGB range and dark orange safari carpets.

Really shaping up great dude.

Episode 8
Hitting the Finish Line

I have got the decals down and have put a clear coat on. Although there was some damage on one of the decals as you will see below, I am still very pleased with the build.

laying down Decals using Microscale SET and SOL

painting Tail Lights using Tamiya X26 and X27

Making the Base. I used a $3(NZ) photo Frame and layed down a checker sticker onto the glass for that lino effect. I actually used my scale app on my phone to get correct scale for squares

Finished!! As you may or may not have noticed the stripes do not go all the way to the head lights. One decal got damaged, so I have stopped them both short at the door. Still very happy tho


Final Little Extra

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very nice work there mate looks awesome

Great job on that Mini, Gav!

Takes me back to my late teens when I whipped around in mine!

Cheers,

Martin

Looks very nice. I love it. Good Job

Cheers guys, has been alot of fun to build