Both the Contents pages, and 2.5 pp of Index suggested a comprehensive
treatment of the Mini; a scan of the contents indicates that both the
neophyte and dedicated Miniac are catered for, with a bias to the former.
Following a brief Introduction, the book is divided into seven sections,
titled: 1. A short history; 2. Buying a Mini; 3. Maintenance; 4. Repair and
Restoration - Mechanical; 5. Restoration - Bodywork; 6. Modifications; 7.
Recent Mini history. The slant of the book is clarified in the
introduction - it is 'intended to help the Mini owner to bring his or her
car to roadworthy condition at the lowest cost, then to keep it there with
proper mechanical and bodywork maintenance'. The author stresses that this
is neither a full workshop manual, nor a general guide to classic car
restoration, and best used in conjunction with a good workshop manual.
With this in mind, I approached each chapter from the viewpoint of someone
with an appreciation of Mini's, some mechanical aptitude, and looking to
buy or maintain an 'everyday' Mini - the market at which the book seems to
be most directed.
- 1. A short history
- Everyday Mini's are those featuring in this first section: 5.5 pp.
of text outline the economic need of the period (mid-1950's) for a small
affordable car, and the subsequent departures of the Mini from contemporary
automotive design conventions; 14.5 of the 20 pp. are full and half-page
photos of 'working' cars. Successive models are introduced briefly - the
sedan, Minivan, Traveller, Countryman, luxury versions in the Hornet and
Elf, the Moke, and the 'sports' versions - the Cooper and Cooper 'S'. The
author considers briefly why the Mini, with its outdated technology,
continues to sell - 'character... in a world where the alternatives are
bland.' Living with the Mini's performance in the nineties is reviewed,
comparisons made with the the various modern 'superminis' - the Mini is
seen as still performing the job it was designed to do, and doing so
economically. The chapter concludes with a short section on versatility of
the Mini, it's unique handling characterstics, and a comparison of
performance with the range of engine options. In all, a succinct overview
of Mini development and appeal in the context of the volume. My only
criticism of this section is that the truisms are so only for the UK -
comments about the 'sheer numbers of Minis produced means there are rich
pickings about for restorers' is not true outside the UK - even in
Australia, where close to 200,000 Mini's were produced, the intervening 18
years since production ceased has meant Mini parts are becoming
increasingly difficult to find, or imported from the UK, increasingly
costly.
- 2. Buying a Mini
- Most of this small second chapter (22 pp.) is text, devoted to the
traps of buying a second-hand Mini. Again, my feeling was that it is more
pertinent to the UK (and other wetter climates) than the drier climes of Oz
and like places......the dreaded rust worm assumes much more heroic
proportions in the UK, which is why so much space in this chapter is
devoted to the multitude of places a buyer of Min's has to search for it.
Nonetheless, the subject matter should be compulstory prior reading for any
impending purchaser of a Mini of any ilk. The author correctly points out
the wide range of values which may be placed on 2nd hand Minis, and the
efforts to which some of the more devious may go to hide the fact that 'the
truth is out there' - there are certainly many more purported Cooper S's
out and about on Australian roads than survived from those made here or
were imported.
The chapter content is: sources of Minis, whether private, trade
sales or auctions; Which Mini?, which discusses the various (higher value)
classic Minis, unusual variants, and usable Minis (i.e. daily drivers) in
some detail. 'Appraising the Mini - bodywork' is next, with some useful
tips on recognizing accident damage or other hidden body distortion by
careful comparative measurements. Rust-prone areas, as noted, get an
extensive treatment, particularly sills, rear subframe mounts, inside the
boot, posts, top shroud and roof pillars, and toe- and heelboard. Tips on
checking welds, using a magnet to check for excessive body filler, and so
on, are a must for all potential buyers. The last 6 pages deal
sequentially with the mechanical and electrical inspections required, with
appropriate figures of where to look and what to look for: engine and
noises therein, road test and feel, suspension, steering and brakes,
electrical and interior. The last page is a super-quick reference check
list, which, on it's own, could save an unwary purchaser considerable
hard-earned drachmas (insert currency of choice!). I liked this section a
lot.......geez there are some dodgy b......ds out there......!
- 3. Maintenance
- 18 pp of pretty basic common sense - particularly safety issues
which some Miniacs tend to ignore 'cos it'll never happen to me' (!). The
mechanical maintenance section details what you need to do: each time you
drive the car; weekly; every 2-3 months; every 6 months, and annually.
Again, a simply explained and logical sequence. A toolkit is suggested -
basic gear to do the procedures on the pages which follow. Tools are 1.
Essential, such as a trolley jack or bottle jack, but *not* a scissor jack;
2. Equipment you will wish you had (incl. fire extinguisher!), 3.
Non-specific consumables (incl. sticking plasters/bandaids!). The next
section is devoted to what to look for when servicing the vehicle, and the
best method of maintaining the: ignition, timing, carburetion, valve
clearances, front wheel alignment, lubrication and brakes. The final four
pages deal with bodywork preventative maintenance, primarily dealing with
and arresting rust. Impression of chapter - readily usable, clearly
explained and illustrated. Any procedures which are likely to require
professional help, e.g. wheel alignment, are so noted.
- 4. Repair and Restoration - Mechanical
- The reason many Mini owners tackle repairs and restoration
themselves (DIY) is that the cost of full-time professional restorers is
prohibitive....alternatively, many choose to do the simple (less
specialized?) tasks themselves, and leave things like tricky welding or
two-pack painting to skilled and professionally-equipped craftsmen. This
chapter, by far the largest component of the book (80+ pp), covers in
sensible detail everything from the ideal place to work (and what you can
get by with!), through furnishings, basic tools and equipment of
restoration, various welders, how to use a mig, useful electric tools,
essential hand tools, complete with tips on why a particular tool is better
than another.
The procedures sections start with engine/gearbox removal, with
both text and numbered illustrations clearly identifying each component to
be detached. Both engine-alone overhead removal and engine-on-subframe
dropout are detailed. Removal and stripping of the cylinder head continues
this sequence, then engine and gearbox strip. Schematic (exploded) clearly
labelled diagrams show each identified component. Sequentially, timing
gear, clutch, transfer gears, engine/gearbox split, are dealt with, then
points to look for in diagnosing engine wear. Engine rebuild concludes this
section, also logically and clearly described. The next 16 heavily
illustrated pages describe the gearbox strip and rebuild, with all parts
clearly identified using photographs and schematics at the various stages,
also tools and useful tips.
The remaining systems which are dealt with in the same detail are:
fuel system (incl. carburettor strip down, rebuild and setting of single
and twin carbs); exhaust system (including performance characteristics of
various types and fitting); electrics and electrical faults; transmission,
suspension and steering (incl. swivel hub, constant velocity (CV) joint,
driveshaft and steering rack removal and repair; brakes (incl. drums and
discs, bleeding, master cylinder and handbrake restoration). Again, a
very readable, understandable, and clearly explained and illustrated
section.
- 5. Restoration - Bodywork
- This is an inspiring chapter which may put the novice DIY restorer
off cold chisels and angle grinders for a bit, but the author points out
that the more experienced DIY restorer with welding facilties and abilities
should be able to cope adequately. 53 pp. of fully photographed
replacement procedures follow an initial summary of the effects of rust on
the integrity of the Mini's monocoque shell, descriptions of welded joint
types, and a page on the use and abuse of body filler. Lead loading,
welding, and the use of replacement body panels are described.
Considerable attention is paid to sill repair and/or replacement - the
sills provide major structural strength to the Mini shell. Areas then
covered are the door step, inner sill, heel board panel, floor, toe board.
Most of these are still available as replacement panels, as are the front
wings, A-panels, top shroud and flitch panels, the repair and replacement
of which is carefully illustrated and described. Similarly, the rear
bodywork, interior and fittings, headliner, seats, heater, switch panel and
instrumentation are all covered.
A short section summarizes professional restoration, and provides
tips on how to assess the work of such a restorer, including what you
should expect in the way of an estimate from a competent restorer, what to
expect in the way of attitude, payment, and warns on cost-cutting.
Finally, the chapter concludes with 6 pp. on paintwork: equipment and
facilities, safety tips, type of paint, preparation, masking, and spraying.
"The best advice for someone who is restoring just one Mini is to have at
least the final stages of preparation and the application of the topcoats
carried out professionally".
Well illustrated, concisely described, covers most aspects of panel
restoration in a thorough manner.
- 6. Modifications
- Deals with modifications to the basic Mini under three main categories:
Firstly, discreet classic car modifications - which do not substantially
alter the character of the car, secondly, the range of engine tweaks from
'a bit quicker' to full modifications 'guaranteed to seriously annoy GTi
drivers', and finally, the range of Mini-based kit cars. Suffice to note
here that each of these categories is summarised, examples are given, and
the relative merits discussed. Readers of the currently available Mini
magazines will be aware of more diverse modifications than could be
considered in the 17 pp. devoted to them here.
- 7. Recent Mini history.
- Describes briefly some of the more recent limited editions which are
predicted to become 'classics' - the factory specials began in the 1970's
(in the UK), continuing through the 20th Anniversary special in 1979, the
Mini Sprite in 1983, 25th Anniversary 'Silver Jubilee' in 1984...these and
subsequent models, with options, and prices, are summarised. The most
important new variant for years is seen in the July 1990 re-issue of the
Mini Cooper, with the Lamm-based convertible in June 1991 - 75 only, at
UKP12,250, and sold out days after the model was first announced. This
chapter concludes with some observations on the Mini's cult status in some
markets (e.g. Japan), the present guises it is offered in, and notably,
that the factors which made the Mini a great car in 1959 are still relevant
today - the Mini is still the most sensible buy in small cars today, just
as it has always been.
- Specialists' Addresses after Ch. 7
- lists six Mini Clubs in the U.K., and 16
UK Mini specialists spares suppliers, the names of which are now familiar
from Mini World (MW) and Mini Magazine (MM). Appendices list torque wrench
settings, lubricants and fluids, tools and equipment suppliers (all in the
UK) and publications (all in the UK). Some of the information in both the
addenda is dated now, with monthly, rather than quarterly as stated,
publication of MW, appearance of MM, and Mini articles in Retro and other
car magazines.
What more can I say? Although a bit costly in Oz, with a few dubious
quality control faults in binding (blobs of glue oozing out from the spine
onto the face page of my copy) and less than desirable build for a
softbound book, these are not content. The book certainly achieves its'
stated aim, of catering to the DIY maintainer of 'yer average Min', and
goes a little beyond that in also providing for the classic restorer. A
good all-round maintenance handbook which covers most things that can go
wrong in daily driving, with preventative maintenance tips which will
minimize such occurrences in the future and prolong the life of our
favourite car.
