Alex Kinsman Contributor MINI LIFE The first car I ever rode in, at six days old, was a modified MkI Elf. I grew up with Minis, met my wife at a Mini show in Florida, and married into Minis Unlimited. We then moved to a bigger house and rented an in

We’ve had to wait an awfully long time for an International Mini Meeting – it’s the best part of four years since IMM Bristol in 2019. Originally, the trip to Italy was meant to take place in 2021, but the pandemic meant a postponement until 2023. An

let me tell you a story about this car. A few years back I was writing a feature for Octane magazine, twin-testing the Bristol Fighter and the Marcos TSO, and I took the R53 up to Henley where we were shooting the cars; the photographer asked if we c

The end of the line. The final curtain. After 27 years and 342 issues, I’m sad to say that this is the final issue of Mini Magazine. When this title launched back in 1996, it sought to showcase real-world cars and the people behind them, with a frien

If you take a straw poll around the Mini Magazine office to see what everyone’s opinions are of the borderline-retro boyband Blue, you’ll get some mixed responses. Jeff loves them, obviously, because their brand of radio-friendly motherloving beats f

NAME: John Ashall AGE: 59 OCCUPATION: Deputy Key Operator, Leyland Trucks LOCATION: Wigan CAR: 1991 Mini START CONDITION: Bare shell CONDITION NOW: Modified rolling shell with rollcage and many parts fitted TIME TAKEN SO FAR: 8 years ESTIMATED T

Martyn Collins Contributor MINI LIFE My first car was a free 1977 Mini 1000, which needed a full restoration! One highlymodified Cooper replica later it was time for the real thing and a 1990 John Cooper ’S’ Converted Cooper RSP followed. Now fascina

We’ve been lucky enough to catch up with another circuit saloon car racer who was a very familiar name on the grid with previous Racing Lines interviewees. Paul Taft had many spells behind the wheel of a classic Mini, be it in a 1275 GT or at the Nür

Regular readers may know me, others may not, but I have had the pleasure to work as Art Editor on Mini Magazine for the last nine years. I have worked on car magazines for nearly sixteen years, ranging from Fast Car to Classics Monthly; I have always

This Mini isn’t here because it’s perfect. It’s not your archetypal feature car, honed to unimpeachability with every detail minutely scrutinised. The doors could do with repainting to match the body, there’s some creeping surface rust about the nose

Pete Hunter Guest writer MINI LIFE Pete comes from a family of Mini owners, and has been involved with the scene for a long time, being a founder member of the Hilltop Minis club. MINI SPEC 1963 Mini 850. Pete’s owned the Mini for many years and took

Kilrea, Co. Derry Panel & Paint Shop, Classic Mini Restoration Specialists, Parts Supply 07801 298682 Penrith, Cumbria Panel & Paint Shop, Classic Mini Restoration Specialists, Parts Supply 07801 298682 Cwmbran, South Wales Restoration, Repairs,

Genuine survivors don’t come along too often. As the years creak by and metal shows increasing keenness to slowly return to the elements from whence it came, original examples of solid and unrestored Minis become increasingly few and far between. Whi

There was an inherent mischief to the Jet Black right from the start. A City-based special edition launched in 1988, it was notable for its oh-soeighties fusion of inky black and lipstick red, and among its plentiful charms the model came complete wi

While many of us love the idea of tackling a full restoration, sadly only a small percentage see it through to the end. There’s no shortage of abandoned projects with mentions of ‘not enough time to finish’ among the classifieds and it’s totally unde

When was the last time you saw a classic Mini wearing three-spoke alloys, a wide-arch bodykit and a full glass sunroof? If ever, we’d hazard a guess at the answer being at least two decades ago, but this striking YRV Turbo-engined tearaway built by d

Name: Andreas Schubert Car: ‘Project Murphy’ Location: Dresden, Germany ■ Andreas Schubert, aka ‘Schubi’, got in touch to tell us about his budget build – ‘Project Murphy’. “I live in Dresden, and I got this Mini as a rolling shell some years ago.

Jeff Ruggles Contributor MINI LIFE I’ll run out of fingers and toes if I try and count all the Minis I’ve had. I love to spend all my spare time working on them, although progress can be tricky as I have far too many. MINI SPEC I currently own seven

Ian Shaw Contributor MINI LIFE Been fortunate to drive many over the years as a vehicle journalist, from one of the last Rover 1.3i Coopers back-to back with the first R50s, loads of ‘60s ‘70s and ‘80s classics, Cooper S, 1275GT, Moke, Mini-based kit

It was particularly noticeable this year just how massive the Retro Rides Weekender has become. Ever since the first running of the show in 2018 it’s been a diverse and exciting gathering of likeminded souls, but this year the number of cars in atten

Gerard Hughes Editor MINI LIFE Been into Minis for as long as I can remember. Worked on the first issues of Mini Magazine in 1996, and was editor from 1997 to 2001. Never been too far away from Minis, the scene or the magazine. MINI SPEC Standard 196

Tim Harber Contributor www.minimail.co.uk MINI LIFE Driven them since 1967 and started a business around them in London in 1977. Moved to the countryside in 1989 to allow more space to fit cars and family in. Started racing in 2002 (aged 52). Have ra

Cryptography and secret languages have always provided an ingenious way to share information that we’d rather remained hidden, and that’s never more true than in the case of CB radio jargon. Truckers, mischievous drivers, outlaws and home-based well-

■ The chance to have your car perfectly recreated as a Hot Wheels die-cast toy is back, along with new opportunities for UK fans to be a part of the Legends Tour. For the first time, the Hot Wheels Legends UK final will be open to the public to watch

Due to the uncertainty surrounding Covid, please be aware that events are subject to change. Keep an eye on the organisers’ websites to stay up to date with any developments. There’s no denying that the garden party atmosphere of the FoS of a couple

It’s a question of pressure, really, and of cumulative effects. The manner in which households of yore kept their homes warm without choking on the smoke was to instal a chimney, the pressure difference created by the hot column of gases creating dra

We’ve come across some insane projects over the years while compiling our On The Job features, but Kieran Baybutt’s fibreglass 4WD monster powered by a 400bhp nitrous and turbofed, fully forged B18C4 Honda VTEC engine must surely take some beating! F