Description
Author: Keith Mainland, Hardbound, 192 Pages, ISBN: 9781785000010
1st Edition, 2015
Classic Mini Specials and Moke explores the diverse range of vehicles that used the Mini shape,as well as the only variation actually designed by Alec Issigonis, the Mini Moke.
In addition to the famous race and rally cars, coachbuilt conversions and highly modified saloons and commercials. Keith Mainland looks at overseas Mini and Moke production and the many factory-produced limited
edition Minis. There is also advice about buying and owning your own special Mini.
Inroduced from 1959 until 2000, the classic Mini is loved by millions of owners, previous owners and enthusiasts. The Mini's creator, Alec Issigonis, was given a free hand to make a proper small car and his innovative design not only redefined the family car, but also started a revolution as a performance car.
The Mini's wide-ranging appeal meant that it became the basis for many different types of vehicles as soon as it was launched. BMC themselves created a longer wheelbase for estate cars and commercial vehicles, and Issigonis designed the quirky Moke, intended for military use. Ultimately, the Moke did not appeal to the military, but it found favour in sunny holiday destinations and became a symbol of the cult TV series The Prisoner.
Classic Mini Specials and Moke explores the diverse range of vehicles that sprang from the factory-built Mini, from 1959 up to the end of production and beyond. It covers standard car and commercial models built in the UK and overseas, from Australia and Venezuela, as well as race and rally cars from the Mk1 up to the last Clubman-based 'works' competition cars and current historic and one-make series.
It also examines aftermarket conversions based on the Mini shape like the luxurious Radford and Wood & Pickett conversions, the well-known Trickett 'Minisprint' model and more unusual conversions such as the Wildgoose motorhome and Angus Firefly fire truck. Finally, performance upgrades by the likes of Downton Engineering and John Cooper Garages are covered, along with one-off competition vehicles like the 'Stripteaser' drag racer and autotest Mini used by WRC Champion Colin McRae at the start of his motor sport career.
If you own a Mini, are thinking about buying one or enjoy finding out more about the car that brought accessible motoring and motor sport to so many people, this book could help make Mini ownership more accessible - and that much more fun.
Keith Mainland is a lifelong car and motor sport enthusiast. He has been photographing cars since the 1970s and more recently has been a contributor to UK and US classic car magazines. Building a Minisprint for his car-enthusiast wife got Keith hooked on the Mini phenomenon and led to him writing this book.
