• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Happy Birthday To The Mini

I had five happy years working at Longbridge (71 - 76) before moving north with the company. With regard to the Mini, I remember talking to a line worker whose job was to put five inflated wheels and tyres into the front footwell of a body shell that passed him every two minutes on the conveyor. He'd done the job for over ten years and I asked him if he didn't get bored with it. "No" he said, "I've got variety" "With what?" I asked. "I've got Dunlop, Michelin and Goodyear!"

I remember the lines in CAB1 (Car Assembly Building 1, where the Mini, amongst others rolled off) coming to a halt one day - nothing unusual about that, except the cause. One of the female drivers who took the completed cars off the end of the line had turned up in hot pants and it seemed that the whole of the assembly shop wanted to have a look!
 
I had a mate, think his name was Jimmy James who drove the vehicles from the production line at Longbridge, paid piece rate. Well paid but bingles were also deducted. Too many of those and you were stood down for a period, ala The Sin Bin.
Also had a brother-in-law who was a fireman when they were rostered 24 hour on, 24 off. On his 'off' days he would front up to Longbridge as a ferry driver. If you were allocated a vehicle to deliver long distance you were paid a flat rate plus your return railway fare. He would then hitch hike home, displaying the "trade plates" and pocket the cash.
The ferry drivers never knew until the day where they were to go, nor what vehicle, it could be a lorry chassis with no weather protection, a sedan car or if you were well known a Austin Healey. They were given a "running-in" speed which they were to maintain and a time of arrival. This wasn't always stuck too, then you had to pull over some way before the destination, eat your lunch and let the motor cool down.
Cheers Tim
 
I had a mate, think his name was Jimmy James who drove the vehicles from the production line at Longbridge, paid piece rate. Well paid but bingles were also deducted. Too many of those and you were stood down for a period, ala The Sin Bin.
Also had a brother-in-law who was a fireman when they were rostered 24 hour on, 24 off. On his 'off' days he would front up to Longbridge as a ferry driver. If you were allocated a vehicle to deliver long distance you were paid a flat rate plus your return railway fare. He would then hitch hike home, displaying the "trade plates" and pocket the cash.
The ferry drivers never knew until the day where they were to go, nor what vehicle, it could be a lorry chassis with no weather protection, a sedan car or if you were well known a Austin Healey. They were given a "running-in" speed which they were to maintain and a time of arrival. This wasn't always stuck too, then you had to pull over some way before the destination, eat your lunch and let the motor cool down.
Cheers Tim
My pop delivered Healey's to the docks for James Car Delivery the yard was just across from gate K on the Bristol Road
He would work days then pick up the Healey and drive it the docks, then useing his trade plates catch a ride back to Brum.
I think it payed 5 Bob back then the truck drivers would pick up guys with trade plates, but pop says he would hope the driver wasn't a talker has he had to be back at Austin's in the morning
One time a driver told my pop to open the glove box, then poked a stick into a big black ball, turned out to be a huge banana spider my pop was to scared to sleep back to Brum watching the glove box all the way.
 
Last edited:
I had a mate, think his name was Jimmy James who drove the vehicles from the production line at Longbridge, paid piece rate. Well paid but bingles were also deducted. Too many of those and you were stood down for a period, ala The Sin Bin.
Also had a brother-in-law who was a fireman when they were rostered 24 hour on, 24 off. On his 'off' days he would front up to Longbridge as a ferry driver. If you were allocated a vehicle to deliver long distance you were paid a flat rate plus your return railway fare. He would then hitch hike home, displaying the "trade plates" and pocket the cash.
The ferry drivers never knew until the day where they were to go, nor what vehicle, it could be a lorry chassis with no weather protection, a sedan car or if you were well known a Austin Healey. They were given a "running-in" speed which they were to maintain and a time of arrival. This wasn't always stuck too, then you had to pull over some way before the destination, eat your lunch and let the motor cool down.
Cheers Tim
A little more most of the Healey's came to America to help pay of our war debt
Americans loved English sports cars because they had owned and driven them in England during the war.
Now one of the reasons England exported so many cars after the war it was the only way the government would let the car companys have steel.
The Jaguar XK120 was aluminum but the government said you can have steel if you export, so William Lyons said o sure not intending to export but the government made sure he did.
So Jaguar sent most of it's production to America, after all there were not many folk after the war that could buy a Jag.
So the original English invasion was cars not music
 
I rarely drove a company early 1970's mini van: it was an awful vehicle to get in and out of. You had to park away from the kerb to get out of it as it was so low to the ground. It was speedy however.
 
The Austin Mini my first legal car on the road ( had a couple before I had a license ).
698 GNX Austin Mini Country Man ( the one with the wood ) ( the one with out the wood was a Traveller ) mine red with a white roof, hub caps from a Elf or Hornet along with the exterior chrome trim around the doors and the chrome latch for the slide windows.
So before I go on, one of my earliest memory's is being at Silverstone Racing Track in the early 60,s my pop with my uncle Roy had a race car team and they raced a pair of Mini's and as a kid I would hang out behind the pit stalls digging up stones.
So my countryman got painted the engine and gearbox got rebuilt
The guy who refinished the wood worked at Austin's doing the wood and refurbished mine ( my pop worked there till 67 and almost every one we knew worked there ) so as a 17 year old I was killing it in a wagon.

So I got my sister's 67 mini when she upgraded, blue white roof HOP 857 E.
Well a stock 850 mini was not going to work but I still had a small problem from driving without a license at 15 as the General Accident insurance company liked to remind every time my policy needed paying.
So I bought a Mini Cooper S and took all the Cooper parts of it and installed it all on my Mini, rebuilt the engine and transmission but only used a 1, 1/2 inch carb ( remember the ins ) took it to SU Carburetor and had the guys there put it on the rolling road ( Chassis Dyno ) and tune the carb.
That thing was fast sold it to my cousin 3 months later he was baned from driving.
Also owned a Mini Moke banana yellow and a red Mini pick that come from the fire department at the Austin's.
As a kid that saw Mini's every day at the Austin's on the way to and from school never would have thought I would out live them
As I post this I just saw a add tonight for a Moke $33,000 I paid £200. For mine went half wacks with my pop.
 
Last edited:
The Austin Mini my first legal car on the road ( had a couple before I had a license ).
698 GNX Austin Mini Country Man ( the one with the wood ) ( the one with out the wood was a Traveller ) mine red with a white roof, hub caps from a Elf or Hornet along with the exterior chrome trim around the doors and the chrome latch for the slide windows.
So before I go on, one of my earliest memory's is being at Silverstone Racing Track in the early 60,s my pop with my uncle Roy had a race car team and they raced a oair of Mini's and as a kid I would hang out behind the pit stalls digging up stones.
So my countryman got painted the engine and gearbox got rebuilt
The guy who refinished the wood worked at Austin's doing the wood and refurbished mine ( my pop worked there till 67 and almost every one we knew worked there ) so as a 17 year old I was killing it in a wagon.

So I got my sister's 67 mini when she upgraded, blue white roof HOP 857 E.
Well a stock 850 mini was not going to work but I still had a small problem from driving without a license at 15 as the General Accident insurance company liked to remind every time my policy needed paying.
So I bought a Mini Cooper S and took all the Cooper parts of it and installed it all on my Mini, rebuilt the engine and transmission but only used a 1, 1/2 inch carb ( remember the ins ) took it to SU Carburetor and had the guys there put it on the rolling road ( Chassis Dyno ) and tune the carb.
That thing was fast sold it to my cousin 3 months later he was banded from driving.
Also owned a Mini Moke banana yellow and a red Mini pick that come from the fire department at the Austin's.
As a kid that saw Mini's every day at the Austin's on the way to and from school never would have thought I would out live them
As I post this I just saw a add tonight for a Moke $33,000 I paid £200. For mine went half wacks with my pop.
i had twin hs 4s on a skimmed head, max bored 1300 engine. Janspeed exhaust sys. in a old mini.and left the old 1300 dif in. using 10"wheels. sure accelerated but was over geared.... i had a friend at su ;);)say no more!. a firm called autosprint in brum done the machining.i sure had some fun in that car.
 
i had twin hs 4s on a skimmed head, max bored 1300 engine. Janspeed exhaust sys. in a old mini.and left the old 1300 dif in. using 10"wheels. sure accelerated but was over geared.... i had a friend at su ;);)say no more!. a firm called autosprint in brum done the machining.i sure had some fun in that car.
Should have out 12 inch wheels on the front, I worked with a guy that did that.
 
So about 15 years ago I built a mini just to run around the beach here.
Of course it got out hand and I ended up building a rocket.
I went so far as buying a book by David Vizard on tuning the A Series engine.
Did all the usual stuff block, head, valves, cam, roller rockers, no duplex timing chain I used adjustable gears
I also eliminated the distributor and installed a crank fire ignition system.
Installed a limited slip diff modified oil pick up and pump adjustable oil relief valve and a windage tray.
Long centre branch exhaust manifold, aluminum radiator, electric cooling fan, engine oil cooler and twin carbs.
Installed front and rear disc brakes, remote brake servo lowererd the ride hight, adjustable shocks, roll bar, even a skid plate then of course wide wheels with racing tyres.
All the boy racer stuff inside belts, seats, gauges etc
Red. with a white roof and this thing was quick
Now the problem I lived on a island called Capri off Treasure Island here in Florida, having a rocket car like that and being unusual the car got noticed and became a moving Target for the Treasure Island police force all six police officers
I was sorry to see it go because I built what anyone who loved fast cars growing up wanted.
 
So about 15 years ago I built a mini just to run around the beach here.
Of course it got out hand and I ended up building a rocket.
I went so far as buying a book by David Vizard on tuning the A Series engine.
Did all the usual stuff block, head, valves, cam, roller rockers, no duplex timing chain I used adjustable gears
I also eliminated the distributor and installed a crank fire ignition system.
Installed a limited slip diff modified oil pick up and pump adjustable oil relief valve and a windage tray.
Long centre branch exhaust manifold, aluminum radiator, electric cooling fan, engine oil cooler and twin carbs.
Installed front and rear disc brakes, remote brake servo lowererd the ride hight, adjustable shocks, roll bar, even a skid plate then of course wide wheels with racing tyres.
All the boy racer stuff inside belts, seats, gauges etc
Red. with a white roof and this thing was quick
Now the problem I lived on a island called Capri off Treasure Island here in Florida, having a rocket car like that and being unusual the car got noticed and became a moving Target for the Treasure Island police force all six police officers
I was sorry to see it go because I built what anyone who loved fast cars growing up wanted.
that was the prob it got out of hand. spend spend .i did the same.. just as bad escorts. spend a fortune to go faster. now my old micra 1300 is just as,if not faster.
 
i had twin hs 4s on a skimmed head, max bored 1300 engine. Janspeed exhaust sys. in a old mini.and left the old 1300 dif in. using 10"wheels. sure accelerated but was over geared.... i had a friend at su ;);)say no more!. a firm called autosprint in brum done the machining.i sure had some fun in that car.
I new a garage mechanic who told me a story about when he was an apprentice and he bought himself a Mini 850 and had the engine out and bored out and stroked with a lightened flywheel balanced with crankshaft and pulley and a gas flowed big valve head cut seats at 20 degrees etc.. well you know the stuff?? He assembled all the parts himself because the costs of the parts alone were prohibitive and so he built the engine up very carefully and when it was finished it went really well only to seize up a week or so later because he hadn't renewed the oil pump?? False economy to skip on any parts especially the lubrication system when re-building an engine?
 
I new a garage mechanic who told me a story about when he was an apprentice and he bought himself a Mini 850 and had the engine out and bored out and stroked with a lightened flywheel balanced with crankshaft and pulley and a gas flowed big valve head cut seats at 20 degrees etc.. well you know the stuff?? He assembled all the parts himself because the costs of the parts alone were prohibitive and so he built the engine up very carefully and when it was finished it went really well only to seize up a week or so later because he hadn't renewed the oil pump?? False economy to skip on any parts especially the lubrication system when re-building an engine?
Thats heart breaking when that happendS. i always put in a upgraded pump to be sure.
 
Thats heart breaking when that happendS. i always put in a upgraded pump to be sure.
Well i can remember the chap talking to me about it he was 28 at the time and he was recalling the event through the eyes of an 18 year old? He got the point across very well about having skimped on the cost of a new oil pump which resulted in scrapped engine with the loss of his investment as well which was on HP?? There was water in his eyes 10 years later and i expect that the money was in the car which he hadn't??
 
Well i can remember the chap talking to me about it he was 28 at the time and he was recalling the event through the eyes of an 18 year old? He got the point across very well about having skimped on the cost of a new oil pump which resulted in scrapped engine with the loss of his investment as well which was on HP?? There was water in his eyes 10 years later and i expect that the money was in the car which he hadn't??
Do read my other threads as well and your comments appreciated!
 
Back
Top