Classic Cars

Summer is a great time of year. Not just for its warmer climate but it enthuses us with fun and adventure. It’s also the time when we long for road trips in our custom or classic cars.

There is no better way to enjoy your car than by going on a summer road trip!

Most road trip lovers and adventurers know that the views they’ll see will be spectacular. You don’t want to drive fast through areas of beauty, you want to coast along and enjoy it all at your own pace. If you are deciding on taking your classic or custom car on the road, you are going to need to plan ahead.

Here are some of our best tips on what we do before taking our car on a long adventurous drive.

It goes without saying for any endeavour, proper planning can remove stress and be caught unprepared. It is worth knowing that some of the cities and towns that stand in between your home and destination may have low emission zones.

If you own a custom or classic car then there are good chances that its emissions will be high. Knowing this in advance allows you to plan accordingly so that you can bypass any such areas. Knowing all of this upfront gives you great confidence and peace before setting off.

We know you’ll have this covered but you’d be surprised how many people do not do this. Go over your car with a fine-tooth comb. Check everything from engine liquids, tyres and give it a thorough service if possible.

You will need plenty of screen wash, oil, spare wheel in good condition, engine coolant and appropriate levels of brake and clutch fluid. You can always take your car to a local car repair garage and have them check it over for your peace of mind.

It is easy to get too excited and be over-prepared. This can result in you taking too many items! One item you want to remember is a spare tyre in good working order, a jack and a toolkit.

You don’t have to take all of your tools but making sure you have the appropriate ones for your car is of course of high importance. Basic tools such as screwdrivers, pliers, spanners, ratchet as well as safety items like a warning triangle and jump leads. Take some additional engine oil as well as a small first aid kit. If your car has spark plugs, take some spares just in case.

Before you leave, be sure to run through your insurance paperwork. You want to double-check that you are covered adequately by your insurance for your road trip.

You want to make sure that there are no restrictions on how many miles you can drive for. Some leased cars may have clauses in their contracts that permit you to only drive a certain amount of miles per year.

The little mini-car has a lot of history and can be considered an icon of British engineering and style. We love mini’s here, we repair and have applied tints to the windows of many models of mini’s.

One company called BMH has continued to supply parts and bodywork shells to keep the tradition of the British mini going.

The mini not long ago celebrated its 60th birthday, so it’s quite something for the love of the car to be very much alive today as it was 60 years ago.

Cool Mini Facts

We’ve collected numerous cool facts about our prized and cherished motor car which we’ll share with you in this article.

The British mini was originally and specifically made to fit inside a box measuring 10 x 4 x 4 feet. The pockets in the doors of a mini are extremely large given the mini’s small frame.

This was a design feature purposely installed in order to hold the designer’s favourite bottle of alcoholic beverage.

The Italian Job

Ever seen the movie the Italian job? Mini’s racing around the streets of Rome. Except they were not the streets of Rome, they were the streets of Coventry! The famous fashion designer Mary Quant named the mini skirt after the car as it was her favourite to drive.

The mini has enjoyed many famous drivers from the Beatles as well as movie and sports stars. The mini’s designer was actually born in Turkey to a Greek father and a mother of German heritage.

There was a version of the mini that was designed to be used in the military. Unfortunately, it wasn’t suitable for the task. That version of the mini did go on to enjoy a role as a recreational motor car. Mini’s were also used quite extensively in the motorsport area.

You may believe that minis are small but did you know that at one time twenty-seven people managed to fit inside one! Not sure how health and safety would view that! Have a guess at the original sale price for the British mini? You wouldn’t believe it … £497!

The Original Mini

The original mini, the morris mini minor and were smaller than the morris minor. So the mini was actually called just the “mini”. It wasn’t until the late sixties that the mini actually got its own name, it was called the mini moniker!

The mini enjoyed much success in the Monte Carlo rallies, having won twice in 1964 and 1967! There is no other British motor car that had more version of it made than the mini. The different versions made were the saloons, Cooper, Cooper S, ERA Turbo, Elf Hornet, 1275 GT Clubman, Traveller, Countryman and Mokes. Quite a range there!

How many mini’s do you think were ever made? Well, if you were to assemble them all bumper to bumper, they’d actually go around the British coastline twice!

Forming associations and car clubs are quite a common thing for classic and custom cars. There are to date 720 different clubs dedicated to mini drivers and owners! Although it doesn’t seem long, the original production of the mini took around 30 hours.

The mini was produced and sold for over 40 years, but the car was not a profitable venture for its company.