Nice shot of my mini

[360gts]

Thanks goes out to the Vancouver racing vintage club for using a picture of my mini on the ad for next years big vintage weekend.
Love their track...well suited to minis. Always enjoy going out there...great people....great racing.

[mk1coopers]

Nice shot of the car, genuine question, as production went away from having a full lower 'apron' on the front panel of the cars, and introduced the corner cut outs, apparently for brake cooling, what advantage does the full width lower spoiler give, are they short runs races where you want to get more heat into the brakes quicker ?

[Workinprogress]

Car does look good. Glad I found the photo for you.
Bruce

[AndyPen]

What a great pic

[CooperTune]

In reply to your question regarding the air dam. While vintage racing in the US, with so many 3000 ft straights our car was clocked at 116 mph regardless of 3.9 or 3.7 CWP. I did not know air dams were allowed. As for brakes, using hard pads I warmed my pads during warn up laps. They are almost worthless dead cold. Running the one hour Jefferson 500 one hour with required five minute pit stop. Two of us pitted quite late putting us on a lap by ourselves. Leaving the pits heading down the 3000 ft straight i worked a little heat into my brakes. This allowed the other guy to pull away from me a bit. Approaching the 90 degree right I faked to the inside, he blocked to the inside his brake lights came on and he ran straight off the track. At the time SVRA required a visit to track steward for a four wheel off before returning to race. Steve (CTR)

[360gts]

Nice shot of the car, genuine question, as production went away from having a full lower 'apron' on the front panel of the cars, and introduced the corner cut outs, apparently for brake cooling, what advantage does the full width lower spoiler give, are they short runs races where you want to get more heat into the brakes quicker ?

Finally have a moment to reply to your question. First, a mini is as aerodynamic as a brick....Any help you can give is always a plus.
Regarding my spoiler, some may laugh at this....however seemed to work.
We sat the car out on the driveway...put two large fans (type used to dry out barns etc...then, put two bee smokers a few feet from the front of the mini.
Without the spoiler the air went everywhere....up...over...under....sideways.
With the spoiler there was a real difference....lot of air was directed right up towards the grille.....that is what we wanted. (we tried a few different angles of spoiler)
We use a front mounter rad for cooling.....the MK2 grille is a real air restrictor compared to the MK1 version.
It sure helps in cooling.
Regarding brakes...never worry about those....never had an issue with them not being warmed up.....I always do a good bit of pedal pumping on the warm up lap....hope this sheds some light on the spoiler.
Next, regarding whether it is 'legal' or not....we really don't worry about little things like that here....our clubs are so happy to get entries....things like a spoiler is not something they worry about.
Besides, if you see the cars that I race against in the Vintage class.....you would have a good chuckle...BMW's....Corvettes...Camaros...Mustangs Gt 4 cars etc.
Poor old mini is vastly underpowered compared to those cars....but they do manage to put up a good fight

[mk1coopers]

Thanks for the detailed reply

[CooperTune]

Please understand I was not suggesting you are cheating. I'm sure things have changed since I was vintage racing in the early 90s. After having a finger severed in a shop accident and reattached in a five hour procedure I decided it was time to go vintage racing. I talked it up with a group of friends. We chartered a plane and attended the SVRA event on Grand Bahama island. One of my group ended up crewing for Sterling Moss, too cool for words. I met Jack and began emailing him as the what was and was not legal for a group one mini. When we arrived at our first event I was surprised to find all the things I was told to be expressly denied, to be evident on several cars. I was ask point blank when looking into it, "Did you come to race or argue?" I imagine there being as many as 50 group one cars back then SVRA could tell you anything they wanted to. As fields become smaller it may become a run what you brung situation. Be glad you can still take part. Steve (CTR)

[850RS]

Great shot of the mini!

The club I race with here in the States prefer the vintage look, but they do seem to be willing to overlook some modifications if they can get your race entry fee. I run cast alloy brake calipers even though the rules expressly forbid that. At my very first race with them I had an event organizer ask me about them, not because he wanted to exclude me but rather he wanted a set for his car! The rules seem to have relaxed immensely and the only things they really care about are safety items. That might change if I start beating them

[Peter Laidler]

Hey, nice picture Dermott, will you send me a copy without the lettering. For my screen saver for the next few months to replace a portrait shot of a magnificent Dolomite Sprint......., love 'em to bits. Almost as much as Mk2 998 Coopers!
Thanks

[CooperTune]

Yes, nice car and always good to see classic mini getting press. I assure you first time you finish on a lap by yourself in a fifty car field one hour enduro people will want to take a closer look. Steve (CTR)

[mab01uk]

Nice shot of the car, genuine question, as production went away from having a full lower 'apron' on the front panel of the cars, and introduced the corner cut outs, apparently for brake cooling, what advantage does the full width lower spoiler give, are they short runs races where you want to get more heat into the brakes quicker ?

Finally have a moment to reply to your question. First, a mini is as aerodynamic as a brick....Any help you can give is always a plus.
Regarding my spoiler, some may laugh at this....however seemed to work.
We sat the car out on the driveway...put two large fans (type used to dry out barns etc...then, put two bee smokers a few feet from the front of the mini.
Without the spoiler the air went everywhere....up...over...under....sideways.
With the spoiler there was a real difference....lot of air was directed right up towards the grille.....that is what we wanted. (we tried a few different angles of spoiler)
We use a front mounter rad for cooling.....the MK2 grille is a real air restrictor compared to the MK1 version.
It sure helps in cooling.
Regarding brakes...never worry about those....never had an issue with them not being warmed up.....I always do a good bit of pedal pumping on the warm up lap....hope this sheds some light on the spoiler.
Next, regarding whether it is 'legal' or not....we really don't worry about little things like that here....our clubs are so happy to get entries....things like a spoiler is not something they worry about.
Besides, if you see the cars that I race against in the Vintage class.....you would have a good chuckle...BMW's....Corvettes...Camaros...Mustangs Gt 4 cars etc.
Poor old mini is vastly underpowered compared to those cars....but they do manage to put up a good fight

For interest here is a scan from Dave Vizards 'Mini Tech News' magazine from March 1982 on Mini Aerodynamics.

'Mini Aerodynamics' article and diagrams below by Peter Davney

[360gts]

Yes, nice car and always good to see classic mini getting press. I assure you first time you finish on a lap by yourself in a fifty car field one hour enduro people will want to take a closer look. Steve (CTR)

Steve,
I do know what it's like to have a winning car that is constantly being scrutinized.
Way back this was a championship winning car....I endured many protests...none stuck. No one could understand how a 1071 could be so fast...beating other C Sedans....including 1293's.
The secret was the weight to power.
Sure you remember the SCCA rule that we had to weigh 1.2Lbs per CC....that gave the 1071 an advantage over the bigger engines as they had to weigh a lot more than a 1071.
Attaching a picture of the car back then....has evolved a little bit since then.

[rogerotto66s]

Great shot of a great looking mini. Congrats.