NZ road trip 1400 miles on a 4.1

[SMOKE GREY]

MAGIC!!!

[InimiaD]

Cracking expedition you undertook James.
It's also great to know that the previous owners are still enthusiastic about their "old" Mini.

[SteveG]

Fantastic photos James.. looks like a great trip.

Can't believe you didn't invite me though

[Tedwong]

Great trip and great pics James!
Funny that you get all the previous owners to wash the 970 once again seems a very special activity for them!

[Sean1380]

no one else has seamed to notice this bit..


1400 miles on a 4.1 diff....

jesus....


have your ears recovered?

Yeh Rich, i was thinking the same, brave brave man.

I used to do a 85 miles a day return trip with my 1293 and a 3.76 on the motorway. ears did kinda suffer

Anyway, great thread with some wonderful car and owners then and now pictures.

So where next ? LOL

[mk1]

Now that is what I call a road trip!

What a brilliant story, and as has already been said a wonderful way to bring the story full circle.

You must be a masochist to do it on that diff though!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing.

M

[ronie]

Amazing story, car, history, scenery.

True Owner-Car bonding.

Well done.

[Chris64]

Just Brilliant!

[Gray]

How did you get that one past Meg so soon after your trip to Aus James?

[KA2S4]

Hi Gray, yes, the trip to Noosa was the reason I got to bugger off up north in the S by myself!

Thanks for all the nice comments, It's just nice to share the adventure with people who appreciate it's significance thereof.

I told Peter when I bought it from him in Auckland, that I'd drive it back up to show him when it was done, I don't think he really believed me!
Plus Trev said I could have the trophies and certificates, but only if I came to collect them in person and with the car...
As for John, I knew that it was very significant for him, and he said that it was quite an emotional thing to see the car again, looking so beautiful after all those years.

And of course there's the roads, I think you call them "B" roads, we call them "state highways", so that many miles was a pleasure, even on a 4.1 diff, in fact I think the ratio suits the motor perfectly, it cruised at 70-80mph, And I reckon that if a 1000cc car like this can top out at just over 100mph, then it's not under-geared.
The ears were ringing a bit after I arrived up at Trev's but that just means a good time was had by all!

J

[Austin Costin]

Fantastic

You'll have to start washing the car yourself again now.

[Old English White]

James, that has to be one of the best Mini stories ever! What a brilliant trip, and a fitting end to the car's completion. Well done.

Is Graham Wing, the car's 3rd owner, a New Zealander by birth do you know? The reason I ask is that I tried to trace the previous owners of one of my own cars and it was owned by someone of the same name who lived on Oxford UK in the early 1960s. I was never able to trace him at all. Probably just a coincidence but it would be interesting to know!

[KA2S4]

Hi OEW,

I don't think it's him, but i have sent him an email to check anyway.

J

[Old English White]

Hi James, That's much appreciated. Probably just a coincidence but worth asking. You never know if you don't ask!

[1071 S]

"....The ears were ringing a bit after I arrived up at Trev's..."

That's why God invented noise cancelling head phones...posting.php?mode=reply&f=5&t=6911#

Cheers, Ian

[36inter]

I'm sure there are many people on this site who would like to trace the history of their Mini as you have and through such beautiful scenery, lucky man and well done.

It reminds me of the trip I made in my 850 Mini van in 1970 down through France and Spain to Gibraltar then back up to Benedorm for two weeks and home, the only problem I had was similar to yours with a jammed thermostat which got the engine really hot but luckily caused no other problems, that was in the middle of nowhere too, I had to walk a couple of miles before I found a farmhouse with a well so I could fill the rad back up, magic times.



Photo taken down near Marbella somewhere, stopped for a brew.

Pete

[66S]

I spoke with James soon after his return but this is the first time I have seen the pics. Thanks for sharing them James. Fantastic story and amazing the previous owners are trackable and all alive.

Al

[slowboy]

brilliant !!

[KA2S4]

Sorry OEW, it wasn't the same Graham.

Here is a pic of one of the certificates I got from Trev, There is a book of them plus newspaper clippings

[970s]

Great pictures and great trip!
Did you burnt a lot of oil for the 1400 KM?
Must be high RPM with your little S motor!
Perfect place to run an S!
I wish I hav ethe same experience James!


Al