Hi, my name is Mark, I am new to the Mini owners club this year. My involvement with the MOCQ will have to be a long distance affair, as I live in Gladstone, QLD. However I do hope to be at the Mini 40 at lakeside in June, and meet some of you there. Here is my life in Minis.
My interest started in Mini's started in about 1980 when I got my first Mini, a 1963, 850 van. It was "orange peel" green when I started and ended up "racing" red when I finished. As it was my first car the motor stayed standard but I put little cupboards along the sides covering the wheel arches and carpet and curtains in the back (for that extra bit of comfort and privacy).I thought it was great. Then their came something more important in my life, GIRLS!!. So out to impress I traded the Mini in for a HQ 308 V8 Monaro. Well that did the Job!. Fell for a girl who just happened to drive - you guessed it - A Mini !. Sue had an ex Postal 1974 Mini Van. Its amazing just what can happen in the back of a mini van.
Time moves on, no mini's for a while raised a family built a home. Various modes of transport came and went, till there came a need for some cheap transport to and from work. Another 63 Mini was found a sedan (good year that). This one was already painted blue had wind up windows and everything -real flash- Sourced a set of jelly bean mags added some stripes and bingo. The 850 wasn't real good but at $10 buck a fortnight it did all that I asked of it. Constantly after a bargain someone told me of a Mini in a back yard that could be had for a carton of beer. Naturally I went straight around. There was this poor blue Mini with grass grown up all around it, roof caved in, but with surprisingly little rust. Yes, the man said I could have it for said price but he wanted some parts from it first. So minus the steering column, rack & wheel, the tyres and seats, I set about striping the rest. The motor, (another 850, dam!!), sub frames etc all found their way home on the first load. The body was going to the dump but after I got it out of the long grass and loaded it I noticed something different. Their was no quater-glass in the doors, so I looked a bit further, early model round front but late model rear, GB stickers on the boot. I found out that it had been imported into Australia earlier by another party.
Of course it found its way home, (much to Sue's [now wife] disgust), and became the newest family member. Poor thing sat out in the weather, (wife now resigned to the fact), for a number of years till the day came that our son turned 14. Great I thought, this is a great chance to start work on it. Talked the wife around, saying that It would be the perfect first car. Course I forgot to mention the intended HOT motor, mags, roll bar, flares and of course "racing" red paint job. I say intended as this is my current project. Brett turns 16 1/2 in only a year an a half now, so work has begun in earnest only thing holding up progress is the dreaded dollar. But with a few hours overtime and some bargains we should get there.
See you at the Mini40 Mark Robinson.
"Obsessed with minis" I hear them say,
But surely he can't be that bad.
"All he thinks about every day",
Mmm, maybe it's just a fad!
"No" replies Tony, "he's totally gone",
"Fanatic", is Perky's retort.
Dedicated, devoted, delightful person
Captain Bob wrote in his report.
Cooper, Sportspack, Special Edition,
Just words to you and I,
But watch that look of passion
When a mini passes by.
"How can it be", I hear you ask.
He seems to be quite smart.
But underneath that scholarly mask
Is just a silly old f--t.
I won't mention any name here,
In case of embarrassment,
But let's all give a great big cheer,
To our illustrious President!!!
April 2001