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Factory Direct Synthetic Lubricants
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MINI Cooper Mania
Part 1 Mini Cooper History
Part 2 MINIs on the Dragon
Part 3 Photos from the Rally
Part 1
Mini Cooper History Introduction
The Suez Canal was the major lifeline of the oil industry for Europe in the 1950s, keeping costs down by preventing the oil manufacturers from going around the Cape of Good Hope, which would have been over eleven thousand miles. By using the Suez Canal, this trip was cut down to around sixty-five hundred miles. At this time, roughly two-thirds of the Canal's traffic was petroleum, so, when the Suez Canal was nationalized in the mid 1950s, nearly halting the flow of oil in the abridged trip. This brought to Europe's foreground the concern of a serious oil crisis. In the wake of this closing of the coral, car sales suffered terribly, and the cars that were selling were unattractive and low performing. Car companies, recognizing this issue scrambled to develop vehicles that were, if nothing else, as efficient as the technology at that time would allow. Germany was the first to introduce the fuel economy cars to the market with their "bubble cars", which were slow and very often three wheels, which Sir Leonard Lord, who oversaw The British Motor Company, detested. It was around this time that The British Motor Company rehired designer Sir Alec Issigonis, who had a hand in the design of the Morris Minor. He was given a few requirements for his design: it had to be big enough to comfortably fit four people, yet smaller than the other cars built by BMC at that time; he was also required to use a current BMC engine. The Mini developed by Issigonis was an engineering breakthrough of sorts. Issigonis took the current A-series engine from the BMC Austin, and set it transverse on a front wheel drive chassis, with the radiator placed on the left side of the engine.
Austin Mini Seven
THE EARLY Mini
It was this vision of vehicular engineering that was released to the public on August 26, 1959. It was sold as either the Austin Mini Seven or Morris Mini Minor, with an introductory price of about 500 lire. The only engine offered was the fore mentioned Austin engine, which was 850cc, and producing a whopping 34 horsepower. Due to the designer's passion for smoking, but distaste for music, he included an ashtray with the Mini, but no radio option. It had sliding windows to avoid having to mount window handles on the door, and with the extra door space, large pockets. This first Mini also included a large centrally mounted speedometer. This new Mini sold over 116,000 units in its first full year of production, but not everyone was convinced of its usefulness, so BMC produced a "Mini-van" with small rear double doors, and an estate wagon version, with wood trim glued to various interior pieces, along with a Mini pickup trunk, which was very popular with small area farms. It was around this time that Ford Motor Company, having been intrigued by the sales of the Mini, purchases one, and upon dismantling it, stated that BMC must be losing money in the sales of this car, which they were.
In 1961 an F1 car builder name John Cooper finds that he likes the handling capabilities of the Mini, and after a working period with BMC, one thousand Mini Coopers are produced. One thousand was the working number because to be considered a "production vehicle" car for Cooper's racing class. Also, to deter customers from buying the Mini and paying aftermarket companies up to hundreds of pounds to dress up the Mini, the Wolseley Hornet and Riley Elf are released as luxury models of the Mini. The Mini Cooper had an upgraded motor, at 977cc it produced a beefy 55 horsepower, and disc brakes were added. The Mini Cooper slowly began gaining recognition through the racing scene, and the first major win was the 1962 Holland Tulip Rally, with a Mini Cooper being driven by Stirling and Pat Moss. Later that same year a Mini Cooper being driven by Rauno Aaltonen was running toward the front of the Monte Carlo Rally, until while running second, the car flipped over.
1963 showed the introduction of the first Mini Cooper S. It featured an all new 1071cc motor, putting out 70 horsepower, which allowed it to reach speeds of one hundred miles per hour. Paddy Hopkirk took one to the lead of the Tour de France, and remained there, untouchable by others, to give it a big win. This was also the first year that the Mini became a trendy item. A few of the celebrities who purchased a Mini Cooper to keep up with the times were: Ringo Starr, Peter Sellers to Graham Hill and Enzo Ferrari (although Enzo returned his because "the steering wheel was on the wrong side" but after the car was converted to the "correct drive side" he liked it so much he ordered two more), which when pictured with their new MC, enhanced the trendy nature of the car. Also, aftermarket companies that specialized in customizing high end cars, such as Radford and Wood & Pickett, began adding options like power windows, leather seats, and wood paneled sides. Unfortunately with good endorsement came some bad publicity. The Mini Coopers were also tested strictly in nice weather, so when it was found that the floorboards leaked when driven in the rain, often to the point of getting the passengers legs wet, and an ignition system that failed when in the rain, these facts angered consumers and surprised the company. Another concern was that the Mini Cooper S had a nasty habit of using a lot of oil. In 1964 a slightly modified, 91 horsepower version of the S, called the Works spec cup car won the first of four consecutive Monte Carlo Rallies, although the Mini team was disqualified in 1966 for having non-functioning headlamps. 1964 also brought the world the Mini Moke. It was a smaller version which was intended to be used to drop from planes into battle zones by the military, but was rejected due to the lack of ground clearance. 1964 was also the year that all of the Minis got Hydrolastic liquid filled suspension which helped smooths the ride quality without hurting handling. Unfortunately, due to some issues with the reliability of the Hydrolastic suspension, it was banned in Germany, and the old suspension system was re-implemented.
1968 brought the Mini another major race victory with the British Touring Car Championship, driven by John Rhodes, and the production is moved to a larger production facility in Australia. In 1969, BMC became British Leyland, the Austin and Morris names were dropped from the Mini line, and the Mini became its own car, shortly after the release of The Italian Job, which featured Michael Caine, and three Mini Cooper S's. The Clubman, which has a newly designed interior and dashboard; and 1275GT, which is a sportier version of the same, are released. The Minis were not only popular with celebrities and the general public, but with the government as well. Fire departments and the postal service at the time purchased Minis, as well as the police departments, which used their Minis for pursuit and surveillance vehicles. By the end of the 1960s John Cooper was making roughly two pounds from the sale of every Mini Cooper sold, and because of this, when BMC became British Leyland, they announced the end of the Cooper line, with around 150,000 produced.
In 1959, the original Sir Alec Issigonis Mini was born and set new standards in engineering and design. Issigonis produced his wonderful masterpiece as the answer to the fuel crisis in Europe in the late 1950s. Issigonis had a challenge on his hands to produce a car only four feet wide by four feet high and only 10 feet long that would seat four full sized adults in comfort and be able to also take along their luggage.
As an automotive icon in his day, his design has lasted several decades with virtually no change to the original design. Combining economical transport, with fun and character, Mini became a car for everyone, from the rich celebrity, down to the everyday person walking the street. His revolutionary concept of a transverse engine, meaning an engine that sits crossways in the engine bay, with a sub-mounted transmission allowed the compact external features and dimensions with maximum interior space.
The Mini was a front-wheel drive, wheel-at-each-corner design that was not only space-efficient, but was soon to prove extremely roadworthy. In 1961 the Mini Cooper, engineered by race car constructor and enthusiast the late John Cooper, was launched. This car set a new and different motor sport standard and took triple Monte Carlo Rally wins between the years 1964 and 1967 among a host of competitive titles. The Cooper name has been closely associated with performance Minis ever since and appropriately the MINI Cooper, was the first car in the New MINI range to be unveiled.
As Mini gained its extra power it combined its inherent personality with a great driving experience for any motorist. The car became Britain's best-ever selling vehicle with over 5.3 million produced. The first Morris Mini-Minor was made in Oxford England, the home of the new MINI Cooper and minis have been made in Europe, South America and Australia.
Mini had become a household name in Europe. The Mini was sold in the USA between the years 1960 to 1967. An estimated 10,000 Minis were sold in that time. Now, over 30 years later, some 12,000 original Minis are on the USA roads today. At the end of its production life in 2000, 5.3 million Minis had been produced and the car was voted, European Car of the Century, by a panel of 130 international journalists.
Today's MINI is a modern development of this genuine classic. Building on the Mini styling cues, it offers the very latest in technology, and is one of the most advanced cars of its size in the world. Designed for handling and performance, great looks and safety, the MINI Cooper, is a real motoring enthusiasts car. Like the original, the new MINI is designed to appeal to all drivers regardless of age or gender. Such is the interest in the new MINI that there were fan-based U.S. websites for the car well before it hit the streets.
Part 2
MINIs on the Dragon
So what is MINIs on the Dragon (MOTD)?
MINIs on the Dragon are the largest gathering of MINIs and their owners in the US. This year had around 800 people and more than 500 MINIs. The weekend was centered on the mutual interest and enjoyment of what can be argued as the most fun car on the road.
MINIs on the Dragon (MOTD for short) is a gathering of MINI (and Mini!) Cooper enthusiasts in Deals Gap, North Carolina, where the Tail of the Dragon is located. This spectacular 11-mile section of Route 129 has an astonishing 318 curves -- with no cross streets or driveways. Last year, we had over 600 enthusiasts with more than 450 MINIs/Minis in attendance, and we had an even greater number this year! The Tail of the Dragon is one of the best, if not THE best sports car and motorcycle road in the country, and has become a "magnet" of sorts for driving enthusiasts. The road is amazingly twisty and fun, with a good quality surface and spectacular views.
The area surrounding Deals Gap includes many scenic drives through the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains. Forests, gorges, lakes, rivers, and dams make for many beautiful roads worthy of motoring in your MINI.
MOTD is more than motoring, though. It's a chance to hang out with many like-minded MINI owners who are as obsessed with MINIs as you are! Socializing is an equally large part of the gathering as motoring, and most folks have trouble deciding which their favorite part is. The Fontana Village Resort is the location of, or gathering point for, the majority of events and where most participants will stay. The Fontana Resort has inn rooms, cabins, and camping facilities. Information on other lodging in the area, as well as maps, history, and great background information is available on www.TailOfTheDragon.com
Just as in years past, a number of vendors were present with clothing and accessories for sale. You were even able to get a supercharger reduction pulley installed. Note that pulleys and other mechanical car installations have to be arranged with the vendors prior to the event.
Where is the event held?
Deal's Gap, North Carolina is the home of the Tail of the Dragon(Hwy-129), perhaps the finest road in the United States for motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts who enjoy driving on a long stretch of twisty road. The Dragon offers 318 curves in a little over 11 miles -- with a fantastic road surface and not a single intersection or cross road for the entire length! The MINI was made to TURN and the Dragon is the perfect asphalt compliment to our fantastic little cars.
Who organizes the event?
The event was started as grassroots collaboration and continues as such with the efforts of many people from around the country. This year North American Motoring was hosting the event and working with clubs such as Sunshine MINIs, PittStop MINIs, and others to insure that everyone attending has a great weekend of fun, activities, and motoring. North American Motoring provided online promotion of the event, registration services, vendor coordination, and logistical support for the event.
What do you do?
Hang out with your MINI friends from all over the country, drive the Dragon and other great roads through the Smoky Mountains, and generally just have a great time surrounded by beautiful scenery and more MINIs than you have ever seen in your life. There are group drives, meals, fun contests, vendors coming from far and wide to meet YOU, and even a few (ok, more than a few) giveaways. This year the hub of activity, and many of the social events, will be at Fontana Village Resort. Located on Fontana Lake and surrounded by beautiful scenery, it's a great chance to get away from the daily grind and obsess about your MINI at the same time.
Leading Edge Performance Story from the Rally
Leading Edge Performance had the opportunity to be one of the vendors for the MINIs on the Dragon event. We had four great days in May in the Smoky Mountains to relax in its atmosphere and be a part of the MINI Cooper craze. The MINI Cooper enthusiasts that attended seemed to be at a family reunion. It doesn't get any better than this people, being with like minded people, in the mountains, and enjoying life as the world passes you by was awesome. Our company, Leading Edge Performance offered the most complete line of high performance AMSOIL synthetic oils and lubricants on the market today, as well as a number of other innovative, high quality automotive products. People were swarming our vendor booth like a bunch of bee's, trying to get more knowledge about the AMSOIL products, Mothers products, Trico Wiper Blades, NGK spark plugs and wires, and many other great products. With the help of a fellow AMSOIL Dealer, Joe St. John from South Carolina, we were able to answer questions pertaining to the performance AMSOIL could offer them. By pooling our resources and knowledge of our products, we feel that we maintained the highest level of integrity and professionalism MINI Cooper enthusiasts asked for.
The purity of AMSOIL is unparalleled in this industry. AMSOIL Inc. doesn't spare money when it comes to quality. Quality is First, Price is Second at AMSOIL Inc. AMSOIL is the "First in Synthetics", and nobody can take that away!! They are the first company to develop an API -rated 100 percent synthetic motor oil. All the other companies have followed us since, and are still following our lead. The combination of AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oil and the EaO nanofiber technology of AMSOIL oil filtration is the best on the market today. The nanofiber technology came from our military. The military use's this in their Abrams M-1 tanks for the best filtration in the most brutal environment. We are running our 2006 MINI Cooper S supercharged engine with both the AMSOIL European 5W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil and the WIX Filter. WIX is the number one filter in NASCAR. Leading Edge Performance is also a supplier of WIX products. MINI Coopers have a cartridge type filter system which AMSOIL Inc. is working on for these applications.
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Part 3
Photos from the Rally
Leading Edge Performance's
New MINI Cooper Supercharged Convertable
LEP MINI, Vendor Booth, Spectator and
South Carolina Associate AMSOIL Dealer
Joe St. John
COPYRIGHT 2007-Leading Edge Performance
