4WD Mini

Practical Classics' December issue carries an auction report.....one of the vehicles featured is a Mini Clubman, created specially by BL to compete in the nationally-televised rallycross series that used to be carried by the BBC.

Only one was ever made, but it won on its first time out. The Escorts used to have things too much their own way on the series, so BL obviously took it seriously. This could not have been cheap to create. But talk about Minis in winter! This thing would be great!

sort of the same topic is this twin engineed Moke I saw at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon

Hi James,

Just picked up a copy yesterday. They used the Vanguards, Morris Oxford, Auto Union estate, Commer camper and the DKW truck. Nice to see your name in print. Can I have your autograph?

Hmmmm

Celebrity status now... That autograph might cost you Steve...

Bargaining chips - let's see here, how's that Triumph picture coming along?

Sounds like a neat car... There are lots of interesting 4WD cars way back when, the neatest I've seen is the Citroen 2CV Safari - the one made by the Citroen company in the 1960's with an engine in the front and the back! Of course that equals 4WD...

Anyway to digress a little... How do my pictures look in "Rust in Peace"? Which pictures did they use? It hasn't shown up here in the Great White North yet and I'm going crazy checking everyday to see if it's on the newstand yet... Why is it that when you're waiting for something really particular time goes by so slooowww...

[ 11-29-2003: Message edited by: Sherlock ]</p>

In the aerly 60s BMC toyed with twin engined 4WD Minis.

"Twini" Mokes were built, as well as a Downton-tuned saloon racer. This latter was entered in the Targa Florio.

John Cooper was a big advocate of the Twini concept. Unfortunately, he had a very nasty accident in a Twini Moke, an accident that nearly claimed his life. BMC management called a halt to Twini development after this, but John Cooper always remained convinced that the Twini could have become a top-flight competition car.

In 1960, Alec Issigonis, patented a 4WD system for transverse, front (single) engined cars.

In the late Sixties, Issigonis created a Moke replacement called the ANT. It was based on the platform of the Mini's big brother, the 1100, and used this 4WD system. A number of ANTs, probably about 60, were built but the Leyland takeover of BMH in 1968 put the kibosh on the car reaching production. Leyland owned Rover, and Rover begat Land Rover: the upshot was that the ANT was killed off.

A few years back an ANT was sold at auction here in the UK for about 4500 GBP.

In the early 70s, BL management asked Special Tuning to produce a 4WD Mini for a televised motocross event.

The car was built around the transmission of an ANT that was still in use by the Longbridge factory - it was used to pull cars off the production line.

The 4WD Mini had its first outing in 1971 and won first time out. Unfortunately, it did suffer from reliabilty problems in later events but with development who knows what could have been achieved?

Anyway, I have pix of the ANT, 4WD Mini, and the Twini Mini, if anyone's interested.

I would love a pic of the 4WD Mini
I have some details of the pre-production Leyland Australia 4WD Mokes, but then they stopped production in Aus. I am in the process of completing my 2.0L Subaru powered AWD Moke, but that is some months away!

Here's a link to the auction report........no picture yet.

https://www.classic-auctions.co.uk/detail...mp;sal_type=CAR

Here we go.....best one I could find.

Didn't work! Here's the link.........

https://www.delius.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/1275gt/featured/4x4_gt/frontsml.jpg

Thanks for that - you learn something new every day!

Mike

i have heard rumors about a turbo 4wd bmw mini set to compete in wrc.... i wonder if thats true or not.