Mini Article and Timeline

[(minisniper)]

Hiya guys
Just been having a nosey around the net and from this article which I hope some of our members can add to as I thought it might be a starting point for the forum to create a timeline.

If you can try and add as much information that is possible about all models and include your own opinion at the same time

So you want to know more

The mini was origanally produced by the The British Motor Corporation(BMC) in 1959 and continued to 2000 by the BMC's succesors.The last Mini was produced on October 4th 2000, the last of a total of 5,387,862 vehicles. Origanally designed as the ADO15 the Mini had to meet certain design requirements laid down by Leonard Lord (Head of BMC at the time).

* The car should be able fit in a box measuring 10*4*4 feet
* Passenger Accomodation should only occupy 6 feet
* For Cost purposes the engine should be an existing unit.

The design team consisted of Sir Alec Issigonis, Jack Daniels , Chris Kingham, four draughtsman and two engineering Students . In 1957 the first prototype was completed named "The orange Box" because of its color.
The "Orange Box" used a BMC A series engine which was mounted sideways with the fan and radiator on the left thus minimizing vehicle length. The Mini featured a suspension system designed by Alex Moulton using rubber cones, ten inch wheels by Dunlop, external door and boot hinges and welded seems visible on the outside of the vehicle.Production models differed from the prototype by the addition of front and rear subframes to the unibody to take the suspension loads, and by turning the engine around with the carburettor at the back rather than at the front. This required an extra gear to be placed between engine and transmission to reverse the engine direction.
Making this a reduction gear, had the beneficial effect of reducing loads on the gearbox and preventing the rapid wear on the synchromesh which had been a problem on early prototypes.
Having the caburettor at the rear helped to reduce carburettor icing, but did expose the distributor to water coming in through the grille. The engine size was reduced from 948 to 848 cc, which reduced the top speed from an unprecedented 90 mph (145 km/h) to a more manageable (for the time) 72 mph (116 km/h) — a decision that was reversed in 1967.

Mini Timeline

* August 1959: Introduction of the Austin Seven, Morris Mini-Minor and Morris Mini-Minor DL 2-door saloons, all with transversely mounted 848cc engine and 4-speed gearbox.

* 1960: Introduction of the Austin Seven Countryman and Morris Mini-Minor Traveller 3-door estates, both with 848cc engine from the saloon models.

* 1961: Introduction of the Austin Seven Super and Morris Mini-Minor Super 2-door saloons

* 1961: Introduction of the Austin Mini Cooper and Morris Mini Cooper 2-door saloon, both with larger 997cc 55bhp engine.

* January 1962: All former Austin Seven models now officially called Austin Mini.

* 1962: Introduction of the Morris Mini-Minor SDL 2-door saloon.

* March 1963: Introduction of the Austin Mini Cooper 1071 S and Morris Mini Cooper 1071 S 2-door saloons, both with larger 1071cc 70bhp engine.

* 1964: Introduction of the Mini Moke.

* April 1964: Introduction of the Austin and Morris Mini-Cooper 998, Mini-Cooper 970 S and Mini-Cooper 1275 S. 1275 S models have 1275cc 76bhp engine. Automatic transmission available as an option for the 998cc Austin Mini-Cooper 998 and 1275 S. Previous Mini-Cooper 997 and 1071 S models dropped.

* 1965: Mini Cooper 970 S discontinued.

* October 1965: Automatic transmission now available as an option on standard Austin/Morris Mini and Morris Mini SDL.

* October 1967: Mark 2 range launched with facelift and upgraded equipment. Austin Mini range as follows: 850, 1000, Cooper 998 and Cooper 1275 S 2-door saloons and 1000 Countryman 3-door estate. Morris Mini range as follows: 850, 850 SDL, 1000 SDL, Cooper 998 and Cooper 1275 S 2-door saloons and 1000 Traveller 3-door estate. Optional automatic transmission available on all Austin models (except 850) and Morris Mini 1000 SDL saloon

* October 1969: Separate Austin and Morris badging now merged into Mini 850/Mini 1000 badging. Range reduced to: 850, 1000, Clubman, Cooper S and 1275 GT 2-door saloons and Clubman 3-door estate. Optional automatic transmission available on all except 1275 GT

[Admin/Founder 2]

Interesting Stuff
For those who have never seen the first "Orange Box" prototype here it is

I'm not sure if the Grille was used simply because they had One spare?
or
To confuse press and members of the public when they were testing it so they thought it was an Austin A35 from which the grille Originated?
Heres an A35


Anyhow back to the "Orange Box"
Heres the bonnet open to reveal the engine mounted the opposite way around to what we are used to today


and heres that engine


Notice the Following
As Already noted its got an Austin A35 Grille
But look at the engine it has Morris on it ;D
It shows its mounted back to front as the Morris Plate is facing the wrong way around towards the back of the engine

I cant say for certain but the Dipstick appears to have been moved around the back(now the front) just tucked behind the dynamo?

But as i cant see the Oil Filter i assume thats still around the front(now the back) what a nightmare to change huh
;D ;D ;D

Shame they couldn't of put the battery in the front on the final design

By the way the AP Auto Trans came out 1965 so they have their facts a bit wrong there saying 1964

And to the best of my knowledge it was never available on Cooper models in this country though it appears it was in Australia on early models and Japan on later models

[Holly]

The Mini Van was introduced in 1960 and the Mini Pickup was introduced in 1961

[niceboy1275]

Auto transmission was only available here in australia during 1968. And only on the 998cc Mini Delux. Some may have been built here in very late 67, but as almost all autos in that year here had to have their transmission replaced (all were recalled apparently) they got a very bad name and they stopped making them in 68-69 although they were still trying to sell them off in 1970. So I've been told anyway. In 1968-9 our 998cc delux was superseded in the range and uprgraded to the 1098cc mini "K" and the auto was dropped.

[morris1100]

Australia did get the AP Auto till the end of 1971 in the Morris 1300 Auto and Nomad 1300 Auto. They were still selling the last of these cars in early 73!
There was a Mk2 998cc MiniMatic in Australia selling alongside the 1098cc Mini K beginning in mid 69. It defied logic but they did it. I don't know if it was due to an overstock of engines or some other reason. But they were importing the 1098cc Auto for the Morris 1100 and it would have made sense to slip that motor into the Mk2 Matic.
At the same time that the Aussie Mini range changed from 998 to 1098 they raised the size of the Morris 1100 motors to 1275cc and 1500cc (called the Morris 1300 and 1500 and Nomad!)