Autos
The British Car Club of Miami was founded in July 2004 and is dedicated to classic British car owners living in Miami-Dade County. The club welcomes new members living in South Florida who have a passion for old British vehicles.There is no charge to be a member; the only requirement is to own and/or love a classic British automobile. Please visit our Photo page for a host of beautiful British cars. NEW MEMBERSHIPS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME. Please contact Corey for information. cdgold49@bellsouth.net |
Although the weather was questionable, nine members met for the drive to Everglades Holiday Park. It rained for a short time while we were enjoying breakfast, but it cleared up just in time to make the trip. The trek began on Kendall Drive heading to Krome Avenue, then North to US-27 ending at Everglades Holiday Park. More than half of the parking lot was flooded from all the rain we've been having making it difficult to see the boat ramp. After a short break, we drove South and six members ended at Homestead Miami Speedway. We hit a patch of rain, but after that, we had no issues with the weather. At the Speedway, classic cars and new modified cars & trucks were displayed. Most of us were able to take our cars on the track for a parade before the races. It turned out to be a beautiful Sunday morning drive. Thank you to all that came out and enjoyed the fun. You can see the pictures by clicking on the link below, "Everglades Holiday Park - September 28, 2008." Be sure to look at Volumes 1 and 2. |
The Mini has a unique history with its inception being related to the oil crisis in the 1950’s where car sales were suffering. The car manufacturers were scrambling to develop automobiles that were efficient and economical. The British Motor Company hired Sir Alec Issigonis to design a car that would meet the demands of the day, with just a few requirements to abide by. The design had to be comfortable for four people, smaller than those cars being built at the time, with the same engine being built by the British Motor Company. Issigonis used the Austin’s 850cc A-series engine and set it transverse on a front-wheel drive chassis. The space-saving design allowed 80% of the floorboard to be used for passengers and luggage. The first model was released in August of 1959 boasting 34HP. The design was rather unusual since the MINI had no radio, sliding windows without handles and a large speedometer centrally mounted. In the first year, more than 116,000 cars were sold soon followed by a mini-van. Although the car was selling, the company was losing money. In 1961, John Cooper upgraded the engine to a 977cc with 55HP. Soon after, the Mini Cooper became a respectable race car with its first major win at the 1962 Tulip Rally. In 1963, the Mini Cooper S was introduced featuring a 1071cc engine with 70HP. Although the cars were now being produced with more options, the car leaked during heavy rains which was corrected with the 91HP version introduced in 1964. An optional automatic transmission became available in 1965, as did a radio, seat belts and door mirrors. Shortly after the British Motor Company became British Leyland in 1969, the 1275GT was introduced. The names Austin and Morris were dropped and Mini became a marque of its own. The car was a sportier version of the car. Unfortunately, production of the car was still a financial loss to the company and the Cooper line had ceased production. The following is a brief overview of the Mini’s Time-Line. August 1959: Austin Seven, Morris Mini-Minor and Morris Mini-Minor DL. 848cc engine; 1960: Austin Seven Countryman and Morris Mini-Minor Traveller. 848 cc engine; 1961: Austin Seven Super and Morris Mini-Minor Super; 1961: Austin Mini Cooper and Morris Mini Cooper. 997cc 55 bhp engine; January 1962: Austin Seven models changed to Austin Mini; 1962: Morris Mini-Minor SDL; March 1963: Austin Mini Cooper 1071 S and Morris Mini Cooper 1071 S. 1071cc engine; 1964: Mini Moke; April 1964: Austin and Morris Mini-Cooper 998, Mini-Cooper 970 S and Mini-Cooper 1275 S; 1965: Mini Cooper 970 S discontinued; October 1965: Automatic transmission available as an option on Austin/Morris Mini and Morris Mini SDL; October 1967: Mark 2 given facelift and upgraded equipment; Optional automatic transmission available on most Austin models; October 1969: Austin and Morris now become MINI. Optional automatic transmission available on all except 1275 GT. UPCOMING EVENTS: October 4th - Amos' Sports Grill Cruise-In October 5th - Holiday Isle Cruise October 18th - Pit Barbecue Cruise-In October 19th - Cauley Square *See Message Board and/or calendar for more information on Upcoming Events |
