READY PLAYER ONE

RS Turbo Recaros joined by custom vinylwrapped dash and bespoke audio setup

Now, the most compelling and intriguing videogames are the ones that lure you in with a rich, deep and complex back story, ones that pose a host of questions that demand to be investigated and answered, and that layer of intrigue is mirrored in this super-clean ’92 Cooper SPi. Why is it running a carburettor? Why is it even here, since Steve tells us he’s always been a dyed-inthe-wool Ford Fiesta fan? The answers, it transpires, revolve around the intensely passionate community that has always surrounded the cult of the Mini.

“I was originally a Ford fanatic, owning many Fiestas over the years, and have been modifying since owning my first XR2 in the late ’90s,” he explains. “My Fiesta RS Turbo was my first longterm project; that ran over 280bhp, and is now being rebuilt. I also own a Mazda

Tatsumaki senpukyaku! “I originally got this Cooper as a fun daily-driver, and set about upgrading”

Eunos Roadster as well as a Dutton Escort-based kit car.”

So why the distinctly un-Dagenhamlike Mini? “Well, I was always intrigued by them,” reasons Steve. “A number of friends had Minis in college and they were really enthusiastic about them, so I finally decided to get one for myself. I originally got this 1992 Cooper as a fun daily-driver and set about upgrading certain parts as and when they needed replacing. After a road trip with my wife across Europe to southern Italy in the summer of 2008, the old 1275 was tired and needed replacing – and that’s when the real mods began and I realised how cheap and easy Minis were to modify!”

TESTING, TESTING

As bought, this wasn’t just any old SPi – in fact, it had previously belonged to Stuart Gurr at supercharging specialists Vmaxscart, and had acted as a test-bed for the company’s M45 Eaton setup. The supercharger had been removed before sale and a HIF44 carb fitted in place of the fuel injection system. Other than this, the Mini was otherwise pretty stock when it came into Steve’s possession – a blank canvas, ripe for experimentation,

Wheel-to-arch fitment is absolutely bang-on

Sneaky references can be found throughout same time as the final body repairs were nearing completion, allowing all of the ideas he’d been having over the years to coalesce in one happy whole. “In particular, the aim was to get the car to sit lower, all inf luenced by seeing Minis like Dougie McColm’s and Dirk McLean’s,” says Steve. “In my quest for the perfect ride height, I had to rethink the suspension front and rear to allow the car to ride properly without the suspension crashing like other low modded Minis out there, mine being one of them! I modified the rear subframe into a beam-style setup, and opted for

“In my quest for perfect ride height I had to rethink the suspension”

Protech coilovers; I also tubbed the rear arches and fitted strengthened rear turrets. The front was more complicated, having to use my design skills to come up with new brackets to correct the front shock angle. These were designed in 2D and waterjet cut at work, then welded together and test-fitted, designed with multiple holes for adjustment. Further to this, I remounted a set of Force Racing upper arms higher up to correct the operational angle.”

CLEVER STUFF

It’s a hugely impressive level of complexity and ingenuity that’s reimagined this Mini for superlative usability as well as killer looks, Steve

TECH SPEC

BODY Original Rover Black, painted white Cooper bonnet stripes, reprofiled McLean Brothers arches, polished stainless bumpers and grille, matte grey engine bay, removable bonnet ENGINE Mini Spares A+ 1380 block, fastroad cam, Stage 2 head, HIF44 SU carb with K&N filter, Metro Turbo oil pump, vernier pulley, Mini Sport 1 .5 roller rockers, double valve springs, ARP studs, K AD viscous damper, DSN timing cover, DSN rocker cover, Powerlite alternator – powdercoated black, Fletcher radiator, black silicone hoses, LCB manifold, stainless RC40 exhaust system SUSPENSION Protech coilovers front and rear, Mini Sport alloy hubs, custom rear beam axle, custom front brackets for shock angle correction, HD Stainless tie bars, modified Force Racing upper arms with raised pivot point, adjustable lower arms, modified solid-mounted front subframe TR ANSMISSION 4-speed manual, competition layshaft, X-pin diff, K AD quick-shift, lightened steel flywheel, uprated clutch BR AKES M in i Sp o r t 4 -p ot fro nt c al ip e r s , H EL p e r fo rm a n ce l in e s , rea r M in if ins , cus to m p e d al b ox with b al a n ce b a r a n d re m ote c yl in d e r s WHEELS AND T YRES 7x13” Minilites, 165/55 Accelera tyres INTERIOR RS Turbo Recaros - retrimmed in black with red piping, custom mounting brackets, black carpet, vinyl-wrapped dash, white plasma-lit dials, custom parcel shelf, Kenwood head unit, JL Audio speakers and amps, black Mountney steering wheel, DSN hardware throughout, DSN pedal pads

f lat bulkhead while cleaning and smoothing out the rest of the bay.

“The final thing was finishing the interior, by retrimming the carpet all black to work better with the seats that I had retrimmed ten years ago,” he says. “The biggest challenge really was moving house and relocating to Wales from Surrey when I was halfway through the build! But at least the Mini was finished in my new garage.

“Following completion of the build, the head gasket went two weeks before this photoshoot,” Steve continues, “and after finding Adam at Hargreaves Machine Shop just up the road from me in Carmarthen, we were thankfully able to skim the head quickly and get the engine rebuilt in time. This has led to discussions with Adam about the winter plans – so just when you think a car is finished, er, no…!”

If anything, it feels as if Steve is just

Drama intensifies hunting for Player Two

getting started. Having owned the car since the Gordon Brown era, it’s been through any number of adventures and worlds of discovery, with him hoovering up knowledge and developing skills in relentless fashion. So of course there’s going to be winter work; he’ll be rebuilding the engine to go dry-deck and future-proof a few internals, as well as researching a new set of wheels and goodness knows what else. That’s the thing about taking a project to the next level – there’s always a boss to defeat and then a whole bunch of levels above that. It’s unlikely he’ll ever be saying ‘Completed it, mate’ because that’s not the name of the game, but Steve’s got the talent and tenacity to keep on shooting for that high score. THANKS TO:

Adam at Hargreaves Machine Shop Carmarthen, Steve at DSN Classics, all at Box Hill Mini Club and South Wales Mini Club, and finally Rob and Baldrick at Minispeed