SHORT CIRCUIT

here’s a peculiar and all-

Tpervading mantra that’s been shared by social commentators and other smug people for generations: ‘expect the unexpected’. Which is a fundamentally silly thing to say, really; it creates a logical paradox, it demands that you do something that’s literally impossible. Nevertheless, with all that being said, it’s actually not a bad piece of advice to proffer in the case of this particular Mini. Its owner and creator, Anton Trivett, built it for the track, and takes pleasure in telling astonished onlookers who enquire about what it’s being powered by: ‘Oh, it’s a 998.’ He just doesn’t specify which 998…

We’ll get to that. First of all, let’s dig around in the history a little and learn where this all came from. “I can’t tell you exactly what got me into Minis, as I’ve always liked them as far back as I can remember,” says Anton. “I grew up on a farm, and my dad bought me my first Mini for £50 when I was 10 as the clutch had completely gone in the

Clubman front end is a relatively recent addition from Les Stanton at Custom Minis

up with a 1350 short-stroke engine, Tran-X 5-speed straight-cut ’box, S/C drops, LSD and Weber 45 carb to do some road-rallying.”

GROWING PAINS

At this stage of life, reality began to get in the way of the fun, and having sold the road car and used the rally car as a daily-driver for a couple of years, nearenough deafening himself in the process, Anton mothballed it and bought himself a sensible-trousers Suzuki Vitara. When he was expanding his business and decided to cash the rally Mini in, the saga drew quietly and gently to a close.

Well, for a while anyway. Fast-forward to 2016 and Anton was really feeling the itch to own another classic Mini. “I was yearning to build one,” he recalls. “After months of looking at very expensive

Room for a passenger - if they’re brave rusty Minis, I was talking to a friend who told me there was a one parked behind the garage his son worked at. I went to see it and it was in a pretty sorry state; however, we did a deal on it and I’ll never forget them saying ‘I suppose you’ll be back with a trailer,’ to which I laughed and said yes… I went back around with a set of jump leads and a gallon of petrol, fired it up, and gave them a wave as I drove past! I took it

Orange paint was chosen as it’s always been a family tradition

Power bulge is quite noticeable close up! the one-and-a-half miles home with the biggest smile on my face.”

The car was a Studio 2, a 1990 special edition based on the 998 City, and was all in standard spec. It had been off the road for quite a few years when Anton bought it, and it was immediately clear that some fairly extensive measures would be required to eradicate all of the corrosion. The Mini was duly stripped right down to a shell (the very next day, in fact!), the work taking place in a workshop on his parents’ farm, around a fifteen-minute drive from home. Anton quick ly fell into a routine, getting the

“The car was a Studio 2, a 1990 special edition based on the City”

kids to bed and then heading over to the workshop to meet his dad, then working on through until 2 or 3 in the morning, before getting up at 6 for work. It’s a marvel that he kept this punishing schedule up for as long as he did, but the task turned out to be more than simply a resto. This was quality time with his father, who had suffered from a blood condition for many years and the treatment had caused him to develop leukaemia. “After a few weeks in hospital, he sadly passed away,” says Anton. “My father was my absolute hero, and an amazing engineer. His loss totally devastated me, and work on the Mini completely stopped.”

LATERAL THINKING

It was natural for progress to halt at this tragic turn of events, but when sufficient time had passed to recommence, Anton found himself in an interesting position. One of the last trips he’d taken with his dad had been to see Phil and Darren at Pro Motive to collect a Yamaha R1 conversion kit. Having weighed up the cost of building an A-series to the same spec he had in his old rally car back in 1999, Anton had concluded that the bike

Fuelling setup is very neat, with a Concept Racing tank and Facet pump

engine would be more cost-effective, among its myriad other performance benefits. “Dad had constantly told everyone he met in hospital that we were putting a motorbike engine in a Mini,” he smiles. “By the end of 2017 I had managed to get my mojo back and the Mini panel replacement was back in full swing: new boot f loor, front f loorpans, inner sills, door steps, f litch panels, door skins, rollcage fitted with strengthening between the legs, H-frame for bucket seats, Curley fibreglass roof, Curley carbon fibre rear valance, bootlid, and two-piece front.” It was all-systems-go, and by spring 2018 the car was ready for paint; Anton’s brother Brett helped build a tent to spray it in, and Mini Action Day was set as a completion target. With the freshly orange Mini built up and MOT’d, it was taken to Neil Slark for a setup on the rolling road, before going off to Castle Combe for some proper fun out on the track.

“The bug had truly bitten, and during 2019 me and my cousin in his forged R56 visited Pembrey, Anglesey, Castle Combe and Oulton Park enjoying track days,” Anton recalls. “Sadly in October 2019 one of my good friends, Mike, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, so a group of friends managed to organise a trip to the Nürburgring the same week as it was one of Mike’s wishes to visit. The Mini got taken out of its winter

It’s still a 998... but now it’s a 20-valve Yamaha twin-cam that revs like crazy

ITG socks cartoonishly jostling for position

“Fourteen of us with various cars headed to the ‘Ring in October”

wrapping and fourteen of us with various cars headed to the ’Ring in October. It was really funny coming off track with Porsches, McLarens and Lamborghinis for everyone to be lining up to take pictures of the Mini!”

Covid slowed down the hijinks a little through 2020, but whenever it was possible Anton was back out on track, enjoying the car and slowly improving the spec and setup as he went. “2021 saw my first big problem,” he continues, “in that a mis-shift at Castle Combe caused a broken gearbox on the R1 motor. I had a partial spare although this was a nonfuel-injection motor, but also I was booked on another track day in three days’ time. The midnight oil was burnt again and a motor built and fitted just in time; it was at this point I stumbled across a new-old-stock Knight Motorsport front subframe. I loved my Pro Motive setup and Phil and Darren were absolutely amazing with me, but to change the engine had involved completely removing the front subframe and I knew an engine swap with the Knight kit would be easier. So I bought the kit and, with the help of its builder Wayne at Knight Motorsport, managed to get it up and running. I was having a lot of trouble finding a Clubman front

TECH SPEC

BODY Bare-metal resto, Les Stanton (Custom Minis) fibreglass Clubman front end and ABS bonnet, Curley Mouldings carbon fibre roof, rear valance and bootlid, custom boot badge and signature emblems, polycarbonate windows ENGINE Yamaha YZF R1 (5PW) engine – 998cc 20v DOHC, ITG filters, Knight Motorsport subframe, Dynojet Power Commander V, battery relocated to boot, Concept Racing fuel tank in boot, Facet Gold-Flo pump SUSPENSION Protech dampers, Yellow Dot cones, Endaf Owens bump-steer arms, K AD rose-jointed lower arms, K AD camber brackets, K AD alloy front and rear hubs TR ANSMISSION R1 gearbox, MED straightcut crown wheel and pinion, KMS shifter BR AKES 4-p ot front c alip e r s an d ve nte d disc s , M inifin rear s , G o o dridge line s , Wilwo o d bias a djus te r WHEELS AND T YRES 10” Specialist Components Classic split-rims, 160/490 Dunlop Racing tyres INTERIOR Sparco Sprint seats on custom mounts, Corbeau harnesses, Safety Devices rollcage, Kode steering wheel, custom carbon fibre dash, carbon doorcards, Lifeline fire extinguisher

“People constantly come up saying: What have you got in there?”

orange), before a host of KAD chassis parts were fitted. Plus the small matter of a new engine. A tune-up by Neil Slark, a setup by Endaf Owens, and the Mini was ready to rock once more. The finishing touch came from Martin at Sticky Fingers, who not only created the custom boot badge, but also the stickers on the doors and bootlid proudly bearing Anton’s father’s signature.

“I love people’s reactions at track days, as it’s normally the only Mini there, or perhaps one of two or three,” he says. “Folk don’t give it a second look until after the first session, and then there are people constantly coming up all day saying ‘that goes well’ and ‘what have you got in that?’. Obviously I tell them it’s a 998.” Which, of course, is all part of the fun. And that’s what characterises this car really, fun: it’s a bridge to the past, a connection with his lost friend and father, and a continuation of a lifelong thread of Mini adventures. And most of all, it’s a keen reminder to all concerned that, no matter how deranged the idea may sound, you should always expect the unexpected. THANKS TO:

I would like to thank my late dad for all the inspiration he gave us. My brother Brett and Howard Porch for painting. Phil and Darren at Pro Motive for all their help. Wayne Knightingale at Knight Motorsport for putting up with all my phone calls and questions. Neil Slark for a mega job on engine setup and usually fitting me in at the last minute. And of course Endaf Owens at Owens Fabrication for the fabulous setup and advice.