Newbie from Kent, overlanding in something more 'Mini' than most of you!

Hi all, been lurking on here for the last couple of days so thought it was about time i got round to registering and saying hello!

My overland vehicle, is something a little different, a 1993 Classic Mini. I've owned the car for around 3 years and have always loved travelling, whilst i was growing up we had an endless stream of Land Rovers, this probably helped push this enthusiasm for travelling via vehicle to unknown (too me) lands! Anyway, the summer just gone i had planned a trip to cover a fair amount of Europe, namely, France, Switzerland and Italy. 2 months before the trip though and i still hadn't decided on what vehicle i was taking with me! One night up zee pub  , i had the bright idea of taking the Mini. The idea stuck, all sounds well and good but the main issue was that the car at that time was in several thousand pieces, it was a bare shell that was being prepped for Motorsport usage. I had roughly 6 weeks to fund, repair and then reassemble the car into something that i would have reasonable confidence in taking 4'500 miles around Europe!

Anyway, long story short, i had it ready in time, just! We left on a Monday, and the Thursday before the car was MOT'd! Surprisingly enough, the trip went with barely a car related problem! More details on the trip are available on my blogsite: (Not allowed to post the link apparently!)

The bug has now bitten though, well to be honest i was already bit! And in January, i'm planning on getting to the Nordkapp... Mad? You wouldn't be the first to say that!  

I have a whole host of modifications in mind for the car, with the roll cage going back in either this weekend or next monday. (Have you ever seen a Mini roll over? There almost as good as a Defender!)

I'm planning on being at the Adventure Overland show next weekend, anyone on here going?

Sorry about the essay, if your still reading, i'll leave you with a photo of us descending from the French alps this summer! (Scratch that, not allowed to post photos apparently!)

Cheers, Joe!

Hi and welcome!  

Love minis. Being of a certain age - 50+ - I was brought up on 'em, as were most folk who started to drive in the mid 60's and 70's. Think most of us owned one at some stage. Amazingly spacious inside of what I can recall, then again we all had less body fat in those days!!!  

Don't think you're mad at all overlanding in a Mini. Instead of a gin palace for a tent, you simply take a 'mini version', along with a mini stove, mini ... you get the idea.

Brilliant vehicles.  

Hi Tom, thanks for the reply and welcome! Even though i'm less than half your age, (only 19) i have been told many a story by friendly strangers who are always too willing to say about how they had one "Just like that!" as there first car...!

But your right, they do have a bit of a 'Tardis' effect on the inside, seeming bigger than they look! Saying that i do travel light, although i have all that i need, and can still fit more in than my dad can in his panniers on his Honda Africa Twin!

I sent some photos over by email by the way!

An Africa Twin??? Better get him to ADVENTURE OVERLAND too! Did you know we have a special price for those arriving on two wheels. Called the "2-Wheeler Weekend Pass" it costs half the price of regular camping (only £25 all in!!!), specifically because a bike and small tent only takes up half the room that a 4x4 and roof tent does. Get him there!

What I've got up to in a Mini is not for public consumption, although one thing I've never done is race or rally them - well, not on private land anyhow!!!  

Here you go ..







And Joe's blog ...

www.smallcarbigadventure.blogspot.com

... amended, it's now connecting.  

He's already coming, although we'll probably both be coming in the Mini, but i'll let him know about the 2 wheeler pass, that is a cracking deal!

Haha, oh i bet i can imagine!  I haven't done much rallying in this one, although it was heading that way before it turned all long distance! Still have a huge passion for competition and the like, and thats what my qualifications are in, but unfortunately at the moment i just dont have the money to be able to build, sustain and compete. Something for the future though!

Thanks for putting the pics up, and you were close with the address it's smallcarbigadventure.blogspot.com You can just make it out along the tops of the doors and in the rear window in the photos!

Hi and welcome,  

did not have a mini myself but friends did, we did have a lot of fun in them,
racing who us,   no officer.

Thanks for the welcome!

I remember a few days after gaining my National B rally license i was out testing a friend of mines rally MK2 Escort, after pushing our luck sliding round a few too many roundabouts we got pulled by fuzz. The Officer marches right up to the window and said "Do you two think your rally drivers or something?!!"

"Well actually Officer.... We are."

You can imagine how that went down!