I bought my first classic mini in 20 years recently. Man, it just puts the biggest smile on my face. You feel everything. It has so much character. It turns heads everywhere I go. I'm really glad there are small companies like this to help keep minis on the road 🙂
They’re great fun to drive but go over a pothole and it’s like hitting a mine, you end up facing the other way 😂 (I wonder if they galvanise the completed shell as with modern cars?)
They are available in full ready to drive form ...... at Geneva Motor Show ... 2018 .... a couple of full original Mini's were shown .......... the only significant difference : Price !!
The craftsmanship that goes into one of these shells is brilliant especially when you consider the fact that it is original tooling and is businesses like this that help keep Minis that otherwise would have been scraped alive
But why original toolings? Just the gaps on he front wing they put together makes me scratch my head. Changing panels on my mini makes me realise how crappy the tolerances must be at the factory. Surely there can be originality with improvements?
@@wengueycheaw3882 I agree. If you are going to do something, then do it properly, not in the British Leyland "Who gives a toss" way. But when you see the men working there you kind of understand. They are mostly British Leyland retirees.....
What a brilliant episode! Please make an in depth programme or series of these remarkable engineering companies that keep much loved classics going. This has to be an absolute favorite episode to millions of viewers.
People with your view helped turn Britain into the industrial desert it is today. BMC were the forth largest carmaker in the world when the original mini came out. All cars rusted back then and reliability was a comparative term. The average life of an engine was around 60000 miles before a rebore was needed. On a Ford sidevalve it was half that.
@armadillo platypus It is true that the Mini had a severe rust problem and eternally leaking break cylinders, among other serious problems. Nevertheless, it was a very good handling car, very nice looking and extremely spacious for its outer dimensions. With 3m outer length, you could fit a pair of 2.1m long cross-country skis in its cabin. I went on several long-distance holiday trips with it and could take a lot of stuff for two people with me.
@armadillo platypus I have two, and you're both right. For a late '50s car it was superbly and innovatively designed, and they're a hoot to drive, especially the quick ones. But the build quality was never great and as time went on it got worse.
@Steve Terry I know exactly how they were build: door frames soldering breaking, wheel brakecylinders leaking, rust under the windscreen seal, wheel bearings wearing quickly out, rust everywhere until they were like Flintstone cars.... But they were the best cars to drive ever and at 3.05 m length they could transport 4 adults. And they look so cute!!! Once you drive them, you get addicted to them! Don't forget that their active safety is very good. Their passive safety could be improved, although for their size, they're on.k.!
I had the Austin 850 way back in 1972. Underpowered but fun to drive. I’ll buy one if they start building the classic Mini again. I don’t like the bigger BMW Mini
My first was a 1959 Austin Seven Mini, bought it in 1967 for £25.00 Second was a 1963 Cooper, bought that in 1969, the best Mini I ever owned. Just treated myself to a totally restored 1968 Cooper S with an amazing history. Am I a happy chap ? You bet I am. 😀
Great job (again) Mike! It’s fantastic seeing the original process in action. It’s a walk through history - a very important part!! I’m a proud owner of 4 classic Minis (MK1-MK3) - survivor Canadian Minis.
I have been owned Mini Mayfair Ⅱ over for 25 years in Japan. So I was very surprised to see that original body shell of Mini are producted. I Feel happy. My best thanks to the members of the factory. If possible I wish to visit there. A.Takagi,
From one Mini Nut to another, thanks Mike, you released this on my birthday and I enjoyed it immensely. As soon as that roof went on, it was there, another Mini. It just made me smile like no other car can.
Fantastic! really enjoyed that and seeing the shell go together. It’s incredible that all the tooling to make this lovely little car is still in use today, after all these years. Love it 👍👍
This is great to see. The original mini is still being birthed. Thank you so very much Mini Man. I Love minis. I bring up utube with a mini copper video every night and fall asleep watching it. It's a great way to fall asleep counting mini coppers. Stay safe and bcool everyone, especially you Mini Man.
Love him or hate him, Mikes been there, seen it and done it over many years. While he could have walked away with his pockets full years ago, there's still a genuine connection with old motors that can't be faked.
The answer is money, he is doing only for money, if you ever seen an old WD episode you can clearly see, he has zero knowledge about cars, only thing he can do, talk, talk and talk.
Loved, just LOVED the video. I learned to drive in my mum’s Mini in 1964 (age 15) and owned a ‘63 as a student in the 1970’s. Yes, I too could watch this all day. 👍👍
its really nice and amazing to see that somebody is using his money in a really productive way, this is today a rarity! great! keep bringing to live many more Minis and other cars that were well designed
One of my dream cars of all time,just remembering this little things beating bigger cars with 2 or 3 times more power than them on the tracks is just amazing.
We love! Well as an owner of a new, black Mini from 1966 - 1970, I may state as a fact: It was an absolutely horribly produced car, with badly fitting doors (I had to bend the sliding window frames against my knee to make them actually meet the rubber sealing on the body!) and it leaked in water in most places, also from the corners of my front screen (Wipers just stopped, also up on the screen, so you soon learned how to make them stop at the right place!). And don't expect to be able to leave things in the doors metal pockets if they aren't waterproof! A battery with its + to the frame!!! And the outside hinges, which had a little acid left in the sealings against the doors, after the original cleaning before being painted, so they constantly needed repainting around them to stay nice and without any rust! I had "newspapers" below the mats, to collect water and being regularly shifted, as now wet. Driving in rain behind a lorry would make the motor cut from the spray moisture, before being able to overtake, at mostly 117 km/h! I did own three English built cars: "My first, my last and my only", before buying a new BMW 2002 in 1970 and later VWs. Today I drive a really (comparably) fast Peugeot (Diesel).
redid my doors on my 69 850 Australian made Morris van using heritage skins and although I had to modify them for Australian wind-up windows, they fitted great. Such an iconic shape with cheeky grin on the front that makes both the driver and everyone you drive past smile such is the positive vibes the little things spread.
First time i see this video ,..The mini was my first car ,.had 2 of them in my lifetime,.I still have the front frame that holds the engine ,. It was my favorite car . seeing this and keeping this car alive is amazing ..
I'm in the (slow) process of rebuilding my '81 van, amazing, all parts, repeat ALL PARTS are still available for Minis & Morris Minors, thanks to people like this. They will outlive all the modern production cars - and me!
@@martinfidel7086 I have yet to find a part that is not available, for my needs anyway. There are many suppliers around the UK, e.g. Minispares Minisport (60% more expensive) and many others who used to supply certain parts for BL. Name me a part that you need & can't get, & I'll see what I can find for you. I have one of the early Minispares printed catalogues and one of the old British Leyland manuals with all part numbers. BTW, I'm replacing as many of my nuts, bolts & fasteners in stainless, Westfield Fasteners, Aylesbury, is an excellent source.
@@theondebray Yes and I manufacture some of those parts, Name me a a mini specialist that I don't supply.... yet there are still a lot of parts that are no longer made, some of those are certainly in the pipeline though
This original Mini puts all other so called so called new models in the shade, it's got real timeless class, no other so called Mini models will never have, I really hope it goes on and on (even in electric form) 👍👍👍👍
I quite like both, but I do not like the rimless windows on the Bavarian Minis, as this renders the door inoperable in the event of an electrical failure. This means you can't get in to open the latch to open the bonnet, so it is rather difficult to sort the problem.
Loved mine - my first car actually. Starter button on the floor - If I stretched out from the driver's seat - I could touch every corner of the inside of the car. Getting into a mini was like putting a coat on and wrapping it around you - it became part of you.
John Wren I’ve had a few, all when I was a lot younger, even got on the track at Silverstone for the Thirtieth birthday world record attempt until we were waved back onto the grass because they’d hit the target? Wouldn’t you just smash the world record and people like me could say I was a record breaker?
The Austin Mini at 1:56 is something special , 999 FYL was comissioned by Hooper on behalf of Lord Snowdon as a gift for Princess Margaret, certainly a very valuable car today .
This is why this country is Great Britain. Brilliant work for a British classic. I'm a Mini fan n really glad u guys r doing this. Any jobs going? One day i'll get one. I've been a carer for the wife for a while, so haven't had alot of money. I'm 41 now, passed my theory test in October. I really want my 1st car to be The Classic Mini cooper s.
Fascinating to watch a new old car being built. I love the idea that you can take an old, rotted wreck and build a whole new car around the chassis number and engine/transmission.
What I'd like to see them do is to use some form of anti corrosion protection between sandwiched and welded panels. Some epoxy or weld through primer at a minimum so that they last more than original!
Weld through zinc primer is good stuff ; I'm sure they could spray the seams before spot weld assembly. At over £8000 for a bare shell it isn't much to ask! When I get mine done I want to arrange to go there to get my panel mods done before assembly. ( extra interior light apertures, plus modified bulkhead and inner front wings etc ) it'd be so much easier to do it off the shell then have them spot it all together after. ( for extra £££ of course )
Totally gobsmacked! I love cars of all kinds and the classic mini is no exception. So glad to see the care taken to reproduce the Mini with the same tools that made the originals.
Hi Mike it fantastic to see that these skills are still in use and alive and kicking my dad had a mini clubman and I loved that car Love your enthusiasm for the mini
There is scope to bring modern standards to make a stiffer, stronger shell, hopefully without weight gain. It’d be good to lose those exterior seams too. It’s good to know that these body shells are still available. Brilliant!
boostaholic 71, they are pretty much a hand built car. That must take ages to do. Then all the new parts and detailing, no wonder they’re expensive. Those mass produced shells are 1950s technology no two would be the same. I guess a few go to David Brown’s workshop and get the treatment, though. £100k for an old design in new pyjamas!
@@RawTopShot No, a stiffer shell would be designed so that the passenger compartment is stronger, but the boot area and the under-bonnet area would have strategically placed weaknesses to create crumple zones, absorbing energy to prevent deformation around the passengers. Go watch Project Binky on Bad Obsession Motorsport's channel and pay attention to how the front end was reconstructed.
I am NOT a fan of Japanese cars....but I will say, the 240Z is a TIMELESS design.....one of the real gorgeous car designs of the late 20th century.....Nisan, if they were smart, they'd retro a new 240 like the Mustang and Challenger....imagine what THAT would look like!!!!
And the body had very poor rust protection, so many resto projects start from absolute rust buckets. I'm working on one, actually a fairly clean California car, but even then the floors are rotten and it has holes in various places. They put the insulation tar panels before they put the primer....
I don’t like the way WD went reducing the mechanical segments and how Mike and Edd’s relationship broke down, but credit where it’s due, that was entertaining!
What a brilliant video, thanks. I have heard of BMH but knew nothing in detail so seeing this is great. I'm 60 & had a mini mk2 when I passed my test in 1977. Later had a clubman 1000. Then a clubman 1100 (I think that engine was the best for a mini). Then a mini 25 then in 2002 I bought a 1996 mini cooper spi. Sold that in nov 2005 & not had one since. Did loads of jobs on them, changed the engine twice on my first mini. Bought an Austin or Morris 1300 mot failure & took the engine out & put it in the mini mk2 :).
They have made improvements. They aren’t on strike! People who want to keep a car in original spec don’t want improvements they want originality. An original mini that’s new! Great video.
@Steve Terry why do you say that? Surprisingly the Mini had good results in crash tests compared to more modern cars of it's size, so there is no real data supporting that.
As an old retired mechanic I never liked working on mini's they were so cramped, so awkward to get to things. I always enjoyed the road test when the job was finished though. To see that British engineering is still out there, still keeping these (and others) quirky little cars alive is bloody brilliant. More power to you Mike Brewer. Someone already said but there must be loads of places like this dotted about the UK, so Mike any chance of a series about these engineering marvels please?
This is absolutely brilliant and these guys are doing fantastic work keeping this old manufacturing tool's in perfect working condition after 60 years, seeing this was like a glimpse of how it was back in 1960 awesome I just loved it, thanks.
I remember everyone was pissing on this guy. But actually I think he is really cool. Especially the interaction with the workers seems honest. Cool stuff from WD in 2020...
People only see what they want to see. Media hardly ever reflects how people really are in day to day life. How do people think that if Mr Brewer is to run companies on a daily basis, like his dealerships, he is going to do that without people/personal skills? I believe it is impossible to do that without any empathy and at the same time business sense. In the very beginning of WD I was always impressed by the mechanic Ed and less with the salesman/part source Mike. But in the episodes, Mike grew on me and my vision became less "troubled". I think that they both have their qualities and had an equal contribution to the series. What Mike does here, shows he is a real British motor aficionado.
Fantastic i didnt know where still been made brand new with original jigs and original specs / standards same way made in the 60s very nice made me happy that love the old minis
my grand parents had a Opel Kadett wagon we children christened the bruised banana... ^_^ My aunt in Oregon still has it and her Opel GT and drives both weekly. The GT to my uncles white knuckled horror at times... o_0 She does like the go-fast pedal more than the no-fun pedal.
I have a restored customised 1993 mini. They are fabulous fun cars as long as you don't expect modern car comfort. Mike gets a bit of stick from some people but he undoutably loves his minis!!!!!!!!!!!!
John Wren Improvements would be to flip the bulkhead to floor assembly lip so it didn't let water in if or when the sealant comes off; adding a drivers side upper door light fitting; adding the same in the lower rear quarter bins so you can add interior lights to see stuff on the rear floor; sorting out the front wings sticky out joint on the front headlight panel so it's flat, and umpteen other issues, including using a zinc weld through primer on all spot weld panel areas BEFORE they're spot welded together. None of these would alter the minis character, but all would improve form and function overall at very little cost.
enoch powellsghost I was thinking alloy because it'd be less harsh on the tooling presses. Sure you'd have the headache of tig welding instead of regular spot and mig assembly, but imagine how light it would be 😁 And get the whole shell ANODISED as soon as it's been put together and welded. 😁👍♥ Sure stainless for longevity though.
Bought a BMH body for a MGB GT, many years ago. Seemed like the way to go. Succumbed to a few upgrades during the rebuild mechanically such as a 2 litre engine, power steering, 5 speed ford gearbox , and synthetic bushes. Interior was tastefully restored to maintain the spirit of such a great car. I recall the painted shell costing a tad under £3,000. For interest I checked and price now is £13,000. Really interesting video.
Good new upload but adjust the title a bit, it is not Classic Mini's Alive, but Classic Minis Alive, since you are talking about a group and not a thing's attribute or feature You could say the Mini's engine was powerful, in that you mean a particular car targeting a specific part of it, but here you are talking about Minis as a whole :)
In 1964 I worked at Chrysler Canada in Windsor Ontario on The Gate Line in body-in-white. I started as a spot welder on patch plates where the bar across the front top of the windshield met the "A" pillar to tie it together before the roof was installed - the patch plate was where the sun visor screwed into. I didn't build any Minis but I did build almost 500 cars a shift from Valiant 2 door sedans to Chrysler convertibles and every model in between except Imperial (they came from U.S.). We built some RHD vehicles for export as well.
This's probably thee reason someone payed £17K on auction (Bangers & Cash) for an absolute rust bucket MK1 Mini (tied together) on a pallet, was for the chassis plate to rivet on brand new shell !
Mike is so wrong, replacing the body - you might as well ditch it's soul. Its like putting my organs in someone else's body - it's not me. That and the cost.
In a shed somewhere in Shropshire, two chaps are salivating into their tea.
I was not aware that the original mini shells were still being made. Absolutely brilliant!
I didn't know either...
They come at a price though! £8-12k
@Herbert Norkus
Is that a known swap, if so, do you have a link...
Sounds like a cool idea...
but he did not tell you the cost!!
@@richardsymonds5159 On they site of BMH you can see the price. And no it wasn't cheap.
Mike's genuine enthusiasm is infectious, always puts a smile on my face. Plus his stuff is interesting and not superficial.
I bought my first classic mini in 20 years recently. Man, it just puts the biggest smile on my face. You feel everything. It has so much character. It turns heads everywhere I go. I'm really glad there are small companies like this to help keep minis on the road 🙂
They’re great fun to drive but go over a pothole and it’s like hitting a mine, you end up facing the other way 😂 (I wonder if they galvanise the completed shell as with modern cars?)
You are a good person mate for keeping classic Mini's alive! Cheers
He's not keeping them alive, mate. It is YOU, spending money and buying one...
I wished this original Mini would be back on sales.....this is the Mini we love
Agreed - The GERMAN mini, is mini in name only. Not the real thing.
Ed Pazikas definitely u are 100% correct
They are available in full ready to drive form ...... at Geneva Motor Show ... 2018 .... a couple of full original Mini's were shown .......... the only significant difference : Price !!
@@jigsaw_games8051 moi
I wouldnt be surprised if someone eventually starts buying the fresh body shells and putting EV powertrains in them, to then sell them as city cars.
The craftsmanship that goes into one of these shells is brilliant especially when you consider the fact that it is original tooling and is businesses like this that help keep Minis that otherwise would have been scraped alive
this and the fact that they keep the classic racing scene furnished with new bodies .... Makes you wonder where all these racing minis come from.
But why original toolings? Just the gaps on he front wing they put together makes me scratch my head. Changing panels on my mini makes me realise how crappy the tolerances must be at the factory. Surely there can be originality with improvements?
@@wengueycheaw3882 I agree. If you are going to do something, then do it properly, not in the British Leyland "Who gives a toss" way. But when you see the men working there you kind of understand. They are mostly British Leyland retirees.....
@@Car_and_classic_lover Thats exactly what I mean. People would drive correctly if there were no whole body shells readily available....
Team33
You're not accounting for _other_ drivers hitting the mini! Or any other body damage beyond the mini owners control. 🙄
What a brilliant episode!
Please make an in depth programme or series of these remarkable engineering companies that keep much loved classics going.
This has to be an absolute favorite episode to millions of viewers.
Makes me very happy that Minis are kept on living. One of the best cars ever!
People with your view helped turn Britain into the industrial desert it is today. BMC were the forth largest carmaker in the world when the original mini came out. All cars rusted back then and reliability was a comparative term. The average life of an engine was around 60000 miles before a rebore was needed. On a Ford sidevalve it was half that.
@armadillo platypus It is true that the Mini had a severe rust problem and eternally leaking break cylinders, among other serious problems. Nevertheless, it was a very good handling car, very nice looking and extremely spacious for its outer dimensions. With 3m outer length, you could fit a pair of 2.1m long cross-country skis in its cabin. I went on several long-distance holiday trips with it and could take a lot of stuff for two people with me.
@@TomAlter1000 autocorrect!
@armadillo platypus I have two, and you're both right. For a late '50s car it was superbly and innovatively designed, and they're a hoot to drive, especially the quick ones. But the build quality was never great and as time went on it got worse.
@Steve Terry I know exactly how they were build: door frames soldering breaking, wheel brakecylinders leaking, rust under the windscreen seal, wheel bearings wearing quickly out, rust everywhere until they were like Flintstone cars....
But they were the best cars to drive ever and at 3.05 m length they could transport 4 adults. And they look so cute!!! Once you drive them, you get addicted to them! Don't forget that their active safety is very good. Their passive safety could be improved, although for their size, they're on.k.!
My first car was an Austin Mini 1000,watching this was wonderful and great to know they are Still building them.
I had the Austin 850 way back in 1972. Underpowered but fun to drive. I’ll buy one if they start building the classic Mini again. I don’t like the bigger BMW Mini
My first was a 1959 Austin Seven Mini, bought it in 1967 for £25.00
Second was a 1963 Cooper, bought that in 1969, the best Mini I ever owned. Just treated myself to a totally restored 1968 Cooper S with an amazing history. Am I a happy chap ?
You bet I am. 😀
Mike Brewer is single handedly saving the classic car industry
And the pie industry
Whilst trying to ruin good mechanics.
@@patrickkelly7085😂👌
@@gavinthomas7375I concur.
Great job (again) Mike!
It’s fantastic seeing the original process in action.
It’s a walk through history - a very important part!!
I’m a proud owner of 4 classic Minis (MK1-MK3) - survivor Canadian Minis.
I have been owned Mini Mayfair Ⅱ over for 25 years in Japan. So I was very surprised to see that original body shell of Mini are producted. I Feel happy. My best thanks to the members of the factory. If possible I wish to visit there. A.Takagi,
Is very refreshing to see that some people are still proud to be British.
From one Mini Nut to another, thanks Mike, you released this on my birthday and I enjoyed it immensely.
As soon as that roof went on, it was there, another Mini. It just made me smile like no other car can.
Hear, hear!!!
Not quite the original but I have a r53 checkmate s and I absolutely love it!
I could watch them assemble Minis all day! Amazing! 😁👍
Fantastic! really enjoyed that and seeing the shell go together. It’s incredible that all the tooling to make this lovely little car is still in use today, after all these years. Love it 👍👍
This is great to see. The original mini is still being birthed. Thank you so very much Mini Man. I Love minis. I bring up utube with a mini copper video every night and fall asleep watching it. It's a great way to fall asleep counting mini coppers. Stay safe and bcool everyone, especially you Mini Man.
Love him or hate him, Mikes been there, seen it and done it over many years. While he could have walked away with his pockets full years ago, there's still a genuine connection with old motors that can't be faked.
Agreed
The answer is money, he is doing only for money, if you ever seen an old WD episode you can clearly see, he has zero knowledge about cars, only thing he can do, talk, talk and talk.
@@Morzsaszar that's called acting !
and his pockets are now VERY full since Wheeler Dealers was sold to the Yanks
Perfect
Loved, just LOVED the video. I learned to drive in my mum’s Mini in 1964 (age 15) and owned a ‘63 as a student in the 1970’s. Yes, I too could watch this all day. 👍👍
Had 4 minis and love them, cool to see they still make original body panels and shells.
I'm across the pond and I think it's great that one of my favorite cars since I was 11 in 1964 is still being punched out. Long live the Mini!!!
its really nice and amazing to see that somebody is using his money in a really productive way, this is today a rarity! great! keep bringing to live many more Minis and other cars that were well designed
One of my dream cars of all time,just remembering this little things beating bigger cars with 2 or 3 times more power than them on the tracks is just amazing.
We love! Well as an owner of a new, black Mini from 1966 - 1970, I may state as a fact: It was an absolutely horribly produced car, with badly fitting doors (I had to bend the sliding window frames against my knee to make them actually meet the rubber sealing on the body!) and it leaked in water in most places, also from the corners of my front screen (Wipers just stopped, also up on the screen, so you soon learned how to make them stop at the right place!). And don't expect to be able to leave things in the doors metal pockets if they aren't waterproof! A battery with its + to the frame!!! And the outside hinges, which had a little acid left in the sealings against the doors, after the original cleaning before being painted, so they constantly needed repainting around them to stay nice and without any rust! I had "newspapers" below the mats, to collect water and being regularly shifted, as now wet.
Driving in rain behind a lorry would make the motor cut from the spray moisture, before being able to overtake, at mostly 117 km/h!
I did own three English built cars: "My first, my last and my only", before buying a new BMW 2002 in 1970 and later VWs. Today I drive a really (comparably) fast Peugeot (Diesel).
Yes, they really were woeful things
Brilliant really good to see the bodyshells being made. Many thanks Mike and British Motor Heritage limited.
redid my doors on my 69 850 Australian made Morris van using heritage skins and although I had to modify them for Australian wind-up windows, they fitted great. Such an iconic shape with cheeky grin on the front that makes both the driver and everyone you drive past smile such is the positive vibes the little things spread.
It makes me happy this still happens.
It makes my two MGs happy too.
First time i see this video ,..The mini was my first car ,.had 2 of them in my lifetime,.I still have the front frame that holds the engine ,.
It was my favorite car .
seeing this and keeping this car alive is amazing ..
Wow wow wow.
The best video I have ever seen on you tube.
8 have big respect for this guy for keeping the mini going the authentic way.
Well done guys
I'm in the (slow) process of rebuilding my '81 van, amazing, all parts, repeat ALL PARTS are still available for Minis & Morris Minors, thanks to people like this. They will outlive all the modern production cars - and me!
No they are not, there is still lots of parts not currently available, however it is getting rectified.
@@martinfidel7086 I have yet to find a part that is not available, for my needs anyway. There are many suppliers around the UK, e.g. Minispares Minisport (60% more expensive) and many others who used to supply certain parts for BL. Name me a part that you need & can't get, & I'll see what I can find for you. I have one of the early Minispares printed catalogues and one of the old British Leyland manuals with all part numbers. BTW, I'm replacing as many of my nuts, bolts & fasteners in stainless, Westfield Fasteners, Aylesbury, is an excellent source.
@@theondebray Yes and I manufacture some of those parts, Name me a a mini specialist that I don't supply.... yet there are still a lot of parts that are no longer made, some of those are certainly in the pipeline though
Model year 1960s. First time in use 2020.
At least the ad for Deliveroo was worth watching.
MB thinks it is OK. Bring on "free tax and no MOT" ...
It is lovely to see these skilled workers are producing the old mini.There is British spirit in these cars’ DNA.
Lovely little cars. Can’t but love the little chaps.
Beautiful Amazing Congratulations. I've owned 1 mini in my life. To see this type of history brought to today's light is like a dream. ♥️♥️♥️
This original Mini puts all other so called so called new models in the shade, it's got real timeless class, no other so called Mini models will never have, I really hope it goes on and on (even in electric form) 👍👍👍👍
Well said.
@japanwatchconnection you hum it son I will sing it 👍
I quite like both, but I do not like the rimless windows on the Bavarian Minis, as this renders the door inoperable in the event of an electrical failure. This means you can't get in to open the latch to open the bonnet, so it is rather difficult to sort the problem.
Loved mine - my first car actually. Starter button on the floor - If I stretched out from the driver's seat - I could touch every corner of the inside of the car. Getting into a mini was like putting a coat on and wrapping it around you - it became part of you.
Minis have a soul! Had a dozen of them. Loved every one. Most fun with yer clothes on!
John Wren I’ve had a few, all when I was a lot younger, even got on the track at Silverstone for the Thirtieth birthday world record attempt until we were waved back onto the grass because they’d hit the target? Wouldn’t you just smash the world record and people like me could say I was a record breaker?
Steve Terry same as Alfa Romeo, cars with Soul.
I never knew that British Mini parts were still being produced using the original Jigs. British Manufacturing still going strong, brilliant 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
That is awesome still building on same jigs + same welding techniques for pure minis.
This is just great. A car factory without a single screen, laptop or robot in sight. Made me miss my old mini ❤️
The Austin Mini at 1:56 is something special , 999 FYL was comissioned by Hooper on behalf of Lord Snowdon as a gift for Princess Margaret, certainly a very valuable car today .
This is why this country is Great Britain. Brilliant work for a British classic. I'm a Mini fan n really glad u guys r doing this. Any jobs going? One day i'll get one. I've been a carer for the wife for a while, so haven't had alot of money. I'm 41 now, passed my theory test in October. I really want my 1st car to be The Classic Mini cooper s.
Amazing place.
Fascinating to watch a new old car being built. I love the idea that you can take an old, rotted wreck and build a whole new car around the chassis number and engine/transmission.
What I'd like to see them do is to use some form of anti corrosion protection between sandwiched and welded panels. Some epoxy or weld through primer at a minimum so that they last more than original!
Agreed!
I think they leave that up to whoever buys it
@@georgebamber6871 bit late after all the unsealed steel is welded together. It should have copper weld through primer before it is assembled.
I was thinking the same thing. Going to rust again as soon as damp air gets in the seams.
Weld through zinc primer is good stuff ; I'm sure they could spray the seams before spot weld assembly.
At over £8000 for a bare shell it isn't much to ask!
When I get mine done I want to arrange to go there to get my panel mods done before assembly.
( extra interior light apertures, plus modified bulkhead and inner front wings etc ) it'd be so much easier to do it off the shell then have them spot it all together after.
( for extra £££ of course )
We all need more of this.
This is so amazing. I would love to work in that factory!
If I was you I would contact them and ask them for a job, enthusiastic people that want to work for a particular firm tend to be the best employees.
Those are the good things of England, they respect history and tradition. My respect and congratulations!
Very good video of Mike, congratulations.
I never thought that parts of original mini´s or complete bodies were made.
The only part of a classic Mini you can't buy new is the engine block which has to be refurbished from an old one.
@@johno4521 not quite true.....
I get all warm and fuzzy knowing the bodies for these wonderful cars are still being made today.
It can't get any better than that!!
Simply amazing!!! Too much passion for the car!
It's lovely to see that there are people still making them.
Thank you sir for keeping this incredibly important part of motoring history alive.
I'd like to buy that guy a beer, well done
alan partridge?
Totally gobsmacked! I love cars of all kinds and the classic mini is no exception. So glad to see the care taken to reproduce the Mini with the same tools that made the originals.
Hi Mr. Mike I am from Indonesia, I like your program👍
I've been looking at Minis on the road since 1959, BMH are brilliant!
That's class. I do love a bit of British engineering
yes if we made cars now this is the way we would do it....😂
British engineering? this is productionline car manufactuing invented by Henry ford.
Hi Mike it fantastic to see that these skills are still in use and alive and kicking my dad had a mini clubman and I loved that car
Love your enthusiasm for the mini
There is scope to bring modern standards to make a stiffer, stronger shell, hopefully without weight gain. It’d be good to lose those exterior seams too. It’s good to know that these body shells are still available. Brilliant!
David Brown has done that with the mini remastered but its 80k + 🤔
boostaholic 71, they are pretty much a hand built car. That must take ages to do. Then all the new parts and detailing, no wonder they’re expensive. Those mass produced shells are 1950s technology no two would be the same. I guess a few go to David Brown’s workshop and get the treatment, though. £100k for an old design in new pyjamas!
Christopher Ward
A stiffer shell would mean more energy passing to the occupants in a crash. 🙄
@@RawTopShot No, a stiffer shell would be designed so that the passenger compartment is stronger, but the boot area and the under-bonnet area would have strategically placed weaknesses to create crumple zones, absorbing energy to prevent deformation around the passengers. Go watch Project Binky on Bad Obsession Motorsport's channel and pay attention to how the front end was reconstructed.
Those exterior seams are a signature part of the overall design. Its one of the iconic things that make a Mini what it is.
It’s nice to know that the original mini is safe, being kept alive and well in this factory - amazing stuff!..
wish they did the same with a few other classic models including Datsun 240Z
I am NOT a fan of Japanese cars....but I will say, the 240Z is a TIMELESS design.....one of the real gorgeous car designs of the late 20th century.....Nisan, if they were smart, they'd retro a new 240 like the Mustang and Challenger....imagine what THAT would look like!!!!
And the body had very poor rust protection, so many resto projects start from absolute rust buckets. I'm working on one, actually a fairly clean California car, but even then the floors are rotten and it has holes in various places. They put the insulation tar panels before they put the primer....
I've just bought an amazing condition 1991 Cooper.
Classic minis are a joy all of their own.
I don’t like the way WD went reducing the mechanical segments and how Mike and Edd’s relationship broke down, but credit where it’s due, that was entertaining!
Can't stand the man nor can most of my friends.
What a brilliant video, thanks. I have heard of BMH but knew nothing in detail so seeing this is great. I'm 60 & had a mini mk2 when I passed my test in 1977. Later had a clubman 1000. Then a clubman 1100 (I think that engine was the best for a mini). Then a mini 25 then in 2002 I bought a 1996 mini cooper spi. Sold that in nov 2005 & not had one since. Did loads of jobs on them, changed the engine twice on my first mini. Bought an Austin or Morris 1300 mot failure & took the engine out & put it in the mini mk2 :).
This really is amazing to see. Mike is right, they should do some small improvements. Maybe some additional bracing for strength. 👍
But you could always do that yourself, I know I would plus coat and dip it in every rust proofer I can lay my hands on! 😁
They have made improvements. They aren’t on strike! People who want to keep a car in original spec don’t want improvements they want originality. An original mini that’s new! Great video.
Can't they include some original rust ?
@@malcolmnicholls2893 They have, it's was in the scrap that was smelted into the new steel...
Love it.wish i had the money to get my mini redone.love them so much.keep up the good work guys.be proud of your work.keep mini alive.
Minis are forever
@Steve Terry why do you say that? Surprisingly the Mini had good results in crash tests compared to more modern cars of it's size, so there is no real data supporting that.
@@RobinTheMini Exactly they were far safer than most cars of the time
As an old retired mechanic I never liked working on mini's they were so cramped, so awkward to get to things. I always enjoyed the road test when the job was finished though.
To see that British engineering is still out there, still keeping these (and others) quirky little cars alive is bloody brilliant.
More power to you Mike Brewer.
Someone already said but there must be loads of places like this dotted about the UK, so Mike any chance of a series about these engineering marvels please?
Talk about a time warp... great stuff.
Wonderful. I still have a 63 Mini Minor and 65 Cooper I use all the time. Have various panels from these guys in the resto of both. Brilliant.
"Hold out yer hand!"
"I just bought me-self a bran new mini body shell!"
@Pat Alessi Ed China left years ago, it's Ant Anstead now 😂
Ahh, I deliberately scrolled down the comments section hoping to find someone who said this. Thank you. 😂
Old aaaat yerrrand!
This is absolutely brilliant and these guys are doing fantastic work keeping this old manufacturing tool's in perfect working condition after 60 years, seeing this was like a glimpse of how it was back in 1960 awesome I just loved it, thanks.
I remember everyone was pissing on this guy. But actually I think he is really cool. Especially the interaction with the workers seems honest. Cool stuff from WD in 2020...
People only see what they want to see. Media hardly ever reflects how people really are in day to day life.
How do people think that if Mr Brewer is to run companies on a daily basis, like his dealerships, he is going to do that without people/personal skills?
I believe it is impossible to do that without any empathy and at the same time business sense.
In the very beginning of WD I was always impressed by the mechanic Ed and less with the salesman/part source Mike. But in the episodes, Mike grew on me and my vision became less "troubled".
I think that they both have their qualities and had an equal contribution to the series.
What Mike does here, shows he is a real British motor aficionado.
@Train Nerd Not the point I was making. Just said hé seemed like a cool dude...
@Train Nerd How many car dealerships does your niece run?
@Train Nerd If you say so. ..... #FacePalm
@@edhogg8806 you are ignorant to the ammount of narrcissists and sociopaths that run businesses.
My first car, like many other people, and an iconic British marque. Great to see them still being created!
TOTALLY brilliant!
Fantastic i didnt know where still been made brand new with original jigs and original specs / standards same way made in the 60s very nice made me happy that love the old minis
One of the most amazing pieces of history I've ever seen. What does a body like this cost... July 2020? Shipped to South Africa?
@Trevor Brown....Heritage price list; www.bmh-ltd.com/minishell.htm
There was a guy there using Triggers Broom to sweep the floor!
There is where the parts for my Classic were made. So cool to see this, thank you.
PLEASE do this with the Opel Kadett B (1969)...
Shaun Mostert
Obviously not enough demand.
@@RawTopShot I guess youre right, I'm battling to find information about these kadett's though so I thought I'd take a shot...
my grand parents had a Opel Kadett wagon we children christened the bruised banana... ^_^ My aunt in Oregon still has it and her Opel GT and drives both weekly. The GT to my uncles white knuckled horror at times... o_0 She does like the go-fast pedal more than the no-fun pedal.
The Opel GT deserves a renaissance.
I have a restored customised 1993 mini. They are fabulous fun cars as long as you don't expect modern car comfort.
Mike gets a bit of stick from some people but he undoutably loves his minis!!!!!!!!!!!!
i can see mike's disappointment when he found out that they're not putting any improvements on the shells..
Improvements? IN England? You must be joking!
@@terencefield3204 Yeah, what we did to the Americans. "If they'll buy it like that, we'll make it like that". How to secure an industrial future !
Whats to improve? Handling? No...
Improvements change the nature of it.
You live it for what it is.
John Wren
Improvements would be to flip the bulkhead to floor assembly lip so it didn't let water in if or when the sealant comes off; adding a drivers side upper door light fitting; adding the same in the lower rear quarter bins so you can add interior lights to see stuff on the rear floor; sorting out the front wings sticky out joint on the front headlight panel so it's flat, and umpteen other issues, including using a zinc weld through primer on all spot weld panel areas BEFORE they're spot welded together.
None of these would alter the minis character, but all would improve form and function overall at very little cost.
Return customers 🤔 thats the motor industry
Did my driving test in one of these cars in 1970 in Wpg Canada. The parallel parking was easy. Great to see this vid.
A stainless steel one would be the icing on the cake
enoch powellsghost
I was thinking alloy because it'd be less harsh on the tooling presses.
Sure you'd have the headache of tig welding instead of regular spot and mig assembly, but imagine how light it would be 😁
And get the whole shell ANODISED as soon as it's been put together and welded. 😁👍♥
Sure stainless for longevity though.
Titanium Mini
You can't form stainless still in shapes like that. See Delorean and Cybertruck.
Too heavy.
Dear sir, a MINI is a MINI, not a DeLorean... ~_^ That is unless it comes factory equipped with a 10-kilo brick of cocaine in the boot... o_0
It's not Mini, it's gorgeous mini.. Love the hand skill guys, bravo..
Quick! Get it out the factory before it starts to rust! 😁
It's fascinating that we have to turn to the past for honest to goodness automobiles. Great job, shop and video.
Esto es un VERDADERO Mini, lo de los alemanes de BMW no es más que otro Panzer!!
I recently came across a classic Mini parked next to the modern version. Amazing how small the classic is in comparison.
Bought a BMH body for a MGB GT, many years ago. Seemed like the way to go. Succumbed to a few upgrades during the rebuild mechanically such as a 2 litre engine, power steering, 5 speed ford gearbox , and synthetic bushes. Interior was tastefully restored to maintain the spirit of such a great car. I recall the painted shell costing a tad under £3,000. For interest I checked and price now is £13,000. Really interesting video.
Cant replace all mate because theyre about 10k plus paint (2020)
paint it ur self
That was a joy to watch. Lets keep the original mini alive.
Good new upload but adjust the title a bit, it is not Classic Mini's Alive, but Classic Minis Alive, since you are talking about a group and not a thing's attribute or feature
You could say the Mini's engine was powerful, in that you mean a particular car targeting a specific part of it, but here you are talking about Minis as a whole :)
Glad someone else got there first ;-)
In 1964 I worked at Chrysler Canada in Windsor Ontario on The Gate Line in body-in-white. I started as a spot welder on patch plates where the bar across the front top of the windshield met the "A" pillar to tie it together before the roof was installed - the patch plate was where the sun visor screwed into. I didn't build any Minis but I did build almost 500 cars a shift from Valiant 2 door sedans to Chrysler convertibles and every model in between except Imperial (they came from U.S.). We built some RHD vehicles for export as well.
Being English is great.
Certainly is as there is a big market for dinghy repair outfits now
Brilliant, and brilliant there are still companies like these keeping a much loved icon alive
Sorry Mike, programs not the same without Ed, China.
This's probably thee reason someone payed £17K on auction (Bangers & Cash) for an absolute rust bucket MK1 Mini (tied together) on a pallet, was for the chassis plate to rivet on brand new shell !
8:50 because Mike....... a panel is like 50 quid a shell is like 8000 quid.
.
Still cheaper than the Swind-E electric conversion at 79,000 pounds... Oof! o_0
Mike is so wrong, replacing the body - you might as well ditch it's soul. Its like putting my organs in someone else's body - it's not me. That and the cost.