Mini Cooper S

My second Airfix Mini model build is another look back to a car I used to own in my youth!

This time it’s a modern Mini Cooper S dressed up as my 1983 Mini 850. You can see how it came to be that in 1989 I finally went rallying!

This Mini was an EU import, with a kmph speedometer which gave unbeknown passengers a feel of what it would have been like to ride in a real Cooper S!

My 1983 Mini 850 and the young pretender

In 1983, as an avid follower of the World Rally Championship, it was not long before I added a bit of rally art to the car. Following in the footsteps of Herbie (the VW Beetle) I first looked our a set numbers for the doors; but what numbers? For some reason, which now escapes me, I chose the year of its elevation to rally car, or to be exact, the number '83'. I also remember taking my mim's Fiat Panda on a 300 mile round trip to Mini Sport Ltd in Padiham, Lancashire, to buy, of all things, a roll cage! Fitting that was no easy task, but it did set me up for when I repeated the operation, some six years later, to rally prepare my Mini 1275 GT!

Modern Airfix recreations of my Minis

After building the Airfix Mini Countryman WRC model kit last week, I was inspired to attempt building the smaller Mini Cooper S as my little Mini 850. Ironically, while the Countryman was moulded in white plastic, which I had to make yellow, the Cooper S was moulded in yellow and needed it to be white! I must say that turning white to yellow is much easier than the reverse!

I didn't quite stick to the painting instructions!

I raised my stash of RAF decals for the numbers. They are not really a perfect match for the ones I fitted to the full size mini in 1983, but close enough. I cut individual miniature letters and numbers out for the number plate and hand painted two black lines over the bonnet and roof. Any imperfections are intended, as on the full sized car, these were applied from a roll of insulation tape, so very home made!

I'm happy with memories rekindled but think I'll stick to military vehicles from now on

While I was happy building these cars and with the memories they rekindled, I was disappointed not to be able to get close to the show room finish I wanted. So, I think I'll stick to military vehicles from now on, where a matt finish and the addition of a bit of grime and weathering can hide a multitude of sins!