I think that was a reference to the Morris Minor Traveller, where the wood frame was a structural part of the rear end.

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

Deceptive advertising in 60's by car companies , never heard of it , it's just that smoking stunts your growth thats why he stands 2ft 9in , or was it that the cars were bigger when they were first made and all that vigorous washing over the decades has shrunk them.

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That's why it's good to be.............ME

Maybe they were short staffed?

And yet the new MINI Crossman is bigger than that.

If the petrol tank fits into the rear subframe, why did they never put it there in the sedan?They'd had had to rejig the battery and spare wheel, but it would have worked.

The tank isn't in the rear subframe, its behind it, the extra length between the rear of the subframe and the valance provides just enough room.

Tim

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1951 Morris Commercial J Type Van
1955 BSA C11G
1961 Morris Mini Traveller
1969 Triumph TR6R
1977 Leyland Moke Californian

Really? I've got an Estate and I removed a tank from a van; you'd think I'd know that. Anyway, the tank should be between the rear subframe 'legs'. Crash protection, more space - if the Mini was redesigned as time went on, things like this would have been done.

For something that was in production for so long, all the innovation was done in the first design. The first improvements were to make them less lethal in an impact (anti burst latches) and correcting production problems (flanges going the wrong way in the toeboard). (I'm ignoring the Rover Minis and the Metro to further my argument). For a long time, "good enough" and hard economic conditions meant the design stagnated. Compare it to the world's best selling car, the Corolla.

Late night (in NZ) idea: They should have made it a hatchback when the Clubman was designed, put the fuel tank under the floor and dropped a Twin Cam into it. Dunlop run-flat tyres was what we got instead.

Thanks for dropping in from the Rolla Forum...see ya

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"Show me the Mini!"

Didn't mean to sound like I was dissing the Mini, or waving the flag for Toyota (Shoot me in the head if I do). I think saying the Corolla is the NZ's most popular car is deceptive since only the name stayed the same. But it was developed and faults ironed out; with small changes over the years, the Mini could have had more space in the boot for example, a twin cam engine that faced the 'right' way (although checking points down the back of the firewall doesn't seem like fun) and could have been safer. The problem was partially the british economic situation which meant scant funds for development. The talent and ideas were there but they weren't able to capitalise on it.

History history proves that prototypes were developed with hatchbacks, OHC engines, split-fold rear seats and CVT transmissions. All were rejected by the prevailing management of the time.

71-72 Export spec Mokes (Made in Oz in limited numbers) had a AH Sprite tank mounted in the rear subframe. In theory these tanks could be fitted to a Mini with a modified boot floor.

Slightly mad-tech idea. Export Moke tank, standard van/traveller tank and side-mount Traveller tank. 90-100L of fuel capacity, easy Melbourne to Sydney, probably even Melbourne to Newcastle, without refuelling!

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

Yeah but all that fuel wouldn't be any use if you were stuck on the side of the road on the northern outskirts of Melbourne with a flat tyre.

Tim

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1951 Morris Commercial J Type Van
1955 BSA C11G
1961 Morris Mini Traveller
1969 Triumph TR6R
1977 Leyland Moke Californian

Easy, the spare tyre can go on the roof rack.

It's only something you would bother with if you had a long distance to run between petrol stations. eg: crossing the Gobi desert!

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2