Oh dear.
It seems I might be wasting my time with some of the articles I've written.
Does no-one on this thread read The Mini Experience (now, I know some of you are subscribers, so don't jump in too quickly).
A few things I have uncovered, and a few myths to dispell:
Clubman GT - around 1,200 built of which possibly 200+ went to NZ (Issue 19)
Mini Sunshine - 360 built (Issue 7)
Mini SS - 500 built (Issue 15)
Mini LS - unknown, as it was a normal production model in 1977 and 1978. Records or production figures not available. However, it has been suggested from people who should know that production was around 4-5 cars per day, which means around 1,500 built in total. (Issue 15)
1275 LS - possibly as few as 900 built, but popular belief is around 1,000. Some suggest as high as 1,200. No figures available. (Issue 16).
Clubman GT: Yes, there are early and late Clubman GTs, even though total production was only from about July 1971 (release date was August) to December 1972 (compliance plates fitted in January 1973 were probably on December 1972-built cars). The 9F-numbered Cooper S engines were used for the first 270 or so cars. Following that, engine numbers were given a 1200 prefix (1201 and 1202 engines were replacement blocks) or 1205 for the police-spec engines. These engines were probably Mk3 (UK) Cooper S engines, as they have the same part number as the Cooper S blocks. Around 560 or so GTs were fitted with these engines. While earlier 9F engines and some 1200 engines had Nitrided cranks, the later 1200 engines had Tuftrided cranks (yes, I got this arse about in the story, but have made the correction in Issue 20), as per the UK Mk3 Cooper S.
All these Cooper S engines used in the Clubman GT were exactly to the same specification as the Cooper S.
The "Rationalised" 1275cc engine, from the UK Morris/Austin 1300 (and Australian Morris 1100S) and the UK's 1275GT, was used only from about December 1972, and for the last 370 or so GTs
These engines were modified with higher compression and fitted with Cooper S ancilliaries, such as twin carburettors, and reputedly had the same power output.
There are of course lots of other changes between early and late GTs, but generally the change-over is accepted as being from January 1972 with introduction of ADRs which required fitting of head restraints on the front seats, steering/ignition locks and numerous other minor changes.
The police-spec Clubman GT (SPO28) - of which only 108 were built and of these around 90 actually served with the NSW Police as Special Traffic pursuit cars - used the Cooper S engines with twin 1.5" carbs and the usual modifications for police-spec Cooper S.
Rust: most of the problems with rust seem to occur with Minis built in 1975 to possibly 1976. When production moved to Enfield rust-proofing was done by a dip-and-dunk sort of arrangement, which only dipped the body half way up. This was later modified to give full immersion in the bath. However, even with the later method the process was not as good as the Rotodip at Zetland. Apparently a thinner gauge steel may have been used on the later cars, but I have not been able to confirm this.
Quote:
The bread and butter product at Enfield was the Land-Rover and the Mini was just a sideline.
So, why did they move Land Rover to the back of the factory and give Mini and Moke production the prime, and larger, area at the front of the factory? Neither Land Rover nor Mini apparently made large profits, but Mini was still selling in reasonable numbers - around 10,000+ per year.
It is repeated time and again that Mini never made a profit. However, if that is the case, why were the only two cars to survive the 1974 rationalisation - where David Abel was under the strict orders from Leyland in the UK to only retain vehicles that could be made profitably - the Mini and the Moke.
P76, Marina, Tasman, Kimberly, were all axed. Mini and Moke survived.
Body panel stampings: The Enfield plant had a relatively small press shop. They were stamping aluminium panels for Land Rover before Mini production moved to Enfield. Most panels for Mini and Moke were stamped in-house at Enfield. It would appear that only the largest panels, that were beyond Enfield's capacity, such as roof and floor, and possibly bonnets, were stamped at Chrysler in Adelaide.
Gal bodies on Mokes: Mokes were not hot-dip galvanised. They were made from Galvabond sheet steel. While they certainly do not rust as badly as earlier Mokes (particularly pre-1980 Enfield Mokes) the paint did not adhere to the bodies very well and they will rust if neglected - especially around spot-welds and joins, as well as the usual water-trap areas - inside side-boxes, body seams, etc.
Zetland-built Mokes (1966 to 1974) were Rotodip treated, but because of the design, with many areas to trap dirt and water, as well as the fact that Mokes have always been notoriously badly cared for, they are likely to rust quite badly.
Cheers,
Watto.
