I'm pretty sure I have seen the VW equivalent of the same thing somewhere. But I won't put this up on AussieVeedubbers forum because they might boot me off.

Mini vs VW rivalry runs deep. I guess I'm one of the few with a foot in both camps. They both have their advantages and disadvantages.

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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

brilliant read!

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Here am I sitting in my tin can far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do...



“A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.” - Jeremy Clarkson

Being retired I luckily have some spare time to monitor and search motor bookshops and online auctions in Oz and overseas. I also maintain a good relationship with other motoring memorabilia collectors. A bit of skill is involved but mostly luck.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Have a watch of this YouTube clip from 3:10 minutes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEbmPsukEHI

Ideas about safety were totally different from today. For eg. Issigonis seemed to have the idea that if you had an accident and it was your fault - you deserved the consequences!

He placed claimed the Mini was safe because it was controllabe etc. Strange argument in these days with seat belts and multiple air bags.

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1966 Morris Mini Deluxe
.... 4 bicycles and 3 screaming kids.

I remember VWs getting a lot of bad press about bursting into flames in head on collisions and the rear engine ending up in the passenger compartment in accidents inflicting unnecessary injuries. Guess the hard sell doesn't mention that cause of litigation

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

I have a similar document from Ford comparing the Cortina, Morris 1100 and VW Beetle.

I've seen several VWs (both bugs and Kombis) with burn marks on the boot lids, I don't know why they were so prone to it.

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

The fuel fitting on the carby and the fuel pump is brass and the carby is diecast scrap. The fittings come loose in the carby and pop out allowing fuel to pump out onto the motor.

22 million beetles made vs about 6 or 7 million minis.

In the old days (1985ish) the Queensland Mini Car Club and the VW club used to have regular get togethers. Lakeside sprints, Willowbank drags, Echo Valley sprints, Motokhanas, even social events like observation rallies. There was always close competition. Good fun.

When I was a kid we use to travel long distances on dirt roads in west Queensland...often with my mother driving. We had a number of VWs, the first was the little oval rear window model. But my mother, who was not a very good driver still claims the VWs were the easiest to drive on the corregated roads. We had Valiants, Holdens and Fords but she always prefered the VW. I would imagined their durability, and big wheels as compared to a Mini made them more desirable for those travelling on rough roads.
However, I don't think anyone would challange the fact that the Mini had hugely more fun built into them.

Actually it was around 40 million bugs to around 5 million mini's. The bettle I think was in production a lot longer and in more countries.

Cheers

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{ex VW/Formula Vee mechanic here}
I spent a few years (early 70s) working on VWs- yes they are durable, no doubt about it. And the German tin is thicker so takes much longer to rust out than Pommy cars.
But the early ones with swing axles are tiring to drive at speed on a freeway with crosswinds. They change lanes by themselves..
Unless it's a mud trial, give me a FWD Mini any day.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Me and my brother saw a new beetle driving on a side road and we both thought "dam he's going really fast in reverse" who the hell builds a car that looks the same from the front or the rear .

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Respect mine and I'll respect yours.

Earlier post was right - Beetle is air cooled therefore the engine has very little to go wrong. No corrosive fluid moving round, no water pump, no water thermosat, no radiator. Belt only drove fan and alternator.

Also, mechanics were very simple and "zee Germans"did build quality gear.

Fires in flat four usually caused by fuel line to carbys rupturing . Good idea to periodically replace.

Which reminds me, I'd better do mine...

I don't see many Bettles, Combis or Minis on the road. I must get out more...

That said there is an White 850 deluxe (I think its an 850) parked at a house on Karringyup Road, which I pass now and again.

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Regards,

Mike
"He who dies with the most toys wins."