Mechanic shrinks his Mini
Mechanic shrinks his Mini car to fit inside his motor home
The Mini is known for its pint-sized proportions – but one mechanic has taken tiny to the next dimension by shrinking the classic car to fit inside his motor home. The cherry red version of the 1964 Mini 850, has been shortened from 3m (10ft) long to just 2.4m (7ft 10in) so Lester Atherfold can transport it in his AEC Reliance coach. He also reduced the width to 1.4m (4ft 8in). But despite its size, the little wonder still manages to reach speeds of 75mph with its 1100cc motor and weighs about 600kg (94st). ‘The Mini was the only car in the world that would fit in the motorhome, all the others were too big and tall,’ said the 67-year-old, from Napier, New Zealand. ‘No other car in the world would fit under your bed – and it can sneak into the smallest of car parking spaces. ‘The car gives us our freedom from the motorhome when we are away on holiday. It allows us to see and do things which we would otherwise not be able to do if we just had the motorhome.’ The customisation cost £95, as Mr Atherfold fitted a new motor, transmission, sub-frame, clutch and dashboard from a Mini Clubman. ‘People often laugh at the car, especially young girls for some reason,’ he added. ‘The car makes people happy – it brings a smile to people’s faces. It’s priceless, it belongs to the bus.’ Mr Atherfold claimed he had taken the car to ‘every corner of New Zealand’ and hoped to bring it to Britain soon.
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment