The story of my 1979 Mini begins back in July of 1988. The car was spotted on someone's front yard with the proverbial "For Sale" sign on it. My first inspection of it revealed that it was in good condition but had some creases down the sides of the body. My first Mini, a 1972, had similar damage, among other problems. I bought a whole gallon of bondo and used it all on that '72 (I was 17, what did I know?). Needless to say, I was not impressed with the results and wanted to avoid similar problems with the '79, so I initially wrote the car off.

After discussing the car with Mini people in the know, I was told that the creases were minor damage, and easily dealt with. All that was required were the right tools and skills (I had all but two of those!) I returned to look at the car again, this time with some expert advice at my side. When we arrived, the owners son, about 10 or 12, was driving the car around the front yard!

I was told by my advisor that the car was a lot better than I had given it credit for. It was all original, complete with smog pump, completely unadulterated and only 75,000 kilometres. And at $900, it was also very fairly priced. I took the car home, had a new windshield (windscreen?) installed, replaced the torn up back seat and set off to my first Mini Meet, held in conjunction with the Portland ABFM where Mini was the featured marque. I had a lot of fun and the Mini placed 3rd in the Original/Restored class.

Soon the go fast bug started to bite. I bought an Austin America 1275 engine, had it built and rushed to install it for Mini Meet '89 in Denver. Numerous visits from Mr. Murphy prevented my car from going to the meet and when I returned, I began disassembling it (what good is a big motor without a flashy paint job?)

I made some arrangements for paint and bodywork and began stripping the car as much as my phillips screwdriver, 10 piece socket set and limited mechanical ability would allow. This restoration would actually end up being more like a face lift. Absolutely no panels were replaced and the only rust hole was a small one under the taillight, behind the rubber end piece of the crash bumper. The front subframe was removed and painted, but never disassembled. The rear subframe I stayed away from completely, having heard horror stories about rusty bolts breaking and the like.

I spent most of the summer of 1990 reassembling the car after work. In addition to non-stock paint and a bigger motor, I also converted the car to right-hand drive, but not much else. In fact, when I first got it back on the road, the brakes, wheels, tires, interior and steering wheel were all stock. The fall of 1990 was spent working bugs out and by winter it had become a daily driver, faithfully taking me to school at BCIT and work. Eventually the wheels, tires, steering wheel and front seats were upgraded. However, much of the car, especially anything that couldn't be seen, remained not only stock, but in original condition.

The first car show it appeared at was the Van Dusen ABFM in 1991, and then Mini Meet in Whistler that same year. Just after Whistler I met my future wife, Kimberlee, and she's been everywhere with me and the Mini including Mini Meets in Arizona and Nebraska, as well as a couple more ABFM's in Portland and numerous Tulip Rallys in and around Mt. Vernon, Washington.

In three years the Mini put on about 60,000 kilometers and went through ten states, yet barely scratched the surface of one province. It's been to the Grand Canyon, seen Mt. Rushmore, crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, gassed up in Little America (one of the world's largest truck stops), overheated in the Mojave desert, played on the beaches of California and been ticketed for "going way too fast for a car that small." But no matter where we went, or how far we drove, or what maladies or mechanical troubles we incurred along the way, the Mini always got all the way there under it's own power, and all the way back.

The Mini had never been parked indoors or even under cover, as none was ever available, and by 1994, the lack of a proper restoration had begun to rear it's ugly head: rust bubbles were forming in all the usual places and there were even a few holes here and there. The car got parked that summer, and would stay parked while I figured out what to do. I bought some new body panels and arranged for them to be installed but had to wait my turn, so he sat some more. He spent a few months getting panels welded on and then off to the paint shop where he spent another few months. When he came home, I did some work then he sat for a while, then I did some more work. This same procedure continued for eight years.

I decided I wanted to build the car as correctly as I could, rather than rush to complete it and make compromises. As a result, a few deadlines came and went. Many people worked on and helped with Hobbes and finally, at the end of July 2002, he drove. A fresh motor and transmission, new subframe, new brakes, rebuilt suspension plus about a zillion other new parts all came together and worked beautifully.

After a week or so of test driving and a few adjustments, we were ready for our first event: Victoria Mini Meet the weekend of August 10 and 11. Hobbes was gassed and loaded and we all set off early Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon was a Mini run through the Victoria area along roads that seemed to be designed specifically for Minis. It was such a neat feeling to drive in the middle of a group of Minis and know that you belong there.

Sunday was an informal Show 'n Shine at Gyro Park. We had a lovely afternoon (daughter Erin got her first sunburn and her first ride in a Moke!) and then walked up the road to what we thought was a restaurant for a bite to eat with some of the Victoria people. Unfortunately it wasn't a restaurant we were at but a licensed pub; Erin, as a minor, wasn't allowed. Upon hearing this the entire group decided to go elsewhere and we all got up and left; all twenty of us. I was touched at how everyone stood behind Erin.

Most everyone went home Sunday afternoon but not us. We spent the night in Victoria and then it was off to Courtenay to visit Erin's grandmother. Hobbes performed flawlessly up the Malahat until we were involved in a head-on fatality. I'm pretty sure that dragonfly dented poor Hobbes. We spent a few days in Courtenay and returned Thursday afternoon. Since then Hobbes has been to his first VMC meeting, the All British Drive In, and led the Minis in the All British Whistler Run.

I'm really enjoying driving Hobbes around, and Kim is too. I was looking at him parked in my carport a while ago, and it just seem so familiar. You might think I'd be all giddy and ecstatic to have him back after such a long time but it's more like a family member that was away for a while and was now back at home. Strangely, it was only in the last few months that Hobbes even got a name. And why Hobbes? Well just like Calvin's Hobbes, he may be just a car to you, but he's family to us.