At least it dosn't take up much room. I have to dig it out soon. This is a 1964 Mini Cooper 'S'

Starting the restoration, removing the rear parcel shelf, and guess what?   Nothing underneath of it!!  Where is the parcel shelf?

Now with the motor out. Now to clean up the engine bay.

Running out of time for MMW'98

Looks ugly, but it's in pretty good shape.

Still looking for that missing bolt in the tranny?

At long last the new Cooper S has arrived. It’s black, with 17-inch wheels and it’s a whole bunch of fun to drive. It took so long to get here that it’s a 2003 MINI not a 2002, but well worth the wait. It’s got more bells and whistles then any car I’ve ever owned. In fact, it’s probably got more bells and whistles then all the cars I’ve ever owned added all together.

It took Matt, the salesman, an hour to explain all the buttons, knobs and switches. I felt like I was back in school. This switch will wash your headlights, if the lights are on and you wash the windshield. That switch turns the fog lights on, if the headlights are on. The next switch turns something else off and on. This button will change the balance for the stereo or is it that button. Wait a minute, that switch isn’t for the fog lights it’s to open the driver’s window. This is the switch for the eight-speed fan. That’s right, an eight-speed fan, like you really need eight speeds. These two knobs are for the heated seats: they have two settings, medium rare and well done. After my lesson Matt hands me the owner’s book. It’s about the thickness of the collective works of Charles Dickens. The book for the stereo is larger than the owner’s manual for my first Mini. I still haven’t figured how to dim the dash lights. I feel like I’m sitting in the cockpit of a 747 jumbo jet when I drive at night.

The first weekend with the MINI was great. Everyday driving is fun again. I drove up to the grocery store, via UBC. A friend phones me to say he’s not too far away, at some company function that just ended and would I like to get a drink and something to eat. I picked him up and we went to a pub six blocks from my place, via UBC. Sunday, I go to show the MINI to Mom and Dad. They live fifteen minutes from my place. I get there via UBC.

This car attracts people like flies to something smelly. I get the thumbs up sign from all kinds of people. I was in a parking lot and this guy comes over. He tells me about his Mini 1000 and how much he likes the new MINI. He just about fell over when I told him the horsepower rating.

In that first weekend my average speed in the city was somewhere near 85KPH. I couldn’t figure out why I was passing everyone else on the road. The police must have been busy somewhere else and didn’t spot me. I have since figured out that I don’t need to test out sixth gear between every stoplight.
It’s getting late and I must read some more of my owner’s book before I go to bed. Now, where will I find the section on dash lights?