Dates in RED are MMPEAPSHA Club Events

Dates in BLUE are other local events (and we're invited)

Dates in GREEN are other events of Mini/MINI interest

 

January 5th (Sat.), '08, 9:30AM....MMEW '09 Breakfast & Planning Meeting at The Square Peg Diner.

 

January 19th (Sat.), '08.....MMPEAPSHA Tech Session, at Harry & Jean Reynolds house (see Our Next Meeting...)

 

February 16th (Sat.), '06, 9:30AM - ????.....Valentine's Day Breakfast.....Bring Your Sweetie To The Meeting at The Square Peg Diner.

 

 

 

MINIS IN THE MOVIES & TV

by Nuala Galbari

 

What is nimble, can drive down stairs, on footpaths, through markets, along the shoreline, climb steep, snowy alpine roads and tackle the roundabouts at Piccadilly Circus and Marble Arch – all with admirable agility and utter cheekiness? The miraculous Mini, of course. Add to that, a car that can be parked in a miniscule space or garden shed and yet is capable of high-speed chases through the London streets with the Metropolitan Police at the controls and you have a big star in tiny packaging.

Minis have been noted for their star quality since the early 1960s and 1970s and their descendents are once again showing star power in some new movies released this year. Perhaps among the numerous reasons we love minis we can add ‘complete naughtiness’ to the list. One thing is certain: the Mini is a natural actor is all its guises. Minis were cast in both British and foreign films through the end of the 20^th Century. One could say that the Mini is a true ‘20^th Century fox’. It starred, co-starred, executed its own stunts and even been an extra during its distinguished film career to date. There is something inherently glamorous – yet unpretentious – about Minis and it doesn’t matter is they are basic, plain-clothed models, dressed in racing or rally livery, or adorned by coach companies, fashion designers or moviemakers; they are all born to be on stage and they revel in it. Let’s take a trip back through the time portal and recall some headline news along with Mini screen highlights from the past four decades.

1960s

The Soviets launched the first man into space. John Glenn made the first U. S. orbital flight. Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin landed on the Moon and half a million young people converged on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm for the Woodstock Festival. The new Mini took the fashion scene by storm.

1961-69 -- The Avengers [Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg]

Spy shows were all the rage in the '60's and this tongue-in-cheek thriller was one of our favorites.  Starring Patrick Macnee as the urbane John Steed, and Diana Rigg as the delectible Mrs. Emma Peel, the show lasted 161 episodes.  Steed drove a series classic Bentleys and Mrs. Peel a variety of Lotuses (Lotii?), but every now and again a Mini would show up....as here, where they escape from the bad guys in a Moke.

1964 – A Shot in the Dark [Peter Sellers]

The second film in the Pink Panther series follows the exploits of the intrepid Inspector Clouseau. Sellers wanted to drive the car that was closely connected with his character, so Pinewood Studios acquired two minis and had them refitted to resemble Sellers’ own Mini Cooper, ‘Basket Case’. Hooper & Company of St. James’s, London, had upgraded sellers’ Mini, complete with wicker paneling on the doors and carriage-quality refinements inside and out. It is thought that Sellers may have driven his own Mini for some scenes shot at Pinewood Studios. Would any car other than the Mini have had the personality to transport Clouseau and his accomplice, Gambrelli, in their birthday suits from the nudist colony to Paris?

1967-68 – The Prisoner [Patrick McGoohan]

The Prisoner featured Patrick McGoohan as a former secret service agent who was held on an island from which he could not escape. The TV Series, although a commercial failure, became a cult classic in many countries. It featured Mini Mokes, attired in brightly striped upholstery and canopies as the ‘village taxis’. Like the prisoner, the Mini Mokes were symbolically confined to the ‘local’ area. McGoohan states, "There were Mokes parked in every available garage, both inside and outside of the Portmeirion resort." The filming also required scenes on the beaches and the Mokes were ideal for this assignment. The Village is operated as a tourist resort today and guests can even stay at No. 6. And the Mokes? They are still the colorful modes of transportation at the Welsh resort.

Please Note!  The Wanted & For Sale pages have been getting a bit too long as a result of old ads.  Our new policy will be to list "For Sale" items three months.  Ads will run for three months, and will then have to be renewed or will be deleted....to renew your ad or list new ones, you can contact me at: cbaumann@lkdllink.net or call me at 1-320-963-5681.  The Service Offered ads will be continued indefinitely.

 

Mini For Sale......half price!

WANTED:  Mini/MINI stories for The Oily Edition!  Do you have a Mini/MINI Article, Story or Adventure you'd like to see in print?  It doesn't have to be Great Literature.....we can edit it and polish it up for you (and even have our Staff Cartoonist, Geff Galbari, illustrate it for you)....just something you think might interest or amuse Mini/MINI enthusiasts, and our Club Members.  About 1 to 1 1/2 pages (single spaced) is just about right.  Soooo....get those creative juices flowing and send your Articles/Adventures/Stories to me at cbaumann@lkdllink.net .

WANTED:  Hosts for MMPEAPSHA meetings.  If you'd like to volunteer your home or place of business to host a club meeting, contact Karl Jenstad at: jenstad@pro-ns.net  or call: (612) 869-7611.

WANTED:  Any Mini, decent condition, preferably running, if not all parts to make it do so, low cost (<3000), basically I am getting sick of looking at them and would love to have one of my own. Please call Nick Brogren at (651) 407-9579.

WANTED:  I need some headlamp bulbs, the early MK1 type bayonett style with the slotted flange at the base and the glass tube that looks like a pear.These are the old Lucas lamps.Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks again  Mark A.Illinski (715)342-0361 or e-mail me at: cindylou1@charter.net

SERVICE OFFERED - Consignment Minis & Promotional Items - Member Michael "MiniGuy" Lewis is back and is brokering classic Minis (and other interesting collector cars) via the "Consignment" pages of his new, soon-to-be-relaunched website.   He also has a line of  Mini Club-related Apparel & Promotional Items. Michael says a large part of what he does now is Club Shirts, hats, jackets, lapel pins, patches, stickers, printing, grille badges and so on, but he can do just about everything.  Check out his website at: http://www.miniguy.com/main.php or you can phone him at (805) 405-6263.