Minneapolis Street Sighting: Austin Cooper S

I seem to have discovered a sweet spot for noteworthy, classic vehicles, usually of the British variety not far from my house. Infact, it's a 10 minute or so bike ride. More on that later.
What you have infront of you is an original Mini Cooper S. Unlike the modern BMW interpretations, this little guy lives up to its "Mini" nameplate. Despite the new one being labeled as a compact car, the original Austin Cooper was quite the compact car. Weighing in at between 1360 and 1512 lbs, the Cooper and Cooper S were 1/3 the weight of their new "counterpart", but were often better handlers, though not quite as fast in a straight line; that can be fixed with a VTEC Honda engine swap, but I prefer not. I like the 1275CC SU carburated engine that came with them, and see no need to drop a modern motor in one.

Much like the "spirit" of the new Mini, the original had quite a history in motorsports. Drivers raced them in various events including circuit racing, and most notably, rally racing. It was during rallies that John Cooper became synonomous with Mini and motorsport, and helped bring the little tiger on the map for good. Ever since 1962, when the Mini first won a rally race, car enthusiasts, and racing enthusiasts aliked have both adored, and admired the little car. The original shape was carried on throught model year 2000, when BMW's version replaced it. Even though there are still JCW (John Cooper Works) Minis still being made, they lack the agility, handling, and fun-to-drive factor of the original. Oh, and this will make greenies happy: the original Mini can get 45 MPG at 55-60 MPH. Try that with a new BMW incarnate. You can't, unless you get a gutless MiniD which is available everywhere but here.

Diecast of the Day: Maisto Ford Torino Talladega

Okay, so one is kind of a lame piece, but I figure I'd show it anyway. It's Maisto's replica of a "restored" Ford Torino Talladega. I've had this car for quite some time, now, maybe 8 or 9 years, and its wear is beginning to show in its presentation. The glue, like in true Maisto fashion, has come loose around some key elements of the diecast. The first problem is the seat; the front bench seatback has come undone, presenting a look of an unfinished interior. The second major downfall, and again, I attribute this to its age, rather than quality itself, is the sagging or broken suspension. This allows the vehicle to have a prominent lean, representative or broken or worn leaf springs in an actual vehicle. The least minor defect that comes with age is paint finish. While Maisto never really had AMAZING paintjobs, they weren't horrible, either. As this example of their 1:18 Ford Torino Talladega is 8 or 9 years old, the paint is beginning to show its age. There are scratches and pits not visible from afar, but apparent on close inspection. While it doesn't bug me that much, it does add to the feel of an 'aged diecast'. I'd like to think of this as a replica of a twenty foot car, in restoration speak. The model looks great from afar, but upon closer looking, it appears to have some faults. In truly restored fashion, a Presidential Blue '69 Torino Talledega (199 made) would bring about $90,000 give or take in excellent condition according to NADA. A car in this condition would likely fetch $35,500 to $42,900 depending on options and mileage.