HIT THE STREETS

What do you get when a car design graduate builds himself a Mini? A nippy street car that looks as hot as it handles.

- Holly Daffurn

When Arthur tells us that this café racer styled Mini is not only his first car, but he’s also completed the resto in four years… while finishing his degree in automotive and transport design at Coventry University… we’re more than a little impressed. For most of us our first car is simply a means of getting around until we can afford something more appealing. For Arthur Springthorpe it was his chance to finally get his hands on the Mini he’d been dreaming of all of his life – with room for some serious performance modifications.

“I’ve always loved Minis, ever since I was a kid. I had photos of Minis on my bedroom wall growing up. I just love the look of them and I’ve always loved the motorsport heritage too. My Dad’s a mechanic, so being a petrolhead runs in the family. He had a few Minis when I was growing up. He taught me everything I know. He helped me out with the resto. He’s pleased with how it has turned out, but he’s traditional so he wouldn’t have chosen the performance modifications for himself! I wanted to keep it true to the original, just with a few modern touches.”

“My Dad did everything he could not to get me a Mini as my first car, he wanted me to go for something safer. I thought it was a good first car being small and economical. In the end I persuaded him that it was the only option. It was a Mini or nothing.”

It was bought as a rolling resto. In the first year, Arthur just fitted the twin carbs and new exhaust, then in the third year of ownership he got round to replacing the sills and the boot floor, as well as adding a new rear subframe, essentially reworking the whole car!