Merkwürdiges Special-Baujahr?!

Hallo,

Es spricht alles FÜR einen Special. Ohne Bilder, nur mit deiner Beschreibung würde ich aus der Ferne sagen; "Es passt alles"

Specials wurden verschiedene gebaut. Aber DER Special wurde von 1976-1980(?) in Seneffe, Belgien gebaut. (Dafür das "B" in der Fgst.-Nr.)

Merkmale: Innenausstattung ähnlich wie spätere GTs, ab 77 Instrumente vor dem Lenkrad mit Drehzahlmesser, Lederlenkrad, einfarbig veloursbezogene Sitze in schwarz, braun oder blau (von der Wagenfarbe abhängig, beliebt; grün-mét, orangerot, blau-mét, bronze-mét.), schwarzer, fein gerippter Grill mit "Special"- Emblem, Vinyldach, 1100er Maschine, getönte Scheiben (braun oder grün), schmale Seitenblinker analog Jaguar, Cibie-Hauptscheinwerfer, gelegentlich "Ducellier"- Zündverteiler, Silberne Kunststoffraddeckel mit schwarzen Karos und schwarze, gerippte Radmutter-Kappen, rundherum Trommelbremsen, teilweise diagonal- teilweise vorn-hinten geteilt. etc.

Hoffe diese Angaben reichen zur Identifikation.

Gruss
nerd

Natürlich kann auch dem besten und sorgsamst arbeitenden Beamten mal ein Fehler bei der Übertragung der Daten passieren. Mir selbst schon passiert:

Bei der Neuausstellung eines Briefes, Einfuhr aus England, hatte ich plötzlich einen Rover P5 Typ '30 litre' - es wurde eine Null zuviel oder ein Komma zuwenig verwendet. Da der Hubraum korrekt angegeben war wurde der Brief nicht erneut geändert.

Vorstellbar ist auch ein nur schlecht lesbar gestempeltes Erstzulassungsdatum. Früher wurden das Datum mit einem Stempel (je nach Zulassungsbezirk) vermerkt, das Stempelkissen hatte öfters über Farbmangel zu klagen...

Wenn Du Dir über BMIHT in England eine Zertifikat über Deinen Mini besorgst, dann hast Du Gewissheit über Deinen Special.

BTW die Photos von dem Brigitte Mini hat meine Tante rausgesucht, jetzt muss ich die nur noch auf den Scanner legen. Scanner kaufe ich heute nachmittag, zusammen mit einem DVD Brenner. Abphotographiert sehen die nicht so toll aus. Spiegelung wegen der glänzenden Photooberfläche...

HTH

wiso? Passt doch alles, der Special wurde meines Wissens in Belgien ab 1976 (oder sogar 1975) gebaut... Wenn deiner Bj. 1977 ist, fällt er da ja wunderbar rein...

lg,
Ellen

Zitat von Stefan (nord)

Die Heritage Zertifikate gibt es nur für Minis bis Baujahr 1969.

Oh, dann habe ich was verpasst... Danke für den Hinweis.

Baujahr 77 paßt wie Ellen es sagt. ich hatte selbst mal einen 77'er Special.

Gruß Stefan

The Mini Special back to The Mini Special
The Belgian 1100 Special
Author: John Collins

Let's get one thing clear from the beginning - the Belgian built Mini 1100 Special is not a limited edition car to celebrate an anniversary rather it's a regular production Mini for European markets in the late '70's. Unlike the distinctive, high specification UK 1100 Special, the Belgian version is essentially a Clubman spec Mini but with the more conventional round front - the Clubman never being as popular overseas as it was in the UK.

All the cars were built in the Seneffe factory between approximately 1975 - 1981. Total production ran to 73753, all left hand drive. They were particularly common in the Netherlands. It is not known how many were imported into the UK, but I would estimate 1000 cars crossed the channel. I once had a Feb 1978 example, imported in the summer of 1982 on a Y reg. I believe that quite a few others came over around this time, registered in Romford, West Essex, as RMG xxxY or OMG xxxY. There are few left on UK roads as rust takes it's toll - build quality was never of the highest order!
Please note that in the late 1980's the name "Special" was re-used for the European spec Mini 1000 City - this time built at Longbridge.

Specifications

There is not a definite spec for thses cars - 25 years of modifications have clouded the issue. Generally, though, they follow the same pattern:
MK4 saloon shell, in a choice of colours, (see listing), with black vinyl roof. Certain details are identical to the UK 1100 Special - indicators on the front wings (part no AV3296) Clubman saloon rear bumpers, black grille with 'Special' badge. Headlamps were Cibie halogens surrounded by a deep dish chrome ring. Chrome sill strips like most older Minis - Belgian Specials usually had standard 10" steel wheels with plastic wheel trims. On the guttering is a chrome effect finishing strip, one piece of dubious quality. I believe some parts suppliers do a similar version.

Rear lamps are MK4 with reversing lamps - boot badge reads 'MINI Special' with gold and black background (as sold by Mini Spares) or, a rarer type, 'MINI Special' in plain silver. Door mirrors were either chrome, early 1970's style, or painted black metal mirrors. Later cars featured the later black plastic mirror. Wipers are either chrome or black, facing the opposite way to UK Minis, unless altered. Interiors bear a strong resemblence to UK spec 1100 Clubmans- various colours of cloth seats (plain and patterned) and vinyl door trims. Carpets are matched although black interiors are most common. Bear in mind some cars, still carrying their original carpet sets, may have a hole in the nearside footwell, where the LHD steering column used to go. Dash top is padded vinyl with 'Clubby' 2 clock instrument pod in front of driver. Please note there was no rev counter, or Special console, steering wheel or storage bin that the UK Specials have. Steering wheel ids the derided 'boomerang' type, probably the first thing to be replaced!

As befits their LHD ancestry, the cars often have rocker switches in the centre of the lower dash rail in reverse order i.e: the headlamps switch on the far left next to the choke. My car certainly did. Also some (not all) have a chassis plate riveted to the cross beam beneath the passenger seat. This usually gives the game away being marked 'Leyland Industries, Belgium, SA'.

Some early cars are slightly different- for a start they usedMK3 bodyshells with solid mount subframes. Dashes were the familiar MINI 1000 oval centre binnacle, while switchgear was the later (post 76) rocker type allied to the twin stalk later spec steering column. Rear lamps were MK4 type. Although be warned, don't take my word as gospel because numerous variations do occur.

When brought to the UK and converted to RHD then the alterations come thick and fast. Mechanically, the steering gets swapped, as do the pedals and under the bonnet, the master cylinders relocated. Oh yes, a new steering rack is needed too. I believe certain brake pipes need adapting to suit the relocated master cylinders.

Quite a few Belgian Specials got a rev counter on conversion, perhaps in an attempt to make them akin to the English version. Along with this is the common fitment of Exacton 5x10" alloy wheels - my own ran on rare Italian Melber 5x10's like a deep dish rostyle - I had to get my spare from Northern Italy!

Arch extensions are often fitted, although with 5" wheels and drum brakes you don't necessarily need them.

As time goes on of course, the modifiers get their hands on them and it may be very hard to work out what the car began life as. With Specials the front wings get renewed and lose the wing mounted indicators, so try looking for reverse parking wipers or the boot badge, or for absolute confirmation, the chassis number.
As mentioned, there is often a plate under the passenger seat - the chassis number is very distinctive, being 7 digits starting with 1. UK cars had 6 digits starting with a 6 ie; Belgian Special XC2S1N 1234567 (example)
Uk 1100 Spesh XC2S1N 654321 (example) [editors note: sometimes uk cars have two superfluous zeroes in front of the 6, which should be ignored]

Mechanically, the 1098cc engine is identical to the UK spec, as is the gearbox (3.44 diff) and the brakes are drums all round. It is rumoured that Belgian 1100s are far lighter than the UK counterparts and as a result, a little quicker.

Information on the Belgian Special is a little scarce. The Seneffe plant closed down years ago (in 1986 I think) so what is contained here is compiled from my own detailed observations. I have provided the data on colours and trim as well.
One thing I do know is that there was a Belgian 1300 Special as well - on DRUM BRAKES!! Apparantly they never got UK type approval as the brakes were about as effective as stopping a charging elephant by using a newspaper.

The photos reproduced are of my own car, which began life in silver with a black vinyl top. As can be seen it exhibited quite a few alterations, and was possibly the last Mini in South East Essex carrying nudge bars.

The trim colours will be familiar to anyone who had a 1970's Mini. As such interiors are usually discarded these days, restorers will find it reasonably easy to pick up what they need. My local scrapyard is usually heaving with such 70's interiors.
The seats are the older non head rest type; not always the last word in comfort - an upgrade to 1980's mayfait seats would look really neat. Mayfairs had, for instance, grey velour trim (nice in a black 1100s perhaps) beige velour or even pale blue velour, the latter would go nicely in a silver Belgian Special; after all the UK one had blue seats.

When I had my Belgian Special I frequently got offered loads of others. I must have come across 10 of them in less than 5 years, although I haven't seen one since the summer of 2000. Considering the condition of some of those I was offered this is perhaps hardly surprising!

A well-known photo exists in Rob Goldings book 'Mini 35 Years On' of a 1975 built Special bearing the Belgian registration plate AKH 162. I cannot be sure of the colour, but the car is a MK3 shell (double side rainstrips are the give away) and rides on Firsat alloys from the Innocenti Cooper export. I also have a poster advertising the launch of the 1100s in Germany, around 1976. Seven cars are shown, including a white one and apale green one. Neither of which feature on the paint and colour guide. Conversely Russet Brown is absent from the poster. I can certainly vouch for the green one (similar to 1980's Opaline Green) as I nearly bought one in 1999! The poster in question is titled 'Die Neue Mini-Mode: Mini Special', which should need no translation from me!.

I had the text translated a few years ago; marvel in the kind of advertising that could only have been written in the 70's:-

The Mini, always popular, especially the new Mini Special. The highly fashionable two-colour look. Seven attractive colours to choose from in fitting combinations, with it's genuine vinyl roof giving an outstanding selection. Also inside the Mini Special there is a completely new interior: comfortable and cosy velour upholstered seats coloured to match the paintwork. Full carpeting. Good instruments in unity with wood-grain dash?? Leather steering wheel. Dipping rear mirror, make up mirror and a heater. Electric windscreen wipers, practical inertia lock seat belts. Under the bonnet sits the 1.1 litre Mini Special engine with improved 45 bhp. With 4 radial tyres:- Special price DM7490

Christian ( auch Besitzer eines Special)

Zitat von YunLung

Wo war das her? Irgendeine Internetseite?

minispecial.com oder so
Musste mal nach googeln

Gruß aus Bonn

Christian