Mini Sighting and Met a Prospective Port Orchard Member

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Met a guy at Port Orchard Lowes, he was driving his 1990 Japanese Mini, a Lavenderish, Periwinkle Blue with White Metal flake/pearl top, black flares, Wash License TATAS. Bought it our of Canada, it is a RHD Japanese, with Air Conditioning and Everything.

I was driving our "Lil Red" Mini and parked right next to him. I guess they were at one of the checkouts and his buddy told him there's another Mini, he thought he was talking about a red MINI so didn't get excited at all until he saw another Mini next to his. Unfortunately I didn't have one of those trusty SAMOA referral cards with me at the time...

He lives in Olalla, has met a few people with Minis while driving around. He is thinking of swapping some sort of 3 cyl Turbo Diesel engine in place of the 998. I advised him to talk to a few of the club members before trying something like that. Said that he priced out a 1275 and could do this much cheaper, he had talked to some guy named "Chuck" on Mini Mania, (I told him that was probably our own Chuck) about engine options and such.

Anyway, I told him he should look up SAMOA on the innerweb so he could connect with Mini owners on a more regular basis... (Yeah, Yeah, I know, I should take my own advice!! Stinking work is all I'm going to say!!)

[Bertam]

Why a 3 cyl turbo diesel? Gas mileage?

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Fuel economy and more gears exactly!! He said this magic bullet has like eight or nine speeds, instantly had visions of driving a semi-truck!! Seems like a nice guy that would fit in with everyone else. Needs to talk to JamesT about the whys and how to' of the Japanse market Mini!

On another note, my brother has been working with a contractor in Japan on and off. He asked me if I knew they had Mini's in Japan? Yeah, that was one of the markets they sold through. He said yeah, they only bring them out on really special occasions and really nice weather they're all fixed up, some painted odd color combinations, others look like they're supposed to be race cars or something, then there are those decorated with anime' characters! I think I could deal with the first two, maybe not the third!!

[Cheleker]

The Japanese Mini market was the biggest one outside of England for a number of the last years of the Mini helping keep it going longer than expected.
Another thing they like to do is what I have heard called "retro fitting." A late model car is made to look more like an earlier version; such as, a Mk I. It's mostly external (lights, grille, adding fake door hinges, etc.), but sometimes the inside (especially the dash) is changed as well.
And you should see the Mini car shows. They make anything in the U.S. look puny!