18 replies to this topic

[mini77]

[coopdog]

ALL ERRR!!!!!!
haha
i could live with the last one probs

[1995 MK2 IOM]

I wonder if they are still alive!

would be worth an absolute mint!!!

nice find - never seen them before.

I Kinda like the front of the first one! (looks beefy!)

J

Edited by 1995 MK2 IOM, 24 February 2011 - 07:38 PM.

[megamini_jb]

second pic is kinda cute

[M44K TS]

1st one is pretty much an Austin A35.

Thank god they didn't go with any of them

[mab01uk]

Several photos of the two experimental Mini prototypes built and used for testing from October 1957, have appeared in the various Mini books over the years except for this worm's-eye view pre-front subframe photo which is rarely seen. (Note the lack of fins on the smooth gearbox sump casting). At least I have only ever seen this picture in the early 1960's "Mini Story" book by Lawrence Pomeroy. They were nicknamed "Orange Boxes" disguised with Austin A35 grilles and mainly tested at night. The under bonnet photos clearly show the 950cc A-Series engine mounted the opposite way round to later production Minis, reasons for the change were given as carburettor icing and weak A35 gearbox syncro problems. The changes required the addition of a third drop or idler gear and also changed the cooling fan from sucking air in, to pushing air out into the other front wheel arch more efficiently. The 950cc engine was also reduced to 850cc to keep top speed down relative to the early braking power available at the time!
The battery was up front but was later of course moved to the boot. (see underbonnet photos below)
I asked the late Jack Daniels (Issigonis Draughtsman) what had happened to them a few years back at a Gaydon Mini event. He was pretty sure BMC scrapped them both in the early 60's along with the XC9003 wooden mock-ups.
I'm suprised no one has yet built a replica "Orange Box" for the Mini shows?

Edited by mab01uk, 24 February 2011 - 09:01 PM.

[mab01uk]

Views of XC 9003 wooden mock-ups:

Edited by mab01uk, 24 February 2011 - 11:31 PM.

[Bobby9779]

Well the engine is certainly a lot more accessable.

I like the third, ugly, but looks evil. Mwahahaa!

[Mark_Pieman]

The third one looks like the joker

[mk1leg]

Yes thats Austin's early very early Prototypes the XC9003 was used by the Rover design boffins wehn drawing the early Bini's

[mini77]

nice find - never seen them before.

Take a look for yourself its a interesting site http://mk1-performan...k/mk1_index.htm

[oli8925]

The second one's cool in its own 'mad old car' way. Ugly but cool!

[unipart]

Hello there,

I plan to build models (1/24 scale) of the ADO15 prototypes.
Does any photos of the back of the A35 Prototype exist?
What were the colours used? It seems strange to paint a car in orange while trying to be discrete ?

Thank you

Michel

[MrBounce]

It's interesting to see the underside shot - something I had not seen before.

Re the destruction of them, I don't find this surprising at all. Nearly all development prototypes are broken up by the manufacturers as they are hacks and will have served their purpose.

[rally515]

weres the boot ? think they forgot about that part