13 replies to this topic

[1968cooper]

Is there a noticeable ride/handling difference between van/pickup/estate and saloon?

 

 

[mk3 Cooper S]

LWB tend to be a little more stable and less pitchy at higher speeds / worse road surfaces

[nicklouse]

but as the pick-up is so light at the rear......

 

the differences are minimal.

[carbon]

When you load up the back of an estate with several hundredweight of sand and cement from the builders merchants you do get a totally different handling experience. The steering gets much lighter...

[Cooperman]

You won't notice any difference unless you are flat out on a race track, and even then it probably won't feel any difference.

More difference will be noticed simply by fitting better tyres or better dampers, or even by setting the suspension up more accurately.

[Shifty]

LWB Minis definitely ride a bit nicer, the difference between a clubby  estate and a saloon is very noticeable.

[ChopperHarris]

As a young feckwit in the 80s I can tell you realworld driving mini LWBs

Well pickups mainly...three people in the back, chanting football songs, who have jumped in ininvited, does not improve handing, until you make a sharp left and they tumble into a road island!.

Handling wise, they are a little more tail happy

[carbon]

Same with Mini Marcos, these use the same wheelbase as estate / pickup but at 530kg and much of this in the engine bay have even less weight over the rear wheels.

 

They are prone to loosing the grip at the rear, and when they let go can be very difficult to catch before they spin.

[Cooperman]

Same with Mini Marcos, these use the same wheelbase as estate / pickup but at 530kg and much of this in the engine bay have even less weight over the rear wheels.
 
They are prone to loosing the grip at the rear, and when they let go can be very difficult to catch before they spin.

[Cooperman]

Fun, isn't it!

[Calderwood]

I have heard Mini-only races banning the LWBs, well the vans at least, not sure about pick-ups, because they are that bit better in the corner. The problem is, as they are typically more expensive, it essentially increases the cost of entry, as you are supposedly at a disadvantage in a SWB. That's the logic anyway.

[1968cooper]

Thank you all for your comments, the consensus appears to be favourable towards long wheel base.

 

I have not driven or been passenger in either for many years and looking forward to using my Cooper again, which is almost ready for MOT.

 

The reason for my initial post is I also have a 1966 mini estate I purchased in 1972 that I am considering either selling or restoring.

[whistler]

Fun, isn't it!

Most fun I had with a pickup was an A55 pickup with column change that the garage I worked at had as a workshop vehicle.

[1968cooper]

 

Fun, isn't it!

Most fun I had with a pickup was an A55 pickup with column change that the garage I worked at had as a workshop vehicle.

 

Your story reminds me of when I was a 18 year old apprentice at a toolmaking firm in Worcester. They had an A55 works van that I borrowed while I was rebuilding the gearbox on my Mini. Unfortunately one of the directors saw me showing off drifting the van round the industrial estate car park! Almost got the sack for that folly