16 replies to this topic

[PACINO]

Hi guys! Today seeing the Oselli Mini edition by D. Brown... It strikes me that in its engine a double Hs4 carburettor (and I love it). But is this a car for the future? Where is the injection and the switchboards?

What is your opinion?





Regards, Luis

[nicklouse]

It’s a pile of *******. It only has twin carbs as it has an old ID. Nothing new about it other than the price.

[Icey]

With a price tag of £100k (I think that’s what I’ve read), it’s bloody awful. The rear lights are tragic, the LED headlights have never looked right on a roundnose, the ride height and wheel choice look jarring....it’s a no from me.

But as has been pointed out elsewhere, I clearly know nothing as someone with far more money than me is buying their creations and that’s all that matters - someone likes it.

[PACINO]

Thanks for your replies. Nick, the price horrible, but ...125 horses ... 1.450cc.

https://motorsport.t...-oselli-edition

[bpirie1000]

Well 1450cc........ that is somembit of engineering.. the cylinder wall must be about the same thickness as a cigarette paper..

Balance of power and reliability would be interesting....

1330 is the safest but not the fastest.

Still n9t sure on the rear light units. I get the led's are great for less voltage and brighter/cooler but appearance wise.... just not sure...

[mab01uk]

Also thread here:-

https://www.theminif...52238-dba-mini/

 

As has been said in the other TMF thread above they have identified a market and the high quality unique Minis they produce are selling well around the world, they are not designed to appeal to 'grass roots' Mini enthusiasts or originalty 'anoraks' for which a Swiftune Mini Madgewick would be more appealing if you also have a sizeable budget to spend......

 

123bhp classic Mini restomod has been built with input from race specialists Oselli:-
https://www.autoexpr...-oselli-edition

 

Simon Cowell
(David Brown Mini Remastered)

Edited by mab01uk, 18 May 2021 - 07:19 AM.

[Vinay-RS]

Isn't there a UK company that's building an electric Classic Mini? Think it's called the Swind E? That might be a nice way to keep the Mini on the road if regulations don't allow for petrol powered cars soon.

 

Although, I suppose that's another debate on whether swapping out the A-series means it's no longer a Mini. 

[Bobbins]

I'm going to put out an opposing view ... there's plenty of heavily modified Minis that I think are absolutely dire but most of us would never say so. It's no different.

 

The DB Mini "reproductions" are done to a very high standard and clearly there is a market, there's enough variety to suit most tastes and although some are not to my liking (including this one) if I had the disposable income to buy one, maybe a I'd consider one maybe I wouldn't.  The price however is not a reason to the be offended by the end product, in the day a Downton or W&P modified Mini was not cheap and was the preserve of celebrities, comparably this is clearly more of a hike but that's the world we live in.

[Richard_]

My observation is that for most of us, its the personal engagement with the car that is the key satisfaction when owning a mIni. 

If you added up the hours many of us on here spend on our cars and multiply by a professional hourly rate with overheads you could reach this figure -  so in cold financial terms its probably not far out.

- but if you're effectively paying a team of skilled technicians to do the whole project for you e.g. Simon Cowell, then to me you're probably missing the whole point of mini ownership. It just becomes a rather quirky way to get about.

Cars like the Oselli are not for mere mortals like me. They are for  wealthy folk who want a new toy and that's completely fine. Its an amazing build (certainly compared to my efforts!) and I for one certainly admire it and take inspiration, but inevitably not to everyone's taste.

Edited by Richard_, 18 May 2021 - 09:52 AM.

[Cooperman]

Isn't there a UK company that's building an electric Classic Mini? Think it's called the Swind E? That might be a nice way to keep the Mini on the road if regulations don't allow for petrol powered cars soon.

 

Although, I suppose that's another debate on whether swapping out the A-series means it's no longer a Mini. 

There is no end in sight for petrol cars. The proposed ban on the sale of them in the UK doesn't start until 2030, and if the infrastructure and electricity generation issues are not resolved that might have to go back.

Even then, petrol cars will still be available second hand for at least another 25 years, which takes us to 2055 at the earliest. That might be the point at which an old classic car might be difficult to sustain, but even than, there is no suggestion that petrol will not be available - at a price.

[PACINO]

Cheers folks! I love carburettors, but I expected the car to have a more advanced engine, similar to what Restomod builds. The rear lenses seem ugly and inappropriate for a classic look, and the price ... unaffordable. For the rest, it is a very attractive toy.

[Spherix]

Engine spec aside, the only Oselli thing this 'branded' car has seems to be an off the shelve item; http://www.oselli.com/product/18

 

As I said in another topic: I still don't see the reimagined thing; it's quality work, but it's either mods that have been done before or are simply off the shelve aftermarket parts; combining them just makes it a custom restored car, not so much a revamp? 

[PACINO]

...a custom restored a price of gold

[Mite]

Am also curious about the 1450cc displacement. Can accept the DBA Minis are built to a very high standard with today's technology (not to mention upcoming advances outside of the DBA Minis with the A+5 engine by Ascaso Engineering), yet how achievable was it for BMC to implement themselves given past threads have mentioned 1380cc being the most realistic limit for a production A-Series engine had it been built on a modern production line? 

 

That said, for the price would have expected the DBA Minis to have featured more extensive changes compared to the average modified Mini. Surely DBA could look at Radford for inspiration with the hatchback conversions or get in touch with / recruit individuals previously involved with the Minki and Minki II projects with regards to the suspension and other aspects otherwise not featured on the original Mini let alone the DBA Minis? 

[GraemeC]

1450 (or 1460) is just a stroked 1380 though, so for low volume production it feasible, especially where they’re obviously not looking to keep costs down.

Without doing the maths, they may have gone 73mm bore to keep that little bit more between the bores and give the head gasket more chance, and then stroked to 86mm.

Edited by GraemeC, 15 July 2021 - 05:38 AM.