John Cooper and Rauno Aaltonnen were crucial to the monumental success of classic quick Minis.
John Cooper and Rauno Aaltonnen were crucial to the monumental success of classic quick Minis.
AS a tiny yet incredibly roomy, low-priced two-door passenger car for the masses, the original 1959 Mini Minor was technically far superior to most cars of its era. The car’s simple little 4-cylinder 8-valve 848cc engine (no overhead camshafts) shares its oil with the sump-mounted 4-speed gearbox, the chassis is sprung on variable-rate rubber springs, and the 10-inch wheels are mounted on hubs with basic drum brakes at all four corners. Maximum speed of the 34bhp Mini is catalogued at 116km/h.
Formula One constructor John Newton Cooper (1923-2000), whose racecars won the 1959 and 1960 Formula One World Championships, realised that the Mini possesses innate handling qualities thanks to its front-drive traction, low centre of gravity and compact dimensions. With the cooperation of BMC (Mini’s manufacturer), John’s Cooper Car Company modified the Mini’s engine by adding a carburettor, increasing valve size and raising the compression ratio. Engine capacity was enlarged to 998cc and the result was a 62 percent increase in power
Thus was born the first Mini Cooper. A 1275cc “S” version followed soon after, and it became a giant slayer on racing circuits all over the world during the 1960s and 1970s. In Singapore, it was a hot favourite with every motoring enthusiast and anyone wanting to modify a cheap car. Mini Coopers were inexpensive and reliable, even after extensive modifications with bolt-on kits. A standard 1275cc 4-cylinder Cooper S boasts 76bhp and 107Nm.
With high-lift camshaft, bigger valves, even higher compression and twin Weber carburettors, these lively Minis could easily attain 100bhp and sprint to 100km/h in under 10 seconds. On lowered suspension, the Cooper S could run rings around many bigger and more powerful cars. Rauno Aaltonnen ran rings around his rivals. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the charismatic Finn raced in a variety of cars in many gruelling events. His most famous victory was at the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally, which he tackled in a Mini Cooper S. Rauno wasn’t just a fast driver.
He understood automotive technology and the engineering that went into a racecar. For instance, his Cooper S that won in Monte Carlo was fitted with half throttle bodies because the rules prohibited non-standard intake manifolds, and the stock Weber carburettor just wouldn’t fit. On many occasions, Rauno and his co-driver had to perform urgent vehicle repairs in the middle of a rally stage. Once, they had to escape from a flaming, overturned rally car. These days, 77-year-old Rauno spends his winters with his son at his own high-speed ice-driving school in Finland. He continues to drive with all the pace and passion of his younger days.
