 |
Mini Cooper
A club without a name
No car in history has as much charm per pound than the Mini, and these boys know it
Words by Kristine Garcia; Photography by Vincent Coscoluella
Owning a Mini Cooper is like having a disease—one that is incurable. The passion never dies; it is infectious. For Mini Cooper lovers, owning one isn't enough. They find ways for their friends to own one as well.
The Mini Boys are not a formal club. They have no website, club shirts or anniversaries. Unlike car clubs where guys get friendly primarily because of their shared interest in a vehicle brand, the Mini Boys were friends first, way before they even finished school. It is fine that they don't have a name. They are hardly caught up in the car scene anyway.
There are 15 guys in the barkada and all of them have Minis. The ones who were able to join the shoot are: Philip Alvendia, marketing manager for Rota Wheels Philippines, with a 1999 model; Cid Dizon with an '87; Apol Menesis (also a member of the Mad Dogs Motorcycle Club) with a '97; Reggie Siy with a '90 Mini Checkmate special edition; Micmic Rojas with a '91 Rover Mini; Dannie Araga with an '89; his twin brother Rannie with a '96 convertible featuring Zeemax body kit, Lenzo alloy wheels, and single-point fuel injection converted to carburetor; and Mike de Guzman with a Thule rack-equipped red Mini, a 1.3-liter automatic '94 Sportspac.
Their story began when Reggie Siy convinced the barkada that they should all own a Mini. Because, well, the Mini is simply divine. Maintenance costs are a pain in the ass, but it's like that with any hobby.
In 1993, Reggie had been maintaining an Alfa Romeo but switched to modifying a Mini Cooper instead. Many years later, he got burned out from his solitary Mini craze. He then passed on his awesome stash of Mini parts to the twins Dannie and Rannie—lucky guys. Reggie let go of the parts because he felt unrewarded. He wanted his friends to have Minis so that they could feel the pride that he had from owning one.
In 1998, Rannie showed up at Reggie's front door with a newly acquired preowned Mini. It wasn't Rannie's first Mini—he had already restored, modified and sold more than 20 units since 1993—but his fascination was fresh, raw and inviting. It gave Reggie a change of heart, as if the passion he thought he had lost was only incubating. In no time at all, he was modifying a yellow 1.3-liter open-top Mini, with black stripes.
What better way for him to fuel this passion than by sharing it with his many old school buddies? Cid and Apol were even his partners in crime way back in kindergarten. It goes without saying that Reggie is their binding force, and is also the one who made all of them Mini-crazy. One pal's Mini trouble is everyone else's worry. Be it an actual engine problem or a problem concerning telling the wife about a Mini Cooper purchase. Just for this shoot, the Mini Boys did a leisurely sprint from The Fort to Westgate Alabang.
Short as it was, it was a fun run indeed. This was Top Gear's very first coverage of a ‘car club' in action. Though in reality, these guys aren't really a club.
Click on the thumbnails to view larger image
Post your opinion in our Top Gear Forum!
Top Gear Philippines - April 2008
|
|
Top Gear's informative, entertaining and readable
guide to every new car on
sale. Search Car
Download these wallpapers
right to your desktop.
Download
|
|
