Talking Classics With Simon Benton

Simon Benton has always had a love of Minis. In particular, the first Mini he ever experienced – the one gifted to his Mother for Christmas in 1977.

For those of you who don’t know, Obie is a 1967 Austin Mini 850. However, this isn’t any ordinary Mini, because Obie has been fully converted into a Tesla-powered electric classic car. Before being converted by Electric Classic Cars, we were lucky enough to work on Obie in our Suffolk workshop.

We recently had a chat with Simon to find out more about his very special Mini.

The story of your Mini, Obie, has been heard by a lot of people. For those who haven’t heard it though, what makes Obie different to other classic Minis?

Whilst it looks like any other Cooper from the 60’s the main difference with this one is under the skin. This one is quiet, impossible to stall at low revs and has a bit more power than it did originally.

When you saw Obie in your parents’ garage in 2018, how long had it been since you had last seen it? And how did you feel coming face-to-face with the car again after so many years?

I hadn’t properly seen the car for nearly 30 years as it was buried in the family garage, effectively ‘hidden in plain sight’. I had started stripping it down for restoration in the early 1990s and I remembered we had no engine for it as the original had a cracked block and smashed gearbox. On uncovering it I knew the bodywork was really rotten from too many winters on salty roads and it would need extensive repairs but it would be worth saving. My sister and I learnt to drive in it in the 1980s and there are lots of memories associated with this little car.

How did that feeling compare to seeing your fully restored Mini, now with an Electric motor powering it?

Seeing the car again for the first time all finished at the 2021 London Classic Car show was quite emotional after so many years. This was the mini that got me interested in cars generally and the maintenance and tuning of them. Thanks to time in the garage with my father with this car, I learnt how to repair, service and tune minis and the many other cars I had too. The car now is super easy to drive for my daughters in street mode (100 bhp) yet offers fun on the circuit in track mode with 300 bhp.

What has surprised you the most about the newly restored electric Mini?

How clever and hidden the conversion has been, not impacting on the internal and external appearance of the car.

Are you planning any more work on the Mini?

Not at the moment as for now, it’s job done.

Are you planning any more restoration projects?

I’m always keeping an eye open, not sure what yet but it will likely be a bit different.

What is it like to drive?

Having raced minis in the past, this one now has the power these little cars deserve and need to complement their legendary handling. Running original suspension and drive through the front wheels, 0-60 is sub 5 seconds and the handling is great thanks to an improved 60-40% weight balance.

What do you like the most about Obie?

That it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about restoring a classic car or undertaking a project like this?

Work out what you want from the project, how much time and money you can afford, setting a realistic budget. Add a contingency and a plan B in case things don’t go to plan.

Have you always liked Minis or was it more of a case that this Mini was special to you so you felt you had to do something special with it?

Both, I’ve always liked minis but this one was special as it’s the first one that got me hooked.

Do you think that this is something that could be done on a large scale as more and more people turn to electric vehicles, or do you think it’s better suited to passionate enthusiasts like you?

Yes, as a designer I can see that it definitely can be done on a larger scale if there is a public appetite as is now being demonstrated for minis by Recharged Heritage with the Paul Smith electric mini. These are less powerful than Obie but perfectly adequate for everyday driving.

What’s the most challenging thing about living with an electric classic car?

Future preservation – ie not using it in all weathers.  Minis just have to smell moisture and they start to rust!

Would you do anything differently if you could go through this process again?

Yes, too many things to individually list here but it would all lead to the same end result. We were one of the first to do this Tesla conversion and there was a lot of learning along the way!

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