The Mini Story
With an introduction by Alec Issigonis.
Reference · BooksDraft141 titles3 owned
Library
Books about the classic Mini: histories, model guides, competition, workshop manuals and tuning.
An attempt to list every book written about the Mini of 1959 to 2000. It was compiled from the catalogues named under Sources, not from the books themselves, so years, publishers and page counts are those of the catalogue record, and it is still far from complete. Books that cover only the BMW MINI are left out.
| Section | Holds | Books |
|---|---|---|
| History and marque | The car from 1959 to 2000: general histories, anniversaries, picture books. | 45 |
| Models and originality | Cooper and Cooper S, Moke, specials and derivatives, originality guides. | 20 |
| Competition | The works rally cars, racing, and preparing a Mini for either. | 13 |
| People and stories | Issigonis, the people of the competitions department, travels by Mini. | 8 |
| Workshop manuals and handbooks | Factory and aftermarket manuals, owner's handbooks, servicing guides. | 25 |
| Buying and restoration | Buyer's guides and body and mechanical restoration. | 6 |
| Tuning and engines | Modifying the Mini and its A-Series engine. | 16 |
| Road-test collections | Reprinted magazine road tests and articles. | 8 |
Each entry gives the first edition: year, author, publisher, pages and, where the book has one, the ISBN, which links to a page of libraries and booksellers that hold it. Later editions and translations are in the note. A ✓ in the margin marks a book I own, in print or as a digital copy.
History and marque
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1964
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1979
Mini
Revised as Mini: After 25 Years (1984), Mini: Thirty Years On (1989), Mini Thirty-Five Years On (1994) and Mini 50 Years (Motorbooks, 2007).
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1981
Amazing Mini
-
1986
Mighty Minis
Reissued in 1993.
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1987 German
Das grosse Mini-Buch
English edition: The Big Mini Book (Bay View Books, 1992).
-
1989
Mini
German edition: Heel, 1994.
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1989 German
Mini: Austin, Morris, Cooper, Special, Clubman, 1275 GT, 1959–83
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1992
Mini A Celebration of the World's Ultimate Small Car
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1994
The Complete Mini 35 Years of Production History, Model Changes, Performance Data
-
1994
The Mini
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1995 German
Mini Die Geschichte einer Legende
-
1996
More about Mini
Foreword by John Cooper.
-
1997
Mini
Crowood AutoClassic series.
-
1999
Mini The Design Icon of a Generation
German edition: Mini: das offizielle Buch – die ersten 40 Jahre (Heel, 1999).
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1999
The Mini Forty Years of Fun
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2001 German
Das neue grosse Mini-Buch
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2001
Mini
-
2002
Mini
-
2003
Complete Classic Mini 1959–2000
-
2006 Italian
Mini
Text also in English. German edition: Mini (Motorbuch Verlag, 2008); French and Dutch edition: Tectum, 2008; French edition: Elcy, 2010.
-
2007
Mini A Celebration of Britain's Best-Loved Small Car
Haynes Great Cars series. German edition: Mini: eine Hommage an die Kleinwagen-Legende (Heel, 2007).
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2009 French
100% Mini
-
2009
A Mini Adventure 50 Years of the Iconic Small Car
Also catalogued as The Mini: The Biography.
-
2009
Little Book of Mini
-
2009
Mini An Intimate Biography
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2009
Mini The Definitive History
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2009 German
Mini Das Original unter den Kleinwagen, seit 50 Jahren
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2009
MINI The True and Secret History of the Making of a Motor Car
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2009 German
Mini & Mini Ikonen der Popkultur zwischen Dekonstruktion und Rekonstruktion
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2009
The Mini Miscellany
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2009 German
Typenkompass Mini & New-Mini Seit 1959
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2010 German
Mini Cooper Kleines Auto, großes Vergnügen
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2010
The Mini Story
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2012
Mini
-
2013 Italian
Mini
-
2013 German
Mini: 1959–2000 Eine Dokumentation
Schrader-Typen-Chronik series; the cover is titled Austin Mini 1959–2000.
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2014
The Mini Story
Published with the exhibition of the same name at the BMW Museum, Munich.
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2015 German
Austin & Morris Mini Unser Mini ist der Größte!
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2015
The Mini The Big History of the Small and Mighty Mini
German edition: Der Mini: die große Geschichte des kleinen Mini (iglooBooks, 2017).
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2016
Complete Catalogue of the Mini Over 500 Variants from Around the World, 1959–2000
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2016
Little Book of the Mini
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2019
Mini 60 Years
German edition: Mini: die Geschichte des kleinen Riesen (Koehler, 2019).
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2019 German
Mini 60 – die Stories Kult, Design, Lifestyle
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2019
Mini Scrapbook
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2020
Auto Biography of the Mini
Models and originality
-
1982
Mini-Cooper and S 997 & 998 Cooper, 970, 1071 & 1275 S
Reissued in 1989.
-
1984
Mini Cooper and Cooper S
Super Profile series.
-
1990
Mini Anthology The Launch of a Legend
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1993
Original Mini-Cooper The Restorer's Guide to 997 and 998 Cooper and 970, 1071 and 1275 Cooper S
Reissued by Herridge & Sons in 2010.
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1994
Mini Cooper The Real Thing!
-
1994
Mini-Cooper & S Colour, Data and Detail on the Road and Rally Cars, 1960s to 1990s
Classics in Colour series.
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1997
Essential Mini Cooper The Cars and Their Story, 1961–71 & 1990 to Date
German edition: Mini Cooper: die Autos und ihre Geschichte 1961–71 & 1990 bis heute (Motorbuch Verlag, 1997).
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1998
Mini & Mini Cooper Colour Family Album
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1998 Italian
Storia delle Mini italiane
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2007
Mini Cooper in Detail Mk I–III 1961–1971
-
2008 Italian
Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300 L'inglesina made in Italy
Quattroruote Collection series (Le auto più amate dagli italiani), published with Domus.
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2009
Maximum Mini The Definitive Book of Cars Based on the Original Mini
Reissued in 2017.
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2010
Mad Minis The Crazy World of Modified Minis
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2013
Mini Moke Small Car, Big Fun
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2014
Maximum Mini 2 The Second Book of Cars Based on the Original Mini
Edited by Chris Rees.
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2015
Classic Mini Specials and Moke
-
2015
Factory-Original Mini Mk I and Mk II
Originality guide.
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2016
Maximum Mini 3 The Final Book of Cars Based on the Original Mini
Edited by Chris Rees. A numbered edition of 600 copies.
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2017
Anatomy of the Classic Mini
Guide to original components and parts.
-
2021
Mini Cooper 1961–2000
Competition
-
1963
Mini Racing
Outdoor Books series, published with George G. Harrap. Illustrated by Donough O'Brien.
-
1971
The Works Minis An Illustrated History of the Works Entered Minis in International Rallies and Races
Reprinted by Haynes in 1988. Second, revised edition (Haynes, 1996, ISBN 9780854299676) as The Works Minis: The International History of Competition Minis, also sold as The Illustrated History of the Works Minis in International Rallies and Races.
-
1989
The BMC/BL Competitions Department 25 Years in Motor Sport: The Cars, the People, the Events
Reissued in 1998.
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1989
The Sporting Minis
German edition: Sportliche Minis (Heel, 1991).
-
1994
Monte-Carlo The Mini Legend
Archive Albums series. With tables of the Minis entered in the rally and their results, 1960 to 1970.
-
1999
Building, Preparing and Racing Your Mini
-
1999
Mini The Racing Story
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2001
Anatomy of the Works Minis
Reissued in 2015.
-
2006
BMC Competitions Department Secrets
Reissued in 2016.
-
2007
The Last Works Minis The End of a Legend
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2010
Mini Cooper
Rally Giants series.
-
2018
How to Prepare a Historic Racing Mini
-
2021
Works Minis in Detail
The BMC and British Leyland works competition entries, car by car.
People and stories
-
1988
Alec Issigonis
-
1999
Twice Lucky My Life in Motorsport
Autobiography of the BMC competitions manager of the Mini's rally years.
-
2005
Alec Issigonis The Man Who Made the Mini
-
2005
Issigonis The Official Biography
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2005
Issigonis and the Mini
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2005
The Paddy Hopkirk Story A Dash of the Irish
-
2012
Mini Minor to Asia Minor There and Back
-
2013
My Mini Cooper Its Part in My Breakdown
The restoration of a 1964 Cooper that the author began in 1979.
Workshop manuals and handbooks
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1961
Handbook for the Morris Mini-Minor
Followed by handbooks for the ADO 15 and 50 (1964, 1968) and the Mk II (Nelson, 1969 and 1970).
-
1961
The Book of the Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor
Later editions as The Book of the B.M.C. Minis (1964 to 1968).
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1962
Austin Mini and Morris Mini-Minor A Practical Guide to Maintenance and Repair
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1962
The Cassell Book of the Austin and Morris Mini-Cars (from 1959)
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1962
The Cassell Book of the Austin Mini-Countryman, Morris Mini-Traveller and B.M.C. Mini-Vans
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1963
Morris and Austin Mini Including Saloons, Estate Cars, Vans and Coopers
Reissued by Hamlyn in 1970.
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1965
B.M.C. Minis Maintenance, Tuning and Modification
Enlarged in 1968 (ISBN 9780854290222) and continued as British Leyland Minis (1973, ISBN 9780854291564).
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1965
Mini Workshop Manual
The factory workshop manual, AKD 4061, for the saloons, Cooper and Cooper S, Countryman, Traveller, van and pick-up. Issued in lettered editions (A 1965, B 1966, C); it replaced AKD 1178 and AKD 1181 and was replaced by AKD 4935.
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1966 German ✓ Print
Mini Werkstatthandbuch
The German factory workshop manual, AKD 3875: loose leaf in a binder, about 500 pages with all supplements. Revised in numbered editions into the British Leyland years; the 9th edition is from about 1976.
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1966
The B.M.C. Mini A Handbook of Maintenance and Overhaul
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1968 ✓ Print
Mini Owners Workshop Manual 1959–1969
Haynes manual 527, first published as B.M.C. Mini Owner's Workshop Manual and later retitled B.L.M.C. Mini Owner's Workshop Manual. The ISBN is that of a later printing.
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1969 German ✓ Print
Betriebsanleitung Mini 850 & 1000 Limousine, Lieferwagen, Pick-up
The German factory owner's handbook, AKD 7397, revised in numbered editions; the 5th edition is from 1971.
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1970
Mini Cooper 1961–70 Autobook
Reissued as Mini Cooper 1961–72 Autobook.
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1972
The Mini Troubleshooter
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1974
Mini Clubman and 1275 GT
Pearson's Illustrated Car Servicing Series for Owner Drivers.
-
1976
Mini Workshop Manual 1959–1976
The factory manual, AKD 4935; it replaced AKD 4061. The ISBN is that of the Brooklands Books reprint.
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1977 German
Mini 850, 1000, Clubman 1000, 1100, 1275 GT Oktober 1976 bis 1979
Reparaturanleitung, volume 306. Reprinted in 2017 from the 8th edition (1993); the page count is that of the reprint.
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1978
Mini Owner's Handbook/Servicing Guide All Mini and Mini-Based Models from 1959
-
1979
Mini 1959–79 Autobook
One of a run of Mini Autobooks, reissued almost every year from 1968 (as Autopress) to 1982.
-
1981
Mini Owners Workshop Manual 1969–2001
Haynes manual 646, revised many times as production went on. The ISBN is that of the final 1969–2001 edition.
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1982 German
Jetzt helfe ich mir selbst: Mini Alle Modelle ab 1970
Volume 85 of the series.
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1992
Mini Handbook and Driver's Guide
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1994
Step-by-Step Service Guide to the Mini & Mini Cooper
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1995 German
Austin, Rover Mini: 850, 1000, 1100, 1275 ccm
Reparaturanleitung, volume 1196.
-
1996
Mini Owner's Survival Manual
Buying and restoration
-
1984
Mini Guide to Purchase & DIY Restoration
Revised as Mini: Purchase and Restoration Guide (1996) and as the Haynes Mini Restoration Manual (1999). German edition: Schrader, 1990.
-
1989
Practical Classics on Mini Cooper Restoration
-
1992
Mini Restoration, Preparation, Maintenance
Osprey Restoration Guides series.
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2008
Mini Renovation Manual 1986–2000
Also catalogued as Do It Up! Mini (1989–2000), the title on the cover shown.
-
2009
Mini The Essential Buyer's Guide
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2015
Ultimate Mini Restoration Manual
Tuning and engines
-
1964
Mini Tuning Manual
-
1966
Tuning a Mini
-
1968
More Mini Tuning
-
1968
Tuning the Mini
-
1969
Building and Racing an 850 Mini
-
1975
Tuning SU Carburettors Including Full Needle Charts
Not specific to the Mini.
-
1977
How to Modify Your Mini
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1983
Tuning BL's A-Series Engine
Enlarged in 1989; the 1999 edition is titled Tuning the A-Series Engine (512 pages, ISBN 9781859606209).
-
1985 German
Minis heisser machen
Published by the authors in Tönisvorst. The 3rd, enlarged edition (1985) has 332 pages; a 4th, revised edition followed in 1994 and a 5th in 2003.
-
1991
Tuning the Classic Mini
MRP Speedsport series.
-
1998
How to Power Tune the BMC/BL/Rover 1275 A-Series Engine for Road and Track
-
1999
How to Power Tune the BMC/BL/Rover 850 & 1000 A-Series Engine for Road and Track
-
2003
Mini Performance Manual
-
2004
How to Power Tune Minis on a Small Budget
Reissued in 2006 and 2017. German edition: Praxishandbuch Mini-Tuning (Heel, 2008).
-
2007
The SU Carburettor High-Performance Manual
Not specific to the Mini. First published in 2000 as How to Build & Power Tune SU Carburettors.
-
2011
The A-Series Engine Its First Sixty Years
Road-test collections
-
1989
Mini Moke 1964–1989
Followed by Mini Moke Gold Portfolio 1964–1994 (1994, ISBN 9781855202405, 180 pages).
-
1989
Mini Muscle Cars 1961–1979
-
1990
Mini Cooper Gold Portfolio 1961–1971
An earlier Brooklands collection covers the same years, Mini-Cooper 1961–1971 (1975, ISBN 9780907073178, 100 pages).
-
1995
High Performance Minis 1960–1973
-
1995
Mini Gold Portfolio 1959–1969
-
1995
Mini Gold Portfolio 1969–1980
-
1998
Mini Gold Portfolio 1981–1997
-
2005
Mini Moke Ultimate Portfolio
Sources:
- Open Library, work and edition records
- Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, catalogue, for the German-language titles
Cover images come from the same two catalogues, AbeBooks and the Internet Archive, and remain the property of their publishers. A cover may be that of a later edition than the one described.