Photos from the Cohort by riveranotario.
Here’s something a bit different, though not necessarily apparent at first sight. None other than a surviving sample of the fibreglass Minis of Chile. A rare and curious model in the Mini saga, created to avoid heavy local tariffs and built between 1969 and 1974.
Not unlike many other South American nations, Chile placed increasing tariffs on foreign goods to promote local production. With the automotive sector being a clear target, those foreign actors wishing to sell in Chile would have to start local assembly.
As early as 1964, the assembly of Austin Minis started from knocked-down kits at Emmsa’s plant in Arica (Northern Chile). Production briefly ceased sometime later, but by 1967, British Leyland Automotores de Chile was created.
As stated in Chilean law, at first, the cars had to contain 25% of locally sourced components. By ’68, that percentage had to climb to 52%, and finally, to 70% by 1971.
British Leyland of Chile figured that in order to meet those quotas, the Mini’s bodies would have to be produced in Chile. However, the local market’s figures didn’t justify the tooling necessary for full-body metal stamping. Thus, the decision to use fibreglass.
Back in the UK, molds were created with technical help from Peel, known for its expertise in fibreglass bodies. Eventually, about six thousand of these fibreglass Minis were built at the Arica plant between 1969 and 1974.
Though in production numbers not the rarest of Minis, survivors are only a scant few nowadays. A true Chilean curiosity, but not the only one. Alongside the Mini, British Leyland of Chile also produced the MG1300, in fibreglass as well. Will one of those ever show up at the Cohort?
Related CC reading:
Car Show Classic: 1960 Austin (Seven) Mini – The Future Started Here
I”d imagine these didn’t suffer the tin-worm to the extent their UK cousins did.
These peeks into the auto culture of South and Central America are fascinating Rich, something we’re unlikely to get elsewhere. I’ve traveled a good bit to Europe but never to these areas that seem exotic to those of us who’ve never been there. While at my age (mid-70s) we aren’t likely to travel a great deal, these slices of life there have whet my appetite to visit C and S America: Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, all are on the list. The very different auto scene is part of the appeal for me in particular. If we do make it I’d certainly make an effort to record on “film” specimens that we’d never see here. The Kaiser cars in particular are a subject of interest, ones I’d like to see if any still exist. These plastic minis are among the cars I didn’t realize even existed.
Fascinating. I’d be curious to know just how much of the body parts were fiberglass. It kind of looks like the header piece running across the front of the engine opening is steel, but I could be wrong.
I think it looks like a rusty dent near the latch so seems like steel to me too.
The fiberglass Mini took me by surprise when I came across it last night in the Cohort. Most Chilean sites talking about the car don’t go much into detail regarding its specs, so it’s hard to say where steel came into play (they seem more excited talking about how the car was made at all).
Looking some more into it today, an English speaker apparently bought one and uploaded some photos. The engine lid looks to be fiberglass, but there are rust marks around the engine seal, much like the one from the Cohort. At some point, he mentions that body panels are generally made of fiberglass, but window frames have steel reinforcements.
Here’s an image.
Looking back, should BMC & BL have prioritised larger markets like Volkswagen (and Renault) did in places like Brazil and Mexico over smaller markets in places like Chile, Uruguay and Venezuela?
If so would they have still gone with fibreglass or would the numbers have justified investing in the tooling necessary for full-body metal stamping?
Well the ones sold in Chile would still have to be 72% Chiliean content. Its not like they could ship them over from a large factory in Brazil intended for mostly Brazilian sales. Same tariff would apply if they were made in Sao Paulo or Birmingham.
I wonder if this was some kind of thing during that timeframe. Besides the feature Complete Knock-Down (CKD) Mini, AMC also shipped a small number of unassembled Javelins to Germany in 1969.
In fact, was the CKD auto kits ever a success? Anything I’ve ever read about them was the numbers were very small.
Fascinating .
-Nate
Isn’t the Mini unibody? With front and rear subframes. So some body panels that are bolt-on like fenders and the doors, hood, trunk could be glass but I would “assume” that the rest is steel.
Dman, good point. The Mini is unibody. Yet the description of the MG 1300 is of glass fiber floor, sides, rear, front, and two doors etc. This is a contemporary of the Lotus Elite, so structural fiberglass? Steel reinforced only at hard points? I would love to learn more about these cars.
Interesting, with fibreglass it means the famous outside body seams are not required. I didn’t know about these.
This link form AROline about the car is quite the tale, well worth a read.
https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/bmc/1100-1300/11001300-international-variations/bmc-11001300-chilean-variations/
and this one
https://www.aronline.co.uk/around-the-world/around-the-world-chile/
The photo in the link posted by Justy Baum appears to show a mould for a visually complete body less opening panels – so roof, front and rear wings and pillars, so was this mounted onto regular subframes with some more underbody and aperture bracing?