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Andrew T · 05-04-2010, 08:31 PM

I could not resist letting you all see this combo. I looks great and is almost dangerous due to distraction of other drivers. The Argosy was painted using the Mini Paint colors.

It is a blast to drive, the handling is just amazing you can literally throw it from lane to lane and blast around freeway ramps. Performance is excellent with the turbo engine, it cruises quite effortlessly at 70 MPH.

The suspension is very tight, it may have 1/10th of an inch of sidesway in the tires and suspension along with the very short overhang it is just a great handling car for this size trailer. The only downside is a very firm ride on rough roads.

Andrew T

Aage · 05-04-2010, 08:38 PM

Cute, Andy, really nice!

It's a 20-footer, the Argosy?

TerryC · 05-04-2010, 08:50 PM

Andy, Great combo!

The Argosy looks just like an AS with the paint job.

Stiff ride? Are you using a W/D hitch with really light spring bars? Probably wouldn't make much difference with the weight of the car!

I been lookin' at the Coopers, too bad we can't tow a car behind the trailer!

SmokelessJoe · 05-04-2010, 09:45 PM

Terry, you can do it this way too:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f227...-18448-40.html

See post #555.

Sergei

c177tx · 05-04-2010, 10:34 PM

Have you seen the new 2011 mini cooper countryman, a awd cooper with 18" tires. If yours if for real, maybe the countryman would be a good hauler

vinstream · 05-05-2010, 01:39 AM

LOL... Is it me or could that MINI fit inside for bed time stories?
Todd

PS... I think I can... I know i can... I think I can... I know I can...

Andrew T · 05-05-2010, 04:20 AM

The Mini Rides pretty firm with or without the trailer tires are 205/40 18" so there is not a lot of sidewall to absorb the little road seams. We have an equalizing hitch on it with a friction sway control. The sway control does not seem to make any difference but it is cheap insurance.

Our biggest concern was if we could build a receiver for it but it turned out to be fairly simple.

The Countryman may not be as good a tow vehicle. If the power is the same the extra drag from the 4WD will reduce performance. The taller centre of Gravity and larger tires may not be as precise handling, I would imagine they are tuning it for a smoother ride as well.

Here is a hitch picture.

Andrew T

Road Ruler · 05-05-2010, 05:44 AM

What a great looking combo Andy.

The first two cars I owned were Mini's back in the late 60;s. Even back then the handling was superb.

Thanks for the update/feedback re the handling and performance of the combination.

kamadeca · 05-05-2010, 06:19 AM

Andrew,

That is just way too cool! Can't wait to see it in person.

Thanks for sharing.
PS - you going to bring that combo to Alumapalooza? It would sure open some eyes!

Lumatic · 05-05-2010, 06:55 AM

So, you are towing the Argosy not the Pacer? What does the Argosy weigh and is there a factory towing capacity for the Mini?

richinny · 05-05-2010, 07:01 AM

all you need to do is extend those towing mirrors one more foot ;-)

Mikethefixit · 05-05-2010, 07:17 AM

Nice Lookin Outfit. But it looks to me like theres a TAIL Waitn to Wag the DOG. But its yours and no one can convince you its an accident waitn to happen.
GOOD Luck

mutcth · 05-05-2010, 07:52 AM

Andy, is that the 20' Argosy that was in the lot when I bought the Minuet? If so, that's quite a transformation. Regardless, good-looking trailer and tow car combo!

I've sat in a Countryman - it has a lot more room than the Clubman.

Tom

SmokelessJoe · 05-05-2010, 09:16 AM

I think that Andrew has had this idea in the back of his noodle for a long time.

Way back when I was just starting out on my Mini Sprinter Argosy project, 4 or 5 years ago now, Andy said to me “ Why don’t you just set the MINI up to tow a Bambi?”

If I hadn’t been emotionally committed to my own idea by then I might have done it.

There will be lots of comments from this Forum’s Tail Wagging The Dog crowd but nobody in North America knows more about setting up a vehicle to tow than Andrew Thompson does.

I’d comfortably drive anything that he designed and built.

Sergei

Aage · 05-05-2010, 10:04 PM

Ditto. Very pleased with the setup he did on my rig. 6,500 km in my first trip, smooth as glass.

ROBERTSUNRUS · 05-05-2010, 11:56 PM

Hi, I searched for Mini Cooper Clubman towing specs, and came up with, "200 lbs tongue weight and 1400 lbs maximum trailer weight. Are we in line with this?

I want to take another trip to Canada, but you guys are scaring me.

Road Ruler · 05-06-2010, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

I want to take another trip to Canada, but you guys are scaring me.

Good day Robert.
From what I have seen in these parts there tends to be a high awareness to properly equipped and configured (brake controller, receiver, hitch, weight distribution, set up etc) to manage the load of the combinations.

I have driven over a million miles in the last 40 years here in Canada and never seen an RV accident.

Take a vacation here. Enjoy the drive and scenery.

dkottum · 05-06-2010, 09:21 AM

Surprised this hasn't been blasted by the bigger-is-better crowd . . . yet. I'm not even sure if this is serious.

But it flies in the face of the accepted "rules and recommendations" we have come to expect here. Are heavy, high, live-axle trucks (with substantial rear overhang) really the only way to safely tow an Airstream? Are the big weight distribution and heavy sway control devices needed with more efficient suspensions, or could they be much lighter? Or is the truck concept basically flawed, and we are correcting these flaws with bigger trucks and bigger load handling equipment?

Thanks Andy for the photos. Please keep us informed of what you have learned.

knunut · 05-06-2010, 09:41 AM

Nice Photoshop. Or what software was used.Can't be real.

Andrew T · 05-06-2010, 07:24 PM

I am afraid we are much better at hitches that photo shop so it is real. I can send you the other 20 pictures we photo shopped as well. We did photo shop the videos we took since obviously it really can't move.

The tow rating comes from Europe where they do not have the benefit of weight distribution hitches, electric brakes or properly balanced trailers

Don't worry about coming to Canada I think this combination would outhandle and out stop most full size trucks and SUV's. It really is amazing how much fun it is to drive.

Andrew T