Miguel Sánchez
If we talk about Anthony Albacete hijo surely many of you will come to mind the image of this pilot driving a beast with more than 5.500 kilos and a thousand odd horses. Not in vain this athlete from Madrid, apart from being a specialist in classic Minis, has won the FIA European Truck Championship three times, reaping 130 victories in this tournament and 16 times the champion's crown in the national championship. In any case, and as breed comes to the greyhound... The truth is that the skill at the wheel of Antonio Albacete is inherited from his father.
Also called Antonio, he ruled for decades the MePre preparation workshops In the centre of Madrid. There he began during the 60s customizing SEAT 600 singles to turn them into bullets capable of making the cut in numerous ascension races and amateur rallies. With those beginnings, automotive credentials were forged together with lightness, manageability and competition; qualities that perfectly crystallized in the little Mini MePre 1973 protagonist of a new video of Petrolicious in Spain.
And, after the recording of the historic Pegaso Z-102 convertible from Coupe-Pueche, the international reference channel for classic videos has decided to film all the rage of this Mini in the best place to celebrate motor history in Spain: the Circuito del Jarama. And what if it has caught our attention to see Antonio Albacete on a frame with 10 times less weight than his usual trucks... Even more, the story of this Mini MePre has captured us. Let's go with her...
MINI MEPRE, HAND CUSTOMIZED
At the beginning of the seventies, the regulations of many competitions in Spain required that the motor of the cars be of national production, thus opening the field to an enormous amount of preparations and ingenuity coming from the hands of mechanics as passionate as they were craftsmen. One of them was Antonio Albacete father, who was in full development of cars designed to compete uphill when suddenly, on a trip to England, he discovered Neville Trinkett's Mini Sprints.
Haunted by Stirling Moss himself, these handcrafted minis lowered their height thanks to a reduction in suspensions and a cut-out roof, thus achieving a more efficient drag coefficient, a lower center of gravity and better grip for the power developed by its souped-up engines. Such was the impact of these machines on Antonio Albacete that he, upon returning to Madrid, put aside his work with the SEAT 600 and began to adapt various Mini Cooper S for national competition which, although it was designed for promotion races, could also be driven on circuits and rallies.
After the changes in the suspension settings with rubber cones and four Koni adjustable telescopic shock absorbers -and the readjustment of the bodywork by reducing its height without necessarily compromising the driver's visibility- the Mini MePre I managed to be 20 centimeters below a series one and 12 with respect to an approved competition one. In addition, the steeper windshield inclination also aided in better aerodynamics that complemented a secure grip on the asphalt thanks to widened axles and weight distribution that required putting the fuel tank in a new position.
A structure perfectly studied to house the power of a 1293cc engine block created from the mixture of elements of the Mini with others of national manufacture, capable of delivering 115 to 130 hp thanks to improvements such as the twin-barrel Weber carburettor. Undoubtedly enough power to push the around 500 kilos that the Mini MePre gives on the scale, placing the driving experience of this little guy along with the nerve and agility of the happiest racing cars.
MINI 1275 GT. PART OF A FAMILY SAGA
With all those mechanical credentials Antonio Albacete presented his Mini 1973-GT in 1275. One of those handcrafted curiosities that came from the ingenuity of a group of mechanical enthusiasts determined to give the bell in national competitions. From that moment on this unit -although not with the same modifications, there were several Minis modified in the MePre workshops- participated in numerous ascension races and competitions at the Jarama, serving as a rehearsal shop for other models from the shop.
In fact, so much was tested with it that under its hood - which opens in the manner of the Jaguar E-Type, exposing the entire front end in a moment - three different engines have already passed. This figure is higher than that of its owners, since except for the five years that it belonged to a rally fan, the MePre Mini 1275-GT has always been in the hands of the Albacete family.
A family that takes care of its automotive legacy, having decided that although this car could still put up a lot of battle in various competitions... That would mean having to submit it to new modifications and regulations that would further distance it from its original state. Like the great champions, this Mini MePre has earned the right to be cared for and kept in its original state. And it seems perfect to us, because just listening to its engine in the video that Petrolicious has just dedicated to it ... We realize that we are dealing with something really well done.
