It would be easy to conclude that Colin Baines isn't quite right. The security engineer has owned 69 Minis in 27 years and his current collection includes a six-wheeler, two saloons and a pair of pickups. He originally built the six-wheeler 20 years ago in his mother's garage, only to find it was too wide for the driveway.
"I just waited until she went away and then I hired a builder's disc cutter," he explains. "I cut into the brick work to get the car out, but it turned out to be a supporting wall. It was at the end of a terrace and the whole street had to be evacuated. My mother said it was me or the Mini and gave me a week to make up my mind. So I moved across the street."
The six-wheeler still sits in his back garden, but Baines has become preoccupied with another new toy. Sitting in his driveway is a 1967 Morris Cooper S replica. The old English white exterior, original roof rack and "Italian Job" leather bonnet straps have all been faithfully recreated, and a nodding dog sits quietly in the rear window.
Hurry and pick up the March 2005 issue of Honda Tuning Magazine for the complete story, and a lot more photos.