1.24th scale diecast metal Mini Cooper sports car, painted in gloss metallic black, gloss white roof, chrome side highlights, and decaled with checkerboard racing stripes across upper surfaces. This was my first repainting project of an off-the-shelf product, namely a Maisto diecast metal Mini Cooper purchased from Walmart, already factory painted in gloss green.

Inset 1 : Maisto diecast metal gloss green Mini Cooper, version of which I repainted into showcase model above. Mini Coopers brand recognized as sporty European-style autos, but for American adherents "Avocado Green" is never conducive for sports cars and projects a 1960s-mentality of Flower Children, Make Peace No War, and Smoke Drugs. Maisto Mini Cooper - www.minimodelcars.co.uk/diecast-model-car/model-mini-cooper-m31219g

Rollover : ( Rollover JPG link ) option for web browser not able to render graphic rollover code | Mini Cooper side view, exterior painted gloss metallic black, interior painted flat black for contrast. Roof was already molded in white plastic, but modeler's cardinal rule is to paint everything regardless of its correct factory rendered paint hue. Fortunately, assembled car was relatively easy to disassemble since individual parts needed to painted.

Mini Cooper can trace its lineage back to late-1950s Great Britain when the first "Mini" was produced by British Motor Corporation (BMC). Its compact, 2-door, front-wheel drive layout was an icon of 1960s-era European culture. British Motor Corporation - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Motor_Corporation

Inset 2 :First paint conversion was to replace gloss green overcoat with metallic black paint from local hardware store. Since aerosol can was used, kept spray nozzle at distance to prevent over painting model surface, also sprayed in short burst for proper coverage.

Despite its sporty appeal, BMC Mini rolled out in variety of formats, including estate car, pickup truck, jeep Mini, etc. Original rationale for Mini concept was British oil energy shortage from consequence of 1956 Suez Canal Crisis. Basically, Britain - France - Israel invaded Egypt to prevent Egyptian nationalization of Suez Canal which linked Mediterranean Ocean to Arabian Red Sea, which opened to Indian Ocean, with access to Persian Gulf (where oil supplies were located). Subsequent battles blocked the canal for next 8 years. Hence, British government imposed domestic oil rationing to alleviate shortages. Suez Crisis - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Canal_Crisis

Like late-1970s America energy crisis resulted in US public dumping gas-guzzling large American cars for small compact fuel-efficient Japanese imports, similar event happen in Britain as they dumped larger cars for smaller German compacts or as Brits called it "Bubble Cars". Since there were no British equivalents in the market, BMC designed a low-rider boxy compact based on 10x4x4 feet dimensions with an existing BMC 4-cylinder water-cooled engine. To save weight and space, radiator was mounted to left side, compact rubber cones suspension used instead of traditional metal springs, hence gave driver a real feel of the road, but its cornered wheel arrangement also gave Mini exceptional handling.

Side marcom localization note about 1970s US energy crisis, with most Americans replacing larger cars with small Japanese imports, they were often puzzled why Chinese-Americans were still purchasing large gas-guzzling US cars. Rationale was that majority of those Asians immigrated from Taiwan- Hong Kong - Southeast Asia region still recalled war years with Japan, hence refused to patronize any Japanese products. However, by 1990s as Japanese products gained superior brand quality (ex. Toyota autos, Nakamichi stereos, Shinseido cosmetics), such inhibitions were negated and nowadays these Asians purchase Japanese branded products in-masse. Japan, the Land of the Brand, Where Luxury Goods Rules - www.japansociety.org/corporate/event_corp_note.cfm?id_note=507508683

Inset 3 : 1965 Mark I Mini during European racing event, its lineage seen in 2000's Mini Cooper design. Note extreme corner wheel placement, which gave exceptional handling. "Mark" is regular British engineering nomenclature for product version in airplanes and automobiles. As rated by global auto/cultural enthusiasts, BMC Mini was as significant and near equal prestige compared with early-1900s America Ford Model T vehicle. 1958-2000 Mini Cooper - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_Cooper