Mini Cooper "ITALIAN JOB" Leather Bonnet Straps

NOVEMBER 2018 NEWS:

Straps are no longer being sold by myself direct to buyers/users.

Sole distribution is now through Z-Cars.

Link & more details to follow.

SEPTEMBER 2016 UPDATE

Three sets of my Italian Job straps were supplied to a custom car builder in Ireland.

As a result of the custom work carried out on his clients three minis they were awarded "Car of the Show",
in the 2016 Cannonball Run!

MARCH 2014 UPDATE:

Better brass buckles have now been sourced for my Italian Job bonnet straps.

These are flatter in profile and more rectangular in shape then the buckles I used 13 years ago.

The new buckles are more in keeping with further recent/continued study of the stills from the 1969 Italian Job movie;

bigger screen TV sets and digital technology have their uses!

Studying such stills (as below) seems to indicate that the buckle holes in the straps had round strengthening eyelets;

so I now also offer such eyelets on my Italian Job bonnet straps, at no extra charge.

A freeze frame from the 1969 film

Note the reflection from the eyelets; a tiny detail - but the devil is in the detail.

New, current (circa. 2014 onwards) production, Italian Job bonnet straps

I am very pleased to announce that,

my replica leather bonnet straps are once more available to those purists seeking the best available option in bespoke "Italian Job" replicas.

These bonnet straps are made from a heavy duty full grain vegetable tanned waxed leather, with solid brass buckles;

& require no special tools to fit or any new holes drilling in the bodywork of your mini...

A BASIC FITTING INSTRUCTIONS SHEET IS AVAILABLE (click the blue text - it's a hot-link)

Send me an email if you have further questions.

£p.o.a.

(price increase due 01 September 2018)

THE HISTORY OF MY "ITALIAN JOB" BONNET STRAPS

About 2001-2002, I started a short-term project with David Morton,

After about 2 years of backward & forward research, my finished design of replica bonnet straps was launched in the Oct 2003 issue of Mini World.

Oct 2003, Mini Magazine feature

Note the 2003 price - £66 - they've not gone up by much in 15 years, unlike the rip-off Royal Mail increases!!

Back in 2003 I only sold a dozen or so sets of bonnet straps - possibly a maximum of 20 sets in total (I'll check my notes one of these days...);

so I stopped offering them as interest seemed to have fallen off.

The London Mini Centre stocked my Italian Job bonnet straps too for a while & they always had positive feedback on the sets that they sold.

RECOGNISE ANYONE?

Remy Julienne (in baseball cap) next to one of the three restored Italian Job cars; with a set of my original 2003 bonnet straps in place.

David Salamone can be seen on the passenger side of the mini.

In the 1969 Italian Job movie, David drove the mini that carried "Charlie Croker" (Sir Michael Caine) in the getaway!