Family Business

MINIs have been a part of Antonio Sapata’s whole life, leading him to build this R53 with unique custom touches as a tribute to his uncle.

- Martyn Collins

Antonio Sapata’s love of MINIs started back when he was six years old, when he began hanging out at his Uncle Julio’s auto body business, DaSilvas Auto. There his uncle restored a varied selection of European cars including Fiats, MGs, Volkswagen Beetles and Classic Minis. “I fell in love with his 1965 Cooper S replica, which was custom painted violet blue with a white bonnet and a white roof. I learned to drive in that car and wanted to know everything there was to know about it,” Antonio explains with a smile.

To feed his Classic Mini appetite, Antonio started reading Leyland assembly books and anything he could get from his Uncle Julio: “I was intrigued about this little car that had such a history. Then, as I got older I awaited the unveiling of the New MINI in 2001 with interest.” Before the launch, Antonio had posters and magazines of the New MINI: “I still had a love for the Classic, but wanted a New MINI badly. As soon as an Electric Blue R53 Cooper S appeared on the cover of Motor Trend magazine, I knew that was my car!”

He drove old wrecks to get him through high school and until the price came down on BMW MINIs. Then in 2011, Antonio bought his first 2004 Indie Blue R53 Cooper S, with two-tone interior, navigation, white roof and bonnet stripes. Then, following an unfortunate event, sadly it had to go. But by the spring of 2012 he was able to buy his second R53 Cooper S - this one! “I bought this 2006 Hyper Blue Cooper S with a silver roof, as it was the car I wanted to build to match my uncle’s Classic MINI,” Antonio explains.

Modding begins