Founded in 2001 by Mick Burke, British Cars International is CALGARY’S ONLY EXCLUSIVELY VINTAGE BRITISH SPORTSCAR CENTRE. Our focus is quality and Heritage parts, and consultation for the service, restoration and conversions of original and high-performance engines built to road or track specifications.
Mick received his auto technician training in the British Air Force and earned his Interprovincial Technicians License when he immigrated to Canada. He has worked on many of these vehicles since they were newly manufactured.
While in the Air Force, Mick raced Karts with the British Air Force Racing Team for three years in Germany, Cypress, Yemen, Gibraltar and the UK. He even raced against King Hussein, the King of Jordan! Then in Canada, he went on to win the Western Canadian Kart Championship three years in a row.
Mick’s expertise and enjoyment continued with British sports cars in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in the late seventies and eighties. He slalomed, ice-diced and did auto-cross in his MG Midget; and hill climbed, slalomed, ice-diced, rallied and did auto-cross in his Mini Cooper S and he rallied in a Renault Gordini and a Volvo. Remember the blue and gold midget with the crazy driver that won all the slaloms? That was Mick! He won two Prairie Region Championships and seven Manitoba Slalom Championships. Canadian driver, Dave Campbell placed eight in the World Championships in Jacksonville, Florida on engines built and chassis set up by Mick. During this time, Mick also owned a dealership in Brandon, Manitoba and would like to say “HI” to everyone there and thank you for the wonderful memories. Mick is still involved in building and prepping race engines and chassis to this day. You could say that Mick lives and breathes British Sportscars!
British Cars International began in 2001 with a desk in the front office, one hoist and half a bay. Then we expanded to a full shop with three hoists and over $300,000 in inventory. Mick sources 95% of his parts in the UK. BCI is the KentCam distributor in Canada. We also represent Maniflow exhaust and intake systems and we stock Slark Race Engineering and Swiftune competion parts.
At British Cars International, we know that your Vintage British Sportscar is more than just parts and paint to you, it’s a lifestyle. That’s why we take pride in supporting clubs, members and events that promote the marquees. We sponsor club show and shines and hosted breakfasts before garage tours and our own car runs (and don’t forget the surprise picnics!) We have also hosted technical information sessions on a variety of topics.
We would like to take this time thank all our loyal customers for all their business over the past nine years. Due to health concerns for Mick, we have decided to refocus our business. As of September 30, 2010, British Cars International has closed the repair section of the garage and moved our parts to a new location in Bearspaw. Our phone number, fax and web address will remain the same for you to contact us about buying your parts.
Keep checking our website at www.britishcarsinternational.org as we make our updates.