Anybody have an original Mini?

ChaoZ

ChaoZ

Active Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2004
Messages
435
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Car(s)
Mazda Miata
I've always had a fondness of the original Mini. Living in Canada, they're pretty rare cars and would cost upwards of $10k for a decent example. Am I crazy to think of getting one for a daily driver? I already have one very impractical car.

As I understand it, parts are very plentiful, but maybe not in North America. Are Minis hard to keep running? I would probably be looking for something from the late 1970s or early 1980s. Cooper would be preferable and in all likelihood will be imported and RHD.

I've watched two episodes of Wheeler Dealers and they seem simple enough mechanically, even though I so far have limited knowledge myself. And DAMN are they cheap in England! A good example for less than $2000?!

Rust is a big problem of course, but I've been hearing there are companies manufacturing all the panels these days.

So, is it a practical dream?
 
Come out west for one. you can get a decent one for $4-6K.

It would be a good road trip back, test out the car.
 
I regularly work on my friends mini, it's a 1990 1000cc with a cooper conversion and twin SU's.
18863_464371445082_605065082_11060797_5204438_n.jpg


Right first the good bits:
they are actually quite roomy and you can get 4 regular size people in them.
as long as the suspension is in good condition they ride quite well and handle very well.
Fuel economy is good.
nothing is really expensive on them. (maybe not true for Canada)
handbrake turns are really fun
The reason the boot opens down is so you can load in more luggage like a pickup!! :)

The bad bits:
They rust like crazy, check everywhere.
They mostly only have 4 gears so you will be revving the nut's off it at speed.
They don't go fast.
They suck in a crash,
Bushes seems to wear out quite quickly.
Apparently the Hydro-gas suspension should be avoided due to costly repair. You will have to deal with Lucas electrical quality.
Being a British car it will leak oil.
But my biggest problem is working on the dam things, everything is so tightly packed it's a mission to fix things.

Basic service items are quite easy to do though. Just expect to remove the grill for every task (2min job)

SC parts seem to do a lot of the parts export from the UK, http://www.scparts.co.uk/

Saying all that, he uses his everyday and it was popular for a reason.
 
I know a guy in NH with i think 5 or 6 four of which are currently in running order and one of those is turbocharged.

He also has 3 GTRs 2 GTiR 10 (FUCKING TEN) 323 GTXs 1 323 GTR 1 323 GTAe 1 ST165 Celica GT-Four 1 UrQuattro 1 Coupe Quattro 2 Miatas (1 BBR Turbo) 1 Merc 190e 2.3 16V 1 grey import G300d and a bunch of other stuff i have forgotten. Honestly if he wasn't such a grouch i would consider trying to get a group meet together to see the collection it's right up near UNH Durham.
 
British Motor Heritage has all the body panels you need for reasonable cost (hell you can get a whole brand new body from them).

http://www.bmh-ltd.com/
 
Don't buy one Mini, buy two so you can have one Mini to drive and one to take out parts when needed. ;)
 
Doesn't Heidi or one of the FG not-a-dudes have one?
 
Spectre said:
Doesn't Heidi or one of the FG not-a-dudes have one?
Click to expand...

I think Heidi has a new one in a classic paintjob, but i might be mistaken. Don't think she's outside the TG section often, someone should pm her.
 
Heidi does indeed have one, an '89 Flame. My mum used to have minis, none now though.

000aax1y
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top