MiniMinorMk3

And is an old Datsun 120A worth £15,000? Lot 706: Classic Motoring Lot Bidding Ends: Wednesday 10th May 2023 at 8:36PM £13,000-15,000 - Brightwells

Retro Japanese Chic (well it was in the early 1990s) Lot 703: Classic Motoring Lot Bidding Ends: Wednesday 10th May 2023 at 8:33PM £4,250-5,250 - Brightwells

Winter Olympic Coupe Lot 704: Classic Motoring Lot Bidding Ends: Wednesday 10th May 2023 at 8:34PM £7,000-9,000 - Brightwells

A rare thing Lot 39: Classic Motoring Lot Bidding Ends: Wednesday 10th May 2023 at 7:39PM £3,000-5,000 - Brightwells

On sale at Brightwells tommorrow The ubiquitous Mini-Cab Lot 8: Classic Motoring Lot Bidding Ends: Wednesday 10th May 2023 at 7:08PM £3,000-4,000 - Brightwells

Spot-On Minis are very sort after. After you add the buyers premium the new owner would have paid around £650 for their new toy.

It was a few years ago that I had the Tonibell, I just came across the pictures of it yesterday. Just found the original listing of when I purchased it in 2018. I wanted the Mini Van

I had a 2.0 Giulietta in 1985. TPB 698X was metallic blue with dull grey lower half. It has the same wheels as the red car above. No power steering, keep fit windows, no central locking but it did have a fold back sunroof. It had 57,000 miles on the clock and cost £2,450. I brought because I had a mate who had a 1750 Berlina which had impressed me. After a week of ownership it lost 2nd gear and that cost a few hundred to get sorted. It was a great car to drive compared to the 1600E I had had before it. It did about 25 to the gallon as the Dellortos would suck the fuel away quite quickly. The cam chain would rattle, but after loosening the tensioner bolt on the front of the engine it would stay quiet for a month or so. I pulled a CV joint to bits going over a sleeping policeman once. The rear exhaust box fell off, but it improved the noise, with a bit of a crackle on the over run, so I ran it like that for a month or so. After about a year of ownership I was on my way home approaching a junction. The two cars in front of me signalled to turn left so I went to go passed them, unfortunately a Citroen Visa decided to attempt to go across the junction in front of the turning cars and I ploughed into the front wing of the Visa, the bumper pushing the headlamp of my Giulietta into the wing. The bonnet was also a bit bent and there were some creases on the inner wing. Luckily the car still drove, so after exchanging details I went home thinking it might be a write-off as Alfa part were not cheap. After being assessed it was not written-off, which meant that it would be repaired including the inner wing being straightened. The car never felt the same after that so I traded it in for a new Mini Ritz because Dutton Forshaw offered me £1400 on a trade-in. I did see the car again a few years later in Lewisham, but checking the DVLA it was last taxed in 1991. I nearly had another, but after a test drive showed that the synchromesh on 2nd, 3rd and 4th was weak I passed on it. For about 10 years after the Giulietta, I lusted after a 75, especially a 3.0 Veloce, but I never did get one. The only other Alfa I had was a 'Sud Sprint. On the subject of Fiat 132s, I had a mate a college who had a 1977 1800. That was a quick thing. And now for the R12, or something that had the same engine. No one has mentioned it yet, the Volvo 66 GL Estate, complete with rubber band transmission. My mother had a 1976 in 1981. Driving it was a bit like driving a car with a slipping clutch. You'd put your foot down, the engine would go to about 3,500 rpm, and then it would accelerate, but the engine would stay at 3,500 rpm. It wasn't a bad car by 1980's standards, it would do about 85mph, had slightly soggy suspension, but plenty of room for chucking the garden waste into and going to the tip. I've not seen one of those for years.

The car was dug up by Boyd Coddington. I think it featured in one of the episodes of the Discovery TV show American Hot Rodder. Here's a series of vids from the Youtube showing the unveiling of the car back in 2007.

Not sure where you got that 1 minute rule from as it appears it was a 15 minute limit. 1970 Nürburgring 84 hours (touringcarracing.net) And here's a shot of the Mini driven by John Handley, Alec Poole and Julien Vernaeve

If you have had anti-freeze in it already I would check the torque now and again after a few hundred miles. A few years ago in the Mini world people were having problems with putting anti-freeze in with a new head gasket. Some have a layer of resin to help them seal to the head, but putting in glycol anti-freeze straight away was stopping the resin from doing its job and the school of thought was to run the car up with just water in the cooling system at first, and then add anti-freeze after the first retorque.

The values of Spot-Ons always amazes me. I picked up this restored Tonibell Bedford as part of a lot and promptly stuck it on Ebay. As it was a restoration I thought it might make £10-£20. I got over £60 in the end.

Step away from the car now. The only thing I'd do is get a replacement bumper and lights, that paint finish is great.