The 'not-so-classic' Classic Mini Cooper.

[2Thumbs]

Thought I'd create a thread with what's been done to it in my 18 months of ownership, as well as keeping an account of what gets done in the future. Wanted a Mini since I was 12. Bought this at 26.

 

Here's the day I picked it up.

 

 

 

Almost entirely original except KYB gas-a-just shocks, incorrect grille (gap for external bonnet release), 70's Astrali steering wheel, alloy door furniture and walnut dash.

 

Body wise it was very tidy, mechanically it was a bag of bolts. All niggly problems and being serviced by a garage who knows nothing about older cars. Using semi-synth oil instead of mineral and OAT coolant instead of BluCol, for example.

 

The original alternator finally gave up after chirping away not long after buying it. I fitted an uprated 70A example as well as the largest battery I can fit in the tray which was originally meant for a 1.9TD 306...

 

 

 

The sealed beam headlights on these cars are beyond terrible, and close to dangerous. When one decided to blow its dipped beam, I pushed the boat out and spent over £100 on some Cibie halogen units and Ring 'Xenon' Ultimate bulbs + LED sidelights.

 

Also ordered a S/S rear bumper at the same time as the previous one was a cheap chrome copy that was flaking and rusting.

 

 

A new, correct style grille set.

 

 

Car never had visors when I bought it, had to buy these!

 

 

Upper ball joints needed replacing for this years MOT. (And welding, but I let a professional do that)

 

 

 

Picked up some wheels on the weekend. Wider, more ET, more retro style than the originals. And quite rare in 12's I'm told. So this is how it currently stands...

 

 

 

 

 

There will be more updates soon...

[holbeck]

Doing the ball joints on a Mini, very reminiscent of MOT time for me in the 80's

[scruff]

Nice Mini !

[HillmanImp]

I like it but the lights look really gash IMO. Its like putting the wrong era alloys on a car, it looks odd. Sorry, just my opinion, which I understand you don't give a toss about, just saying like. 

 

I do like these Minis though. I used to look after John Coopers granddaughter when I was younger. Can't for the life of me remember her name now, its bugging me. She was a right little cow.

[2Thumbs]

I like it but the lights look really gash IMO. Its like putting the wrong era alloys on a car, it looks odd. Sorry, just my opinion, which I understand you don't give a toss about, just saying like. 

 

I understand what you mean, but I wanted a more modern look to the lights. It is a Marmite thing. That illumination is just from the sidelights. The headlight bulbs are normal, I wouldn't put anyone through those HID toss.

[purplebargeken]

Love the sun visors! Where from and how much? 

[2Thumbs]

The bay of E. I think I paid £35. Searching for 'Acrylic sun visors' should throw them up.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I'm not a fan of any Mini post '69 really but at least that one hasn't had the full Mini Scene wanker treatment OMG SPORTPACK JON COOPER BONNET STRIPPES nonsense. To see a pack of Mini enthusiasts at a classic car show is truly a sorry sight.

 

At least that one is SPI as well. They drive really well and are pretty reliable unlike the awful twin point ones. It's funny; I used to regard Minis as being a cow to work on but compared to modern stuff, they're piss easy really. It's normally rust and snapped bolts that are a bastard.

[dollywobbler]

Nice, though the wiper geek in me would prefer the factory standard black wipers. Says he who's 2CV is about as close to standard as Katie Price's chest.

[Rusty_Rocket]

Body looks very good on that one

 

Mustardmitt I don't ever do the ball joints with the hub on the car, it's too awkward!  Easy to remove the whole shebang on a disc-braked model and stick it in the vice.  That way you can ensure the cups are torqued up correctly and the lock washers are tapped into place.

[the judge]

Thats very nice. Also,it is a classic mini and not a Bini

[Bamboocarman]

That's a really good looking Mini which reminds me of my own 20's back in the 70s / 80s; guaranteed fun, enjoy !

[dave21478]

Hold on tightly to that - values are only going upwards.

[purplebargeken]

Boo. The ones on ebay appear to be the type that clip to a standard visor. The ones in the Mini look like they are mounted permanently. If you find the original details I would be very interested (and grateful) as they would be perfect for the Toledo. 

[2Thumbs]

Boo. The ones on ebay appear to be the type that clip to a standard visor. The ones in the Mini look like they are mounted permanently. If you find the original details I would be very interested (and grateful) as they would be perfect for the Toledo. 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/c-t-sspares?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2754

 

That's the seller's page. If you contact him he may be able to sort something out for you. Hope it helps.

[DSdriver]

Back in my youth you would have had a copper standing above the front wheel arch looking straight down and if there was a smidgeon of tyrewall showing you got a stern talking to. Never got the same copper twice though.

[mat_the_cat]

I've been following this Mini thread for a while, bit OTT? But very impressive.

http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/topic/239272-mini-cooper-998-screamer-nut-and-bolt-rebuild/

 

(With the bonus of a Maestro van tow vehicle!)

[MrBiscuits]

Back in my youth you would have had a copper standing above the front wheel arch looking straight down and if there was a smidgeon of tyrewall showing you got a stern talking to. Never got the same copper twice though.

Glad it wasn't just me then. Obviously less fussy these days going by the amount of wheel "poke" the VW fanboys get away with.

 

Nice Mini by the way. I share your pain with the ball joints, faffing about with the big ring spanner and shims was a royal PITA. In my day we used to swap the hubs for metro ones, these come with proper ball joints and were a direct fit if you change the steering arms over.

[Mr Lobster]

Is it ok to admit I actually quite fancy a Mini?  Last one I drove was about twenty years ago - the garage I was working at sold a used Italian Job special edition to some woman who was an actress on Coronation Street, I took it up to the MOT place a couple of miles away up the (twisty) road and it was loads of fun. If not particularly fast. But its something I've always fancied having another go at.

 

Liking your Mini anyway.

[New POD]

Carb or Injection ?

[danthecapriman]

Lovely old thing, looks very tidy and rust free too.

 

I've driven a few minis, these proper ones not the modern bini shit! And I used to work on them fairly often when I worked in a garage. But, I've never owned one!

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Carb or Injection ?

 

Single point injection - basically a type of electronic carb so one injector and not one per cylinder. Still has a coil and a distributor.

[mercrocker]

That is nice.  I never got my last one finished owing to burd trouble and giving up my garage to go off in the sunset with some tart who turned out to be a life-wrecker.....I still would (another Min, not that bint) and if I did, the SPI would be my way forward.   You seem to have found a pretty solid one there - I always spent too much having mine welded up to get into making them the way I wanted.  

[PiperCub]

Love proper Minis, had about ten down the years, would have another but the prices seem to have gone crazy, even for rusty junk. shame.

 

This one is a nice tidy 'un though - like others have said, not keen on the lights but each to their own and it's easily reversable anyway. Deffo a keeper.

[Bamboocarman]

That is nice.  I never got my last one finished owing to burd trouble and giving up my garage to go off in the sunset with some tart who turned out to be a life-wrecker.....I still would (another Min, not that bint) and if I did, the SPI would be my way forward.   You seem to have found a pretty solid one there - I always spent too much having mine welded up to get into making them the way I wanted.  

 

The life - wrecker; she wasn't called Diane Asquith, was she ???

[2Thumbs]

Thanks for all the comments.

 

It certainly gets a lot of attention whilst out and about. I sometimes have to remind myself I'm not in a £200k super car.