Project Memoirs from the Hard Shoulder - 20th March

[Parky]

1300 Cavalier 2 door in Henna red with perfectly matching interior

[greengartside]

I was going to say the red bASe Mondeo that was potentially for sale months ago but had the very indecisive owner, but then read it had been off the road a while.

 

Base model Nova?

[egg]

Mk3 Escort estate?

[adw1977]

Mk3 Escort estate?

An early base model with non-reclining vinyl seats.

[Jim Bell]

Bedford Astramax van. 1.3 (if they ever made one) with grey bumpers and grille and only a driver's Wang marrow.

[mk2_craig]

Invacar.

[Brodders]

My guess is a Mk3 Cavalier 1.4 Base, with the base spec steering wheel from a Mk2 Astra.

 

Saloon of course, with paintwork in faded red, only equipped with the luxury of a full set of wheel trims.

[vulgalour]

I was going to suggest sadface Fiesta until I realised they don't really come basey enough to compete with the Sierra's almost total lack of amenities.

 

Hopefully whatever it is, the following items have been deleted:

passenger side mirror

carpets

heated rear screen

radio

heater

head restraints

rear seatbelts

window winders (slidey front windows for winners)

rear doors if estate

intermittent and flick wipe on the wipers

electric washer jet (push button or foot pump only, please)

split fold rear seat

fifth gear

 

 

In addition, it would be best if the interior is trimmed with painted bodywork and black vinyl only.  The extravagance of brightwork and bump strips should also not be present.

 

 

 

I'm really hoping it's an X (or later) reg Bedford HA van with painted bumpers.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Clio?

[BorniteIdentity]

Clio?

Ah, that was a red herring. I was looking to buy one but something else has come up which is, frankly, amazing.

 

One of the guesses is actually pretty close.

 

Today’s job is to finalise the loan of a trailer, add to my multi-classic policy and try and work out a realistic deadline for recommissioning. Without a timescale, I’ll undoubtedly procrastinate.

 

Oh. And I need to take my long suffering wife out for a feed. The poor cow...

[dean36014]

An original mini?

[Mally]

Yes, Mini or Minor?

Mini minor?

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Applejack Metro.

[SiC]

I reckon a classic Mini, as you were looking at them a few months ago.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Where is it? I'm passing your way soon with an empty trailer

[D Spares & Tyres]

Oh. And I need to take my long suffering wife out for a feed. The poor cow...

Hide feed?

[D Spares & Tyres]

 

I think it's AS material.  hopefully we have a happy ending in the next week.  

 

 

You mean we will all cum when we see it?

[BorniteIdentity]

I was 7 when my Nan died.  It was the glorious summer of 1990.  New Kids on the Block provided the soundtrack, and the brilliance of Bobby Robson’s boys in Turin provided the distraction at what was, understandably, a difficult time.  I’d never grieved before. When my dad tiptoed into my room to say that “Nan had gone to live with Uncle Jesus”, the only thing I could think to say was “Do i have to go to school tomorrow?”  I didn’t want anyone seeing me upset, and it was also a couple of days off too!

 

My Nan had, for the brief time I’d known her, always had a Mini.  “Not quite orange, not quite red” is how I remember it. I don’t think Nan much liked driving - I went in it a few times; particularly remembering how the interior looked like a coat one of my Nan’s friends had.  It also ran on that 4* petrol from the red pump.

 

After Nan’s untimely passing, the car sat for a time before being gifted to my eldest sister, Andrea.  She proceeded to change the steering wheel (which would be the key to me identifying this as ‘our car’) and proceeded to drive it around Felixstowe (mostly on two wheels) for the next few years.  When she got married, they part exchanged two cars against one, and that was that. The trail went cold. It was never MOT’d, never came up on any vehicle searches, and seeing as 27,192 old Minis are stolen every second of every day, I naturally assumed that it had met its maker. (Not literally).

 

Subliminally, I think all of my ‘poor car choices’ have been inspired by the cars of my youth.  Dad, for better or worse, always had a Sierra outside, I’ve had three Volvo 300s (mum had two) and I’ve even had a Mini of my own.  Last year, I came close to buying two, but for one reason or another it never quite happened.

 

What happens next?  Well, I think it’s nothing short of a miracle.  My wife probably begs to differ, and wonders what the hell she may have done in a previous life to deserve this.  

 

In a rural, North Norfolk village, lies a cottage. With a garage. Inside it, for 20 years, someone’s been waiting to return.

 

 

 

To be continued.

 

[BorniteIdentity]

Huge thanks to MorrisItalSLX for posting it up on the tat thread.  I'm so, so fortunate that

 

1) It was posted up.  I have NO searches set at the moment, and it was poorly listed

2) I can, very quickly, lay my hands on the money to secure the car before someone else

3) I can count on my lovely friends and family to support me on such a mission.

 

Thanks gang.

[dozeydustman]

You sir are winning. That mini looks fantastic

[D Spares & Tyres]

Wow, the actual same one???

[dollywobbler]

Brilliant! A lovely story and I absolutely adore black-bumper Minis.

[BorniteIdentity]

Wow, the actual same one???

 

[bramz7]

That's brilliant. I can understand why it stirred such emotion, if I came across my dad's old Subaru for sale I'd snap it up, regardless of cost.

[HMC]

Brilliant! Love an 80s mini with not a cooper stripe in sight. Easy to forget most were well loved family cars and didn’t end up being driven through sewers with a boot full of bullion.

 

So what constituted a bASe for these? ‘City?’

[320touring]

Superb! Well found/rescued

[BorniteIdentity]

Brilliant! Love an 80s mini with not a cooper stripe in sight.

 

So what constituted a bASe for these? ‘City?’

 

They are very spartan inside.  Many people know much, much more than I do - but I'm fairly sure this is a MK5 (84 onward) and City was the only spec level still with the central speedo.  No dash as such (just shelving) no central console (the gear stick just arrives through the thin carpet) and no chrome bumpers.  

 

I'm trying to establish whether the 'E' means it has a longer 4th gear.  Info is patchy, so hopefully some Mini Beards (with massive beards) can help.

[Amishtat]

Well found and in particular, well bought!

[Norbert]

E = longer final drive ratio (3.1:1 as opposed to 3.44:1)

 

so a City E or HLE will have 3.1:1, City or HL will be 3.44:1. (There was never a "Mayfair E" but I think they were all 3.1:1 as they took over from the HLE).

 

Put the engine number into GuessWorks for confirmation

 

http://www.guess-works.com/Tech/engine.htm

 

Great find, love early 80s Minis (my first two had those seats)

 

Norbert (short, stubbly but not tidy beard)

[beko1987]

Oh that's amazing! Even better that it's your actual nans old one!