Project Memoirs from the Hard Shoulder: Leisure Lifestyle Vehicle

[Zelandeth]

They do pop up now and then, but are pretty sought after so that price doesn't sound unreasonable for a tidy one.  No idea how the costs are likely to stack up buying one here already Vs importing, though finding one already here will almost definitely save you a lot of logistical hassle and red tape wrangling.

...I do remember a mate buying a rather rusty one as a field car in the mid 90s for £20 though!

Which I think he ended up using about twice a year when discovering how rapidly it drank fuel.

[Tommyboy12]

Rear subframe on a Mini can be a minefield. You're one snapped bolt in the heel board away from a living hell. If you're unlucky the pads between the subframe and the body have acted like a moisture trap and rusted both the body and subframe out too. That being said actual removal of the subframe is pretty simple. It's a sub-hour job. It just might not be straightforward getting it back in!

[BorniteIdentity]

A slightly stalled start to this year's motoring pursuits.  The Mini was booked to go to the body man a few weeks ago, necessitating it being woken from a 14 month slumber.  I went in a couple of weeks ago to start it and, with great recalcitrance, it decided to go brrooom brrooom.  It ran on just a small percentage of its cylinders for a few minutes until I'd satisfied myself I'd be able to drive it two miles, and turned it off again.

Returning to the car on the morning on the departure day revealed a vehicle that no longer wanted to operate as such.  It would turn and turn but not fire.  Having had both @alf892and I swear at it repeatedly, it was decided that it was probably the distributor.  Or the coil.  Both were changed, along with new leads and plugs and after a bit of head/arse scratching - she lives.

This is the first time it's seen light since October 2021.

Brakes are a little...err... spongey.  The throttle is sticky and there's a fierce rasp to the rear section of exhaust.  But, bouncing down the B1040 this morning, everything was wonderfully ok with the world.  

Having spoken to 'the man' we've decided that two new wings, half a new A-panel, a bonnet, a grille, two bumpers, all the sills and plenty of paint should do the job.  

I left it in some wonderfully shonky company at the yard, and hope to see it again in a few weeks.

 

[Split_Pin]

Such a great Mini. I really like these ones with black bumpers which must only have been made for a few years until they went back to chrome.

[adw1977]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Such a great Mini. I really like these ones with black bumpers which must only have been made for a few years until they went back to chrome.

Black bumpers started about 1980-1, certainly they had them by 1982.

By 1990, only the City had black bumpers, the more expensive versions had chrome again.

[BorniteIdentity]

I'd never noticed until today that the car has the incorrect rear bumper on it.  (What is it with me and shit red cars with wrong bumpers?!).  See how it has a flat top and is a bit more attractive in shape?  Never noticed it.  Only had it 4 years.  Fucksake.

[Surface Rust]

I think that might be a Clubman rear bumper.

[BorniteIdentity]

39 minutes ago, Surface Rust said:

I think that might be a Clubman rear bumper.

Aye - it is.  I actually meant to write that!

[Leyland Worldmaster]

On 3/27/2021 at 5:24 PM, Leyland Worldmaster said:

Exactly. That is why I keep Alison going, actually. I bought Alison as a "Technically Interesting" distraction from losing a good friend a few years ago. 

I thoroughly studied the Audi A2 and settled on a 1.4TDI. Took a punt on a poorly photographed car on Auto Trader in Exeter. 

There was enough minor trim stuff I could replace, and a few things have been changed over the last few years. 

Yes, I could have spent the money on a newer car, but this one has sentimental value. And she refuses to die! 

I'm really glad you have kept the Avensis going. Hardly any that shape around where I live. Great colour and the work that the extremely dedicated Garage has carried out has been amazing! 

Here's to the next 260,000 miles! 😎😎😎👍👍👍

Update... 

[Tommyboy12]

Half an A panel will likely be more labour than a whole A panel when you consider the blending in of the two halves And they're not exactly a difficult/expensive panel to replace in their entirety. I would also budget for flitch panels and scuttle closing panels once the wings are peeled off too. It's very likely they're crispy if not very thin. All the crud gets flung up into the scuttle from the tyres.

[BorniteIdentity]

10 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

Half an A panel will likely be more labour than a whole A panel when you consider the blending in of the two halves And they're not exactly a difficult/expensive panel to replace in their entirety. I would also budget for flitch panels and scuttle closing panels once the wings are peeled off too. It's very likely they're crispy if not very thin. All the crud gets flung up into the scuttle from the tyres.

Hey man.

I've bought two new panels.  Ken, my man who can, really knows his stuff and said he'd keep an open mind but - from a 'getting them to fit' perspective - it can be easier to do it his way.

I'm not particularly fussed as long as I'm left with an 8/10 car at the end.

 

[doug]

Spotted 2 minis for sale at the mini show at Stafford at the weekend. Both for £5000 each. Take your pick.

Sent from my SM-A127F using Tapatalk

[SiC]

18 minutes ago, doug said:

Spotted 2 minis for sale at the mini show at Stafford at the weekend. Both for £5000 each. Take your pick.

Sent from my SM-A127F using Tapatalk


 

Two extreme ends of the market though. Top is MK1 and worth the most out of the boggo minis. Bottom is 80s and worth the least out of boggo mini. 

Top one in that condition though is worth £2k max. I've seen better projects go less than for what they are asking. 

[BorniteIdentity]

That blue one is smashing - all the Mini you’d ever need and want. 

[Tommyboy12]

1 hour ago, doug said:

Spotted 2 minis for sale at the mini show at Stafford at the weekend. Both for £5000 each. Take your pick.

Sent from my SM-A127F using Tapatalk


 

These prices were criminal but the real crime at that show was the £15 entry fee when there's more to see in the car park

[doug]

These prices were criminal but the real crime at that show was the £15 entry fee when there's more to see in the car park

Aye thought the £15 was a bit steep as well. But we were down to get some hard to get parts for my brother in laws mini pick-up and managed to get most of what he was after so it was money well spent.

Sent from my SM-A127F using Tapatalk

[Skizzer]

On 12/21/2022 at 1:56 PM, BorniteIdentity said:

Sad news to report.  My beloved friend Emma, of the eponymous Sierra, left us yesterday. 

Just seen your post about Emma. So sorry to hear this Daniel - I only met her that once when we bought the Sierra, but she was completely charming and obviously a top mate for going along with our mad escapade.

Hope you’re doing ok man.

[HMC]

11 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Such a great Mini. I really like these ones with black bumpers which must only have been made for a few years until they went back to chrome.

Me too, chrome bumpers, bonnet stripes and a white roof and it’s all a bit samey and meh. Love the original spec 80s models where they were not trying to be too retro. I like the mini 25 and the 80s “London” special editions, like the ritz/Chelsea/Mayfair.  

my neighbour had one (a ritz) and the door bottoms had rotted out by the time it was 5 years old. HERITAGE

[BorniteIdentity]

How was your day?

 

 

[Eyersey1234]

6 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

How was your day?

 

 

Oops

[BorniteIdentity]

TBH it’s a godsend. It’s been twisting my melon for months now. Glad it’s this and not the matrix tbh! 

[Matty]

On 2/1/2023 at 10:00 PM, HMC said:

Me too, chrome bumpers, bonnet stripes and a white roof and it’s all a bit samey and meh. Love the original spec 80s models where they were not trying to be too retro. I like the mini 25 and the 80s “London” special editions, like the ritz/Chelsea/Mayfair.  

my neighbour had one (a ritz) and the door bottoms had rotted out by the time it was 5 years old. HERITAGE

My head teacher at primary school had an 1100 special. They same as rare as rocking horse shit now. Smart things with a steering wheel I've not seen on any mini or BL car before or since, a 3 dial dash, and wheel trims that looked a bit like the Dunlop safety wheels. All of them specials were silver too if I'm remembering it right 

Edit

They weren't all silver (though his was) and the trims actually were alloys)

https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/mini/1100-special/?utm_content=cmp-true

[MorrisItalSLX]

6 hours ago, Matty said:

My head teacher at primary school had an 1100 special. They same as rare as rocking horse shit now. Smart things with a steering wheel I've not seen on any mini or BL car before or since, a 3 dial dash, and wheel trims that looked a bit like the Dunlop safety wheels. All of them specials were silver too if I'm remembering it right 

Edit

They weren't all silver (though his was) and the trims actually were alloys)

https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/mini/1100-special/?utm_content=cmp-true

The 1100 Special is my all time favourite Mini.

Just enough extras and trinkets to make it feel special and fancy, but not tacky and overdone.

[BeEP]

11 hours ago, Matty said:

Smart things with a steering wheel I've not seen on any mini or BL car before or since,

Steering wheel was also used on the Allegro Equipe!  Nothing else, as far as I know.

[MorrisItalSLX]

44 minutes ago, BeEP said:

Steering wheel was also used on the Allegro Equipe!  Nothing else, as far as I know.

Also used on the Innocenti Mini

[BorniteIdentity]

Today - Twitter reminded me of the photograph that started this whole caper nearly seven years ago.  This was the main picture from the eBay listing.

Archived here for prosperity.

[greengartside]

10 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Today - Twitter reminded me of the photograph that started this whole caper nearly seven years ago.  This was the main picture from the eBay listing.

Archived here for prosperity.

And the day that Midnite’s swede exploded 😂

[Essex V6]

On 2/11/2023 at 10:47 AM, Matty said:

My head teacher at primary school had an 1100 special. They same as rare as rocking horse shit now. Smart things with a steering wheel I've not seen on any mini or BL car before or since, a 3 dial dash, and wheel trims that looked a bit like the Dunlop safety wheels. All of them specials were silver too if I'm remembering it right 

Edit

They weren't all silver (though his was) and the trims actually were alloys)

https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/mini/1100-special/?utm_content=cmp-true

 

[Essex V6]

Years ago, I bought this Special - 550 sovs I think - whilst my 280 was away getting painted

[wuvvum]

8 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Today - Twitter reminded me of the photograph that started this whole caper nearly seven years ago.  This was the main picture from the eBay listing.

Archived here for prosperity.

I'd forgotten about the blue front number plate.

(And the whole Midnite thing, thanks for the reminder GGS)