Issigonis, you git.................

[Dukestar25]

I had a 1981 HL (YLG457W, Is it still around?)

vehiclelicence.gov.uk wrote:

The vehicle details for YLG 457W are: Date of Liability 01 10 2003

Bugger !!! Thanks anyway... Following on from some of the other posts here, my parents had a 6 foot-something tall friend who had a Clubman estate for a number of years (and liked it), I often wondered how he managed get himself into it but he didn't have too much of a problem aparently...

[Cavcraft]

I love 'em but agree not an ideal daily. I'm six foot three-ish and fairly hefty and didn't struggle too much.They're an absolute blast to drive, really put a smile on your face but the inordinate amount of tarted up rubbish and frankly ridiculously priced ones out there don't always make them an attractive proposition.I also recall vividly that having hands like shovels meant spending four hours pissing about trying (and failing) to connect the exhaust to the manifold didn't impress my gaffers at the tyre place I worked at.Cavette junior wants one for a first car but being honest as much as I like them I'm trying to persaude him to get something else instead. Ideally something that will start more than once every Julember.

[Hudsonpie]

I always wanted one when I was younger after having a go in a seriously tuned Clubman. But I was put off when I used to do police recovery and arrived at an accident scene the same time as the ambulance to witness the crew digging what was left of a sixteen year old kid out of one. He had stolen his mums car and proceeded to punch a Toyota Corolla head on around a greasy bend. Was not pretty, and kinda put me off.....

This is good though......

[saabhappy]

Love Minis, Beetles too for that matter. I can't imagine a message board debating the merits of a Ka 50+ years after its less-than-groundbreaking launch. Kas are for district nurses and care workers, definitely girly but a useful way of using an old engine. Minis are for fun. I wonder if Disney have got a Ka lined up for a series of movies.

[Guest]

My mate has an Mini which he bought some years back with something like 19K on the clock, 1275 with an autobox, early 90s one. Drove really well for a few years until the autobox blew up - pretty disgraceful for a car with the mileage it had. All of that has come out now and he's in the process of putting a Daihatsu Charade 1.0 Turbodiesel into it - weighs a lot less, more torque and will kick out a load of black soot.I quite like the idea of having a Clubman Van in full-on work mode with little wheels, but the kind of money I'm willing to pay for one would result in me getting a non-runner with severe rot problems. Plus I can't seem to deal with how Minis are mechanically, they seem like a car where you can maintain them in pristine condition and they'll still try your patience on a regular basis.

[Cavcraft]

A Ford Ka is actually a good way to tell people you're on the other bus, have no money and not the first idea about cars.Oh, and that you like to announce your arrival twenty miles before you actually get there by the engine rattle.

[Milford Cubicle]

I like Kas, there's something inherently right about a tinny small car with painted metal on the inside.

[seth]

they seem like a car where you can maintain them in pristine condition and they'll still try your patience on a regular basis.

That's be simply because you can't actually get to anything and will skin your knuckles trying even the most basic maintenance. I didn't know what someone said earlier in the thread about the engines getting turned round. Makes so much more sense to have the carb at the front too.I'd quite to like to have one, a proper 60's one, to try out for a while just to see how they were. I wouldn't want a hopped up Cooper or anything. 848/998 would do.

[Guest]

I don't mind the old Kas to be honest, I like the way they've got an old pushrod motor, makes a lot of sense. Not much point putting some fancy twincam 16V thing in a car that some old lass uses to go to Morrisons at 23mph in 4th. They do go tappety, but it's not a big problem to set them. The design is quite gawky-looking, but pretty clever in a way - big wraparound bumpers to minimize panel damage in car park scrapes, etc. I wouldn't have one, but they're not aimed at me. I reckon they could have kept making them for years.Seth, I often wonder whether some of the problems with the Mini are as a result of gradually adding onto an old design - fitting bigger engines than originally planned, creating rust traps through need (e.g. arches to take wider tyres), cobbling more and more things onto the wiring. Have to wonder what an early one is like, loads of room in the engine bay I'd expect!

[saabhappy]

The Mini at least was a new design when it was launched, with loads of innovation as with the Beetle. The Ka was just a cheap car which broke no new ground and didn't move the industry forward an inch. Plus they're shaped rather like a dog turd.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I like Kas! They are cheap and simple and lightweight and fun to drive, and rust prone. like a mini in fact, but with a decent driving position and 5 gears. Whats not to like?

[ashmicro]

I like Kas! They are cheap and simple and lightweight and fun to drive, and rust prone. like a mini in fact, but with a decent driving position and 5 gears. Whats not to like?

Wot he said. If you can get hold of a mark 1 Ka that has no grot, drown the fecker in Waxoyl yourself. Parts are cheap, the only slightly awkward thing is the oil filter (close to steering rack).The tappets are a non-issue, easy to sort. I sat in mine, at exactly 100MPH*, while chatting to a friend. It was like being in church. Imagine that same ton in a Mini.*private motorway, m'lud.

[Guest]

I don't think the Ka is particularly innovative, but I don't think that was the goal. The way I saw it is that Ford wanted to make a cheap small car, did the usual things they're good at (chassis, handling and gearchange) and a load of people subsequently bought them. It didn't really break any new ground, but the fact that people still pay good money for the oldest ones must count for something.

[Rocket88]

My mate has an Mini which he bought some years back with something like 19K on the clock, 1275 with an autobox, early 90s one. Drove really well for a few years until the autobox blew up - pretty disgraceful for a car with the mileage it had.

 

Another one of B.L.'s stupid ideas, all in the name of "packaging". Having the engine and transmission share the same oil is a recipe for carnage. The AP 'box was was shite enough without that added complication.

Many moons ago, my mum had a Metro VDP auto, at the same time I had a lumbering old 302 cu in [5 litre] Mercury Monarch. My Mercury used less juice than her so called "economy" car. How you could justify selling an auto with a manual choke that recently also amazed me............

[Alpineandy]

I'm not a fan.

[saabhappy]

Hmmmm. I wonder if Ford will be bringing out a retro version of the Ka after the decent interval, like BMW's 0-series and VW's Beetle. I doubt it because the Ka was old when it was new. As for performance, if you can point me in the direction of production sub-1000cc cars capable of 100mph in 1959, 69 or 79 and maybe even 89... Comparing technologies that are half a century apart is kinda slewing the argument a bit. Anyway, apart from 16 year-olds who haven't learnt how to wear their hats and trousers, who would want to thrash a small city car? It's not what they're for is it?

[wilko]

The mini is a great mass market car of it's era - pretty much as soon as the metro was launched, the mini became a niche product - I'm sure the krauts would still have been able to shift some Hitler Beetles in the UK in the 80's if they had wanted, but they would have been outnumbered 10:1 by Golfs.I agree that KA's are great for what they are - cheapo basic transport. SWMBO hated hers, but I thought it was great - everytime she broke it (regularly, her fault), I fixed it myself without a manual or any diagnostic gear - it only went to garages for tracking & MOT's - what other 2004 car does that apply to?Contrast that with a mate at work who has a 2005 Focus 1.6HDi - that's only got 66k on it and FFSH but it's just gone into limp mode - Ford charged a couple of quid short of £500 to diagnose & change ONE injector on it, then the problem occured again - now it's another £500 for an inlet manifold or maybe £1000 for a turbo according to them. This is a second car that drives a couple of miles to work and back a day and one long run a month - they'd have been far better off with a KA in my book...

[Volksy]

who would want to thrash a small city car? It's not what they're for is it?

In my opinion, thats exactly what city cars are for, as James May once said (about old small fiats) "You rev it and rev it rev it until the valves come through the bonnet, then you rev it some more...."City cars should be nippy, and an absolute giggle to hoon about it.

[saabhappy]

who would want to thrash a small city car? It's not what they're for is it?

In my opinion, thats exactly what city cars are for, as James May once said (about old small fiats) "You rev it and rev it rev it until the valves come through the bonnet, then you rev it some more...."City cars should be nippy, and an absolute giggle to hoon about it.

That's what Minis were to my generation.The thing about being unable to work on moderns is so true. I have a non-dangerous fault on my Mazda daily drive and it will probably be there when I change it because of the ball-ache/expense of replacing the sensor that keeps wrongly and irregularly causing a warning light to come on.

[Gompo]

As for performance, if you can point me in the direction of production sub-1000cc cars capable of 100mph in 1959, 69 or 79 and maybe even 89...

Not meaning to be ignorant, but I'm assuming there was a Mini that did 100mph in 998cc guise? Cooper S? I dont know the specs, but I would be quite surprised unless you're meaning a rally version.I cant think of any none-FI standard sub-1000cc cars capable of 100mph ever though, so if the Mini did that's quite impressive. I dont imagine they're particularly aerodynamic.

[Rocket88]

As for performance, if you can point me in the direction of production sub-1000cc cars capable of 100mph in 1959, 69 or 79 and maybe even 89...

Not meaning to be ignorant, but I'm assuming there was a Mini that did 100mph in 998cc guise? Cooper S? I dont know the specs, but I would be quite surprised unless you're meaning a rally version.I cant think of any none-FI standard sub-1000cc cars capable of 100mph ever though, so if the Mini did that's quite impressive. I dont imagine they're particularly aerodynamic.

100 mph in an old Mini? On 10" wheels? Err no, I think not. An ERA turbo jobbie would do 103 [apparently], none of the others would do much more than 90.

[Rusty Pelican]

A boggo 875cc Imp sport from factory would do 88 mph , with a bit of gassflowing and porting of the head 100 was just possible if well built , I had a tuned 998 one on webers , 115mph at 8000 revs achieved on the M6 ( OOPS ) even allowing for 10 % speedo error its still quick for a sub 1 liter lump

[scruff]

We've got one, my missus (who is tiny) dailied it for quite a while when she was working in Peterborough but she has to go a fair way now so it just gets used now and then. I think it is great, loads of fun and costs sod all to keep on the road. We buy points & condensors in bulk from autojumbles and keep a set in it. It's only needed a change once on a journey! The furthest I have been in it is a 350 mile round trip and my back ached like fuck afterwards. A Jag they ain't! I don't think anyone really REALLY thinks they are comparable to a modern car or even actually much good. Bit like a Land Rover!

[Station]

I'd love one to be honest, and there have been a couple of times I may have bought one, but saw something else. Think it'd be something I'd own, but then sell after a few months.

[Andrew353w]

Just taken the daughter's 1995 Mini Cooper in for a suspension repair-apparently the cones have collapsed and that explains why why the car's been sitting so low in the road. This (and many other) job is typical of the things that go wrong on a Mini. The car's done over 60K miles, so it's well overdue a suspension repair, but it's not really a DIY job, so the garage will have to assist.If you run a car like this you HAVE to be prepared to spend time and money on them. Both my daughter (the current Miss H) and myself STILL reckon it's worth it!

[Mr Lobster]

If you run a car like this you HAVE to be prepared to spend time and money on them. Both my daughter (the current Miss H) and myself STILL reckon it's worth it!

But thats true of an awful lot of older cars though. I've never owned a Mini but remember using an Italian Job special edition for a few days many moons ago - did like, felt much faster than it actually was and very chuckable but not sure I could live with one permenantly.

[Guest]

I'll reserve judgement on Minis until I drive a well sorted one. I don't want a shagged one colouring my judgement.I have a driven a Beetle though. It was what was called the Super Beetle, a 1303 jobbie.It was fucking vile. People don't buy them for the driving experience, that's for damn sure.

[shite_meister]

Just taken the daughter's 1995 Mini Cooper in for a suspension repair-apparently the cones have collapsed and that explains why why the car's been sitting so low in the road. This (and many other) job is typical of the things that go wrong on a Mini. The car's done over 60K miles, so it's well overdue a suspension repair, but it's not really a DIY job, so the garage will have to assist.

 

If you run a car like this you HAVE to be prepared to spend time and money on them. Both my daughter (the current Miss H) and myself STILL reckon it's worth it!

Brand new cone on the left, possibly original 60k mile 14 year old cone on the right:

 

The suspension knuckles have a habit of dropping through the nylon cup they sit in if not kept greased. There is a quality issue with these cones, some can last literally hundreds of miles before collapsing again because Rover bought cheap shit rubber to make them out of with inevitable results, most Minis are way past their best suspension-wise.

[Guest]

As for performance, if you can point me in the direction of production sub-1000cc cars capable of 100mph in 1959, 69 or 79 and maybe even 89...

A few I can think of.1967 Honda S800, 100mph (791cc)1984 Daihatsu Charade Turbo, 100mph (993cc)1988 Suzuki Alto Works RS-R, 100mph (547cc)1987 Daihatsu Charade GTti, 115mph (993cc)There'll be some more. The little Alto doesn't do bad considering, I suspect some of the other 80s turbo Kei-cars could nudge 100mph too.

[Guest]

Oh yeah, I forgot this one.1989 Nissan March Super Turbo, 112mph (930cc)