Classic Mini - Any pointers?
 

For many years I've wanted a classic Mini.

About four months ago, our youngest bought this : http://pistonheads.com/sales/3882764.htm

He is moving out (thank funk) with his girlfriend and he is selling his cars including this to fund it. I'm going to buy it from him for £1500 and then take it on as a project. I have a modern car (DS3) so doesn't need to always be running but would prefer it not to be off the road for months at a time.

I would welcome any advice, forums, manuals, websites and anything that would help out. Engine is strong and handles like a dream (money has been spent on running gear). Electrics and ancillaries are a mess, needs a new loom to be honest.

I'm pretty handy, happy up to the point of engine/gearbox removal.

All advice very welcome.

Cheers

Ian

What is it exactly that your planing on doing to it?

The good thing about the electrics is they are about as basic as it gets, so making a new loom yourself is quite easy, the worst thing about them is the crappy fuse box and bullet fuses that oxidise in about a week, and cause poor connectios, emery paper and vasaline can take care of this, but i'd move it into the cabin at the very least and better still swap it for a blade fuse type holder.

I had a couple of mini's wayyyyyyyyyyy back when, and they were rust buckets the best part of 30yrs ago, so that would be my main concern, depending on the quality of the work that went into the recent respray.

Engine wise, i had a 1410cc lump and i believe they will go to 1430cc after a recent conversation, but tbh if it ain't broke don't fix it, they take a hell of a lot of stick as standard, as long as you take care of the cooling system, so i'd renew all of that before thinking about anything much else.

Great fun car and will keep you busy, enjoy.

well done -- amazing cars

been using the below for the last 25 years (shop and website)

http://www.minispares.com/

and I am on

http://forum.minicooper.org/

and two seminal books, by the great David Vizard

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&k...l_7w2zgdt6qf_e

Tuning the A-Series Engine: The Definitive Manual on Tuning for Performance or Economy by David Vizard

and

How to Modify Your Mini by David Vizard (Jan 1984)

Thanks guys :)

Basic plan is to refresh all the electrics and making a new loom looks fairly simple. I'll certainly moving the fuses into the cabin.

As I say, the running gear is sound, engine strong and gearbox nice and precise. Suspension and brakes also very good.

But majority of electrics need work. Reverse lights not working, horn not working, wipers and washer jets not working, fan on heat matrix not working etc. nothing difficult but all needs sorting.

The interior is tatty too so I'm looking to strip the interior first and sort the electrics then replace the interior, new seats, door cards, dash, instruments and centre console.

I've been having a dig through the mini sites and eBay and love how cheap just about everything is. :)

Once that is all done, I'll look at tuning. Seen lots of mention of switching to fuel injection and electronic ignition, but don't want to take it that far, think it would spoil it.

Cheers

Ian

One of the MSOC guys has a classic mini which is really well prepped and he is very up on the technical ins and outs of them- maybe drop a PM to 'Shiver' as I'm pretty sure he'd be a good person to know! :thumb:

Good luck with the build, keep us all posted on the progress. :)

blimey, that was a fair price wasn't it?

Anyway, electronic ignition can be fitted to these. going on what's been done, it sounds like ti is still on points etc so you can get those swapped out for something more reliable.

Beyond that, underseal like mad. Boot floor, doors etc.

does it have proper sills with drain holes or oversills that are sealed up? If it is the latter you might want to check that they haven't been welded over the old rusty ones.

5t.

If its a rust free, solid shell you've got nothing much to worry about, to be honest. Sills, doors and the base of the a pillars are what to look out for.

Subframes rot, but are cheap and easy to replace, radius arm bearings go at the rear end - its easier just to swap in a new complete arm, ball joints wear badly with uprated suspension, and rear wheel bearings struggle with wider wheel and tyre combos.

Get the head ported an polished, stick some biger valves in it, high lift camshaft, uprate the carb (twins are a nightmare, gte a twin choke weber on it, side or downdraft (not necessarily DCOE's or equivalent which may be overkill for a 1275. Big bore exhaust and have some fun.

Electronic ignition is an idea, and waterproof the dizi as its in a hellish position for water ingress.

If you want to go mad, get a 1430 lump, crossflow head and stick individual throttle bodies on it :thumb:

What he said!

Excellent info. guys, much appreciated :)

As far as we can see, it is totally rust free. Looks like several rust problems were sorted when it was resprayed two years ago, e.g. Some signs of welding on the scuttle/dash. It's got extensive waxing throughout too, so no worries there. Car will be stored under cover so should be OK. Could do with some front arch liners though, so they are on the list.

Just lots of daft electrical stuff to sort and some seals, like those between the rear lights and lenses need replacing. Only mechanical thing I've found so far is the bushing on the top engine steady is split.

So yep, very happy with it. :)

Going to have fun sorting all the electrics and interior then will look at tuning.

Thank you again.

Cheers

Ian

ah, this takes me back to my first car - I remember getting a rubber glove, cutting the tips of the fingers off, and taping it around the dizzy to keep it dry! One of the best cars I've ever owned, soooo much fun to drive! I'd love another, just to ar$e about with, but think I'd look like a tw@t driving one now...

Best car ever if you want fun at legal speeds. I've had two including a 1440 race engine with about 120bhp. It would easily hit 130mph, which in a small tin can is fast enough thank you. Oh, and it also saw off a 911 on the twisties! lol

Ive had about 15 of the silly things!

Last one was a brown 850 that i put a metro turbo engine in with straight cut box, left the 850 badge on the back!

Go read TurboMinis forum, a very good engine builder or two on that forum, plus its more "adult" than tmf.

As with most cars, you can do it cheap or expensive.

Take brakes:

Cheap = Metro 4 pot (non-vented or vented)

Expensive = KADS 6 pot

Engine Cheap = standard 1275, ported head, hiff44, LCB, link pipe, back box.

Expensive = KAD 16v

You could always have a clubman front with a Honda/Vauxhall engine put in cheaper than having a top end 1360/1430 built with sc/cr box.

Pro Motive R1 kit FTW!!

Thats what I'm planning on doing to mine!

have had a couple of these great cars including a 997 cooper and a metro turbo engined one running over 160bhp.will be getting a shell and building one with bike engine in the back as soon as the mrs lets me.