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Buying a mini....

V8-110

Trekker
Well we're getting shut of the Fiesta and buying a Mini(not the new shape one) Any one got any helpful hints and tips of what to look for? I've had them in the past, so I kinda know what I'm looking for but all help is very welcome:)



Cheers
Mike
 
subframes and sills, a panels and the behind the dash where the air vents are is usually another place....our kid DOMFISH will know more he's built a few, and still has his little tango...
 

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Check everything!

Normally they just fall to pieces because they have done 10 times the miles they were ever designed to between major services...

.. I had a Cooper 1.3i - loved it!
 
must admit....mini's and land rovers, everyones first love.....i had a few mini's meself.....the best was a clubman with a MG TURBO lump in it....it was fast on 10" wheels
 
I passed my driving test in a Mini. I also used to rally one. I broke one as well once, sawed the roof off with a hacksaw, the floorpan went all wobbly minus roof:eek:

Gorgeous little deathtraps:D

cheers, Tim
 
Take a stanley knife and shave a centimetre off the width of your fingers and a couple off your forearms. It will make working in the engine bay easier.....

Loved my minis, but hated working on them.
 
Check everywhere for rust.
Under the headlights, a-panels and windscreen scuttles go a lot, but is just cosmetic unless it gets really bad. Look out for rusty sills(inner and outer), rear subframes and inside the boot look for rust on the rear shock turrets. Unfortunately the petrol tank blocks access to one side.

Mechanically the usual stuff. Something to note is the big, wide 13" wheels fitted to the latest "Sportspack" models can cause a lot of wear on the differential and its not unknown for the diff pin to snap leaving you with no drive. Look for a knock when taking up drive that could indicate wear. Uprated diff pins are cheap though.
 
usual plases the go are the scuttle panel (under the windscreen) wings/a panel,front valence and inner arch(check under the carpet where it meets the door, also check for drop in the doors could just be the pin but most times a post) check that the inner arch at the back hasnt rotted away fron the body(had that in the past) and also the heal board(from inside under the back seat) and the rear subframe...
One thing i must say though is that they aint as cheap as they used to be ie buying and parts... know a good mini spares dealer too....
 
Minis are great to drive.......for about three days. after that they are a pain.

They should have been delivered in blister packs because they disolve in water.

They are a nightmare to work on.

Repro parts are as crappy as Land Rover repro parts, only cheaper.

I love 'em!

However, I never owned one as I had a MG Midget, just as soluble, just as cheap, even more fun to drive, tolerable ride and a soft top as well.

If you are feeling flush, brand new body shells are available from BMH for the Mini (and Midget) at about £2 1/2K

I have some Mini bits to clear. RC40 exhaust, inlet manifold, engne wobble support etc.
 
where do you start...

the sills and front of the sills in the wheel arch (lowest point beheind the front wheel is the) first place to go.... next would be the rear subframe mounting points (they are visable from the rear wheel arch, infront of the wheel (stupid place to put them)...

Then check the back seat bins (underneath the cardboard insert - nobody checks there) If the car's had leaky windows, this is where the water ends up... it rots through the bottom of the bin, into the sills and out through the easiest point of exit....this being the rear subframe mounts :D

check around the front wishscreen seals looking for bulges (usually under the lower edge or bottom corners of the windscreen. the bottom corners are a nightmare to replace and mean the only proper way of doing it is to get rid of the wings at the same time.....avoid anything with a holy scuttle (panel at the base of the windscreen).

the front wheel bearings are very easy to overload so give them a wobble (as with the rear) the mini is very easy to throw into a handbrake turn...thus knackering any bearings youve got there.

listen for squeeks in the front suspension... go slow 15mph over a speed bump if you hear squeeks or a rubbing sound then the front rubbers are knackered.

the Bottom of the doors are a pain and WILL rot, but the panels are cheap to re-skin as long as your frame is good ;)

I'm in the process of doing one up so if you need any help then give me a shout ;)

they're great cars!! I've got 1 and a half :D

cheers
dave
 
Thanks for the replies everyone, some good things there I'll remember for when we go viewing. I'll post up some pics when we buy one. Gonna go have a look at this 2morro hopefully :) it looks very tidy.



Cheers
Mike
 
that one looks nice mate, but they never made a GT cooper ;) it should be either a 1380 or a cooper.... the GT was a clubman version of a cooper.. also I dont theink the cooper was re-introduced untill about 1993 ;)
dont pay over the odds for a mayfare dressed at a cooper... the later 1990ish mayfares came with a 1.3engine as well.

Looks nice though :)
 
In 1990 it would have been a 998cc originally. The 1275 wasn't re-intorduced 'til 1991.

Seeing as the car has been completely rebuilt and re-spec'd I'd say you just have to decide whether it's would 5 grand to you? In the UK.. that amaount of money would get you one of the last SportPack Mini's... however that would be standard.

There is a monster tuned Mini on ebay right now if you're prepared to stump up the VRT. Or you could look for a restored pre-1977 Mini and just pay the 38 euro???
 
Well we didn't get to go to Dublin to see the 1380 but we went to see this instead. It sounded too good to be true and it turned out it was. I had a look round it and noticed the boot floor had a very slight ripple in it, like it had been bumped. The guy said it hadn't been in a crash and that's the way the boot floor should look. Then I had a look in the engine bay to find more evidence of accident damage. It had new wings(badly fitted), slam panel, windscreen,etc. he then said it had had a small bump. By this point I'd lost all interest in it, but I took it for a drive anyway. What a dog! I know sportpack Mini's are a little fidgety on the road, but this thing was very bad. The engine was pokey but rough, it pulled to the left, and when I did a brake test, it did a little dance right to left and decided the verge was a good place to park:)So needless to say we didnt buy it. But on the plus side we found a guy with a small business that specialises in Mini's. He's gonna look for a nice tidy cooper for us and get in contact when he finds one. I was telling him about the Mini we'd just looked at. He knew the car, it had been a U.K car that had been in a Cat c accident, repaired and bought over to Ireland buy the garage that it was for sale at. Apparenty the garage had sold it to a bloke and the bloke had brought it up to my man in the Mini garage for a service. The mini garage fella promptly found out it was a dog and told the owner. He then took it back to the garage and got his money back. I hope someone doesnt buy it thinkin its a good car, because at that price it seems a bargain. Anyways thanks for the advice, I'll post a pic when we finally get the thing:D






Mike
 
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