7 replies to this topic

[monkeybear]

Hi, I'm brand new to the site and am keen to gen-up on all things Mini. 20 years ago (!!!!!!!!!!!! flippin heck time flies) I hammered around in a wonderful white Mini. It had the flared arches, tiny leather-stitched steering wheel and was the best, most awesome car I have driven (rose-tinted view I'm sure).
Now, its time to get another, and me and the missus need help in picking the right one. Anything will do, as long as it works, and is super-cool. Also needs to be daily transport. Spotted a 1988 refurbed one on here which I am totally in love with. Any views, tips, nonsense etc much appreciated.
Tom

[OhDear]

Welcome, all i can say is which ever one you look at, take the time to full looked at everything Some people say restored but mean filler and a respray ;) if your unsure of which areas to look, there is a post someplace maybe someone will pop it up for you to look at and have a read

[AVV IT]

Welcome...

If it's going to be your daily transport, then a lot of people here will recommend the later fuel injection models for reliability. That said, if you keep a carb model well maintained, then it can be just as reliable. Most of us here will agree, that the most important thing when buying a mini is to get yourself one with a solid shell, everything else on a mini can be replaced, or repaired, relatively easily and cheaply by comparison.

Good luck with your search and if you need any advice on something that you do find, then post up some pics of it here and we will be sure to give you our opinions on it and what you should be paying for it.

[monkeybear]

Yep, I'll keep an eye out for the filler and respray merchants, although I have faith in huMinity (hilarious pun), and know that most folk don't like to rip you off.. And when you say 'solid shell' are you referring to the chassis/superstructure?? How best can you check for this, or is it obvious??

[mk1leg]

Hi..and welcome to TMF and enjoy..............

[AVV IT]

And when you say 'solid shell' are you referring to the chassis/superstructure?? How best can you check for this, or is it obvious??

No there is no chassis on a mini as such. The classic mini is basically a metal box body (a monocoque shell) with a subframe bolted to the front, that has the engine and the front wheels/suspension mounted to it and another one bolted to the back that has the rear wheels & suspension.

When I said "solid shell", I meant for you to make sure that the body work panels that go to make up that monocoque shell, are not full of rust. In a mini the usual problems areas tend to be the sills, A panels, wings, floor pans, boot floor, rear valance, & scuttle panel (amongst others). Replacing rotten panels is both time consuming and expensive, particularly if you are unable to weld and do the work yourself. Therefore it's best to find a solid mini, that has minimal rust, or that has had properly fitted replacement panels already. Don't worry so much about mechanical problems, these can usually be sorted much more easily and cheaply than bodywork issues can. (for instance a donor replacement engine can be picked up from around £100 if necessary)

The rear subframe itself is also prone to rust and often has to be replaced after a number of years, so finding an example that has a good solid rust free subframe, or one that has recently had a new rear subframe frame fitted, is a definite a bonus. The front subframe does not tend to suffer with this problem so much though, often because it is protected by a film of engine oil due to the classic minis tendency to develop oil leaks.

[monkeybear]

Thanks mk1leg, enjoying it already.

Cheers AVV IT, thank you for the excellent information. I've got a lot to learn, I feel like a total ignoramous. I understand about the shell/subframes now, and am browsing through the forums with a slightly keener eye. I may call on you in the near future if thats ok?
Tom

[AVV IT]

No worries!!