18 replies to this topic

[Ant@BackyardRacing]

hi all, first post noob here! i have just bought my 1st ever mini (and im 31, late starter!).
ive been lurking here for a while, reading and researching, and then ive been looking at a good few minis, sadly most of which was poor. bad repairs, cheap panels, awfull panel gaps, even looked at one which had been brush painted, and not even the same colour! and it was £2.5k so not cheap ones really.

anyway, after seeing so many "bodged" cars i decided i would try and buy an original car, (rather than my first thoughts of getting a ready to drive car) and then that way any repairs/restoration work i can make sure is done to a high standard, and with heratage panels, or good used originals.

anyway, here is what i bought....

http://www.ebay.co.u...&orig_cvip=true


its very original, never had paint, all original wings etc, original bumpers, even number plates, its better than the photos really, im was very pleased when i went to collect :)

anyway, now my questions, i was hoping to do a cooper, or cooper "S" replica, as im not sure i could live with an 850 auto! of course the logbook etc will always say 850 and not cooper, and will of course never be an original cooper or "S", and will never worth as much, i know that, and im not doing it to try and pass off as an original car, as 1, i have no plans to sell it! and 2, i have so much history and paperwork for the original car.

if i do a replica, will it be worth less than the 850 auto i started out with??

i.e are original 850`s sought after? (i wouldnt of thought so?) or will it add a small amount of value if i do the replica thing? maybe somewhere between an original cooper s and an original 850?

has anyone seen any done on here or seen any sell on ebay etc?

and lastly, i dont want to change the colour, do you know if the mk3 cooper "s" came in my colour?

sorry for the long post, and thanks in advance guys :)

Edited by Ant@BackyardRacing, 01 October 2012 - 07:36 AM.

[Guess-Works.com]

An original car will generally retain it's value better than a modified one...

Eg, if you spent 2k on getting the mini looking and running like it just came out of the factory in 1971, then on a sale you would quite easily return your 2.7k investment and probably get a little extra for your troubles...

If you spent 2k on suspension, wheels and a big engine, then you probably wouldn't see half your money back.

But... It's your mini.

Edited by Guess-Works.com, 01 October 2012 - 07:57 AM.

[Old Bob]

You will never see the value increase completely in line with the money you put into the project. That said, you bought it to own and drive so do whatever you will most enjoy.

A nice solid, tax free mini is always going to be a worth having so it looks as though your mini ownership has started well.

Bob

[Shifty]

The auto mini is gonna be a rare beast soon, their numbers are dwindling fast!!

I'm not hugely convinced that this will increase its value by much though.

If you're gonna modify it then I'd make it so it could be returned to original if need be, keep all the auto parts so they can be put back on.

Mk3's , and PROPER mk3s(not log book specials!!) are becoming more and more collectable, and valuable as well.

Its a nice colour, i'd keep it the same, keep the roof body colour, stick some 4.5 cooper rims or some rose petals on it. No arches, just simple period mods.

Nice Buy!!

[Ant@BackyardRacing]

thanks for the replies guys :)

shifty, you read my mind, i was going to do it for my own enjoyment exactly, not to increase its value, i just wondered if it would.

so, i can do my replica, and enjoy the car how i like it, and keep all the original items, incase either i change my mind and want
to put it back original, or if i cant sell it when the times comes as a replica, i can put it back OE.

but yeah, i deffo dont want to change the colour, and i wont be painting the roof white or adding arch extensions, i would want it to be a faithfull replica

cheers

[minidizzy]

The only Mk III Cooper available was the Cooper S with a 1275 engine. British Leyland were trying to phase it out in favour of the 1275 GT which had a more cheaply made engine than the S. There is virtually no difference in the appearance of the Cooper compared with an ordinary Mk III Mini, not even a white or black roof. Only the boot badge was different.
I had a Mk III 850 in blue like yours but it was stolen a few years ago. I never knew the name of the colour but a Cooper colour was Blue Royale, which might have been the same.

[Tanya]

I think yours is Teal Blue. This Mk3 S (one owner from new) is completely standard and is Teal Blue.

[Ant@BackyardRacing]

ahhh thats great, thats just the sort of pic i was looking for :) thanks


when you say the 1275 gt, do you mean a clubman?
how was the engines cheaper, i thought the clubmans was still the normal a series?


dont have any interior shots of that mk3 S do you?

cheers again!

[Ant@BackyardRacing]

i suppose there must be a colour code on my car, so i can check the colour that way?

[Tanya]

dont have any interior shots of that mk3 S do you?

Sorry I don't but surfblue63 might have. I'll pm him and ask.

[surfblue63]

Another couple of blue Mk3S's for you.





The first one has a Mk2 bonnet badge and Group 2 arches. If you look carefully you can make out the top of the seats. I am not sure if they are limeflower (as yours are) or black. The second one has the standard 3.5" steel wheels. Also note that both the S's shown have the over riders on the bumpers, which was standard for the Mk3S. The one that was posted by Tanya has the optional 4.5" wheels which looks like it they are grey, the wheels should be silver.

Edited by surfblue63, 02 October 2012 - 03:41 PM.

[surfblue63]

Here's a couple of Mk3S dash shots. As you can see they have the 3 clock binnacle with the 130mph speedo. Other differences are the vinyl covered top rail, the ashtray with lid and the black surrounds on the windscreen vents. The screen pillars are also vinyl covered.
If you look closely on the first picture you can seen that the switches on the central switch panel are the rocker type.




The second one has toggle switches, which is incorrect. Again you can see the vinyl covered to rail and lidded ashtray. This also has an accessory rev counter and steering wheel fitted

Edited by surfblue63, 02 October 2012 - 03:53 PM.

[surfblue63]

when you say the 1275 gt, do you mean a clubman?
how was the engines cheaper, i thought the clubmans was still the normal a series?

The Cooper engine had a better crank and rods and the cylinder head was the 11 stud type. The 1275GT had the 9 stud head and was basically the Austin/Morris 1300GT lump. I think there were also differences in the gear ratios.

Here's a Mk3S engine bay. If you look closely you can see the extra two engine studs, one by the heater tap and the other by the thermostat housing. Also note the twin carbs and remote brake servo.

Edited by surfblue63, 02 October 2012 - 04:05 PM.

[minidizzy]

Yes. The 1275GT had the Clubman front but was not called a Clubman.

[Ant@BackyardRacing]

great info guys, really helpfull :)

i have rocker switches now, so i think they are the same, and i also have the same steering wheel as that first pic.
for some reason i thought the cooper s had a smaller leather or wood steering wheel?
i think the 130 speedo and binnacle should be an easy fix at least.

and my seats are the same design as the cooper by the looks of it, what colour seats and carpets would coopers have come in?
all black? or where there options? could they of even came in the colour i have now (limeflower)