30 replies to this topic

[harryh733]

Hi everyone, I'm really happy with my mini but always thinking about changing something, at the moment I want to take the stripes off and put it on 10" wheels, but the stripes were painted on by the previous owner so would require paint and I have 4 pot brakes on now which I love!

Basically if it were yours, what would you do or change? would you have it just as it is? It's just nice to hear from other mini owners what they think as my ideas are sometimes a bit mad and probably not very good

Its a 1996 Sprite, standard 1275 SPi. I've owned it for 5 years now.

Here's what it looked like when I got it....






And here it is in it's current state 5 years on....











I just feel a bit stuck to know what the next steps with it should be or if I should learn when to stop.


(I know its cheating having a MED sticker on the engine, but it makes it go quicker )

Thanks

[chrisj]

Lovely mini first of all!

If it were me I would loose the mudflaps, take a few of the stickers off, leaving the door numbers, maybe mk2 rear lights and pop her on 10" wheels.

But having said that she's already a lovely car!

[Alex_B]

I would be looking at destickering and loosing the flaps ;)

i prefer smoother simpler minis then I would go onto wider tens banded steels 5.5 wide would fit under those arches and look period, mk2 rear lights,

but its your car and do what you want, those things I have suggested arnt all that original, I want originality and will be doing some bits to my car that arnt the norm but its down to personal taste :) it looks lovely at it is to be honest

[minbin 69]

nice looking mini you've got there..
only 2 things I think you should change...the wheels..find something a little different..
2nd the log book into my name!

[harryh733]

Thanks for the ideas so far :) I think maybe a few of the stickers could come off, I just find different ones and then they end up on the car somewhere
The wheels aren't great, they are all pitted and worn so I think it might have to be 10's when I do change, I could always sell the 4pots to help fund a 7.5 disc conversion I guess.

She's used everyday too and has been the most reliable car I've owned, 25,000 miles without a single hiccup now (I've done it now, tomorrows drive might involve the AA)

Keep the ideas coming in, it's really interesting to hear peoples views.

[JollyMole]

10's, Mk.I Bootlid + rear lights.

[StewartB]

think it looks smart, do agree about the stickers tho but i like the mudflaps gives it that rally look which you seem to have gone for, get some shiny under bonnet stuff, a set of 10s wide enough to fill the archs and i know its not everyones taste especially on a later car but the front mudflaps

[the.stroker]

I would loose the mudflaps and all the decals.
Nice mop and polish would look the dogs danglies.
Maybe a few smiffys shiny bits to dress the engine bay??

[Andrew O]

Take some of the stickers off and loose the mud flaps is what I would do. But it's your Mini so do what you like

Andrew

[scotty_1987]

Ah it looks well man but my only criticism is the door number and rally sign make it look to busy!! But then it's your car so do as you please!! Haha

Nathan

[minimaxie]

First off, I would de- Cooperise it if it were me. I.e. lose the bonnet stripes. For me there is too many Cooper look a likes these days (not that yours isn't a lovely example) and it makes yours look lost in a sea of them. Make it stand out as a Sprite, personally love Sprites and if I had one these decals would be going back on it

^^ Don't see a lot of Sprites these days in original form, let alone with the older style coach lines like the picture above.
Secondly as some people have mentioned, if it were mine the mud flaps would be coming off as you've got 2 themes going on here, Rally look and Rover Cooper Homage and it's bit too much for me (again not that I'm slating your car, I do quite like it as it goes )
Lastly, do all the usuals, Mk2 lights Mk1/2 bootlid, as you already have the boot mounted reverse lamp, maybe some brown tan bonnet straps, wood rimmed Mota Lita or very expensive John Cooper Works steering wheel.

But more importantly, do what YOU want on the Mini. It's your car afterall, your hard earned money. Those are some of the things I would love on mine so it's not going to be to everyones taste. I have Comic book themed door cards in mine, some would argue that I have spoilt the nice MPi Cooper interior, others like it. Ultimately I'm not going to care in the slightest if they don't, it's my Mini and I'll do what I want with it.

As I've said, you have a lovely Mini as is, if you like it, then that's all that matters pal I do love how you have the same MPi seats that are in mine, they arn't half comfy arn't they also noticed you have MPi Cooper doorcards in the same as mine too! Nice!

Max

Edited by minimaxie, 12 April 2013 - 12:08 PM.

[RedRallyMini]

Take some of the stickers off and change the mud flaps to ones without mini written on them because it makes the car look to busy. Put on some 10" wheels, get some bucket seats, a rollcage and a sump guard, et voila: a very nice looking rally car

Edited by RedRallyMini, 12 April 2013 - 06:30 PM.

[jaydee]

Fit Mk2 rear lights.
If you want to run 10s and dont want to loose the 4 pots, you could get the cooper S 'look a like' alloys but these are not easy to source and you should try them before buying, they fit beside the two pot 8.4 calipers by a few mm and dont know if they fit with 4 pots.

[harryh733]

Brilliant advise and ideas here! if it had been original when I got it I would have kept it that way as I love un molested minis but this was already cooperised so I took it as an opportunity to make the mini I want. I love the rally mini's so thats been my goal really I guess, the stripes will be coming off the bonnet when I can find someone who will spray it cheap for me.

Today my metal pressed number plates arrived so they went on and with the ideas here I took off quite a few stickers including the big MINI ones on the flaps and I agree it looks way better!

Been offered some 10" wheels for a price which isn't bad so might go for that, I have been planning 10" for a long time as I love the look of them! Basically I want it to be an older mini than it is haha!

Also been offered a swap on my seats for some Cobra buckets....just dont know if I should or no :S

[Marlin]

Definitely keep the stripes.

Maybe lose the mud flaps and a few stickers.

Looks good overall though.