51 replies to this topic

[Laurie]

How do you look at the mini in general?

[Bungleaio]

Each to their own. These cars were built in their millions to be used and enjoyed, there are some limited cars which are genuine limited and special cars but on the whole, the variants are just slight tweaks and different stickers.

 

Modifying minis is something that generations of people have been doing and it's not going to stop now.

 

Personally, I've got an Italian job and I've left it pretty much standard but it's still tweaked a little.

[robminibcy]

I'm all for modified cars, pretty much all the cars i own are! However i like to modify in a way to improve/personalise what you have rather than make it something else. Minis are great for what they are but when people start doing coilover conversions or non a series swaps i wonder why they bought a mini instead of something more suited to the modifications they've done. that said though i love seeing the workmanship that goes in to the mad custom cars!

Edited by robminibcy, 24 September 2017 - 08:38 PM.

[cal844]

All the minis I have are modified for reliability, they can go back to standard if needed

[Midas Mk1]

Don't really get the point in this thread at all, just trying to start an argument.

 

Don't really think a Mini owner should be classed as anything.. your car, your life, so you can do whatever you want with it. 

[nicklouse]

How do you look at the mini in general?

strange question.

 

none of the above.

 

i can appreciate what people do and dont do to the car.

 

i know what i will do to any road going Mini.

[timmy850]

My thoughts:

- Don't ruin a rare or totally original car with irreversible mods, and don't throw away genuine/original items because you replaced it with something new or "better" (e.g. engine, interior trim etc)

- Don't make a clone of a more expensive car and pass it off as the genuine item

- Anything else - modify, maintain and use it as much as possible in the way that makes you happy and enjoy the car! 

[hazpalmer14]

I voted other. I'm a fan of the mini in its purist form ie: mk1 in concourse condition or a 59 etc along with a big standard mini. I'm also a fan of individual minis. My mate has a roof chopped, door chopped r1 engined totally custom mini and I like that for the work etc gone in to it. And I also love seeing those rusty minis that are used and abused and not bothered about being perfect but are being driven!

[Steve220]

2 train of thoughts - I can appreciate when someone goes to the effort to take a car back to concourse and can present it well at shows etc. But I also love modified minis as it reflects an individuality that the car has inspired for years.

[surfblue]

What does it for me is standard factory original. Wasnt always the case and Ive modified Minis extensively over the years but I always wanted an early Mk1 and have been lucky enough to own one for five years now. It is in nearly concours condition and the only modification is fitted seat belts front and rear, the family safety being more important than originality.

[megamini_jb]

*yawn*

[Cooperman]

The classic Mini is a wonderful and iconic classic car.

Personally I like standard ones and I like ones which have been sympathetically modified for better performance, road-holding and seating comfort. Period modifications are best in terms of values and appearance on most classics and Minis are no exception.

I have never liked the fitting of non-original engines (by that I mean non-original engine type) and a Jaguar E-Type with a 3.0 litre BMW diesel is just as unacceptable to me as a Mini with a motor-bike engine or an Escort with a Vauxhall engine. To me they are simply 'hybrids' and no longer true classic cars. An Anglia with a Lotus-Cortina twin-cam engine is a period modification, as is a 1962 Mini with a Cooper 'S' 1275 engine (but please do the brakes as wel!).

But each to his/her own and if you own it you can do what you like to it. 

I recall someone once saying to the owner of a Douglas DC3 aircraft, which had been painted pink, "I don't like the colour of your DC3". The owner replied "What colour is yours"? "Oh, I don't have one", was the reply. The owner said "Well, when you do have one you can paint it whatever colour you wish"!

[pdaykin]

I vary. I used to change everything. Sometimes extra luxury. Sometimes extra speed. Currently going through a "make it original" phase - although there is a supercharger with my mpi's name on it.

As an engineer I like the effort that goes in to engine conversions etc but it isn't something I'd do. I like my mini to be a mini - a foreign engine, coil overs, etc reduces the mininess too much for me.

But it is that variety and enthusiasm which makes the mini. Even if you don't like the end result, it all contributes to the mini community. If all minus were original/like mini why would I bother going to mini shows ?

[Mike L]

I'm another "other" person. For ordinary cars, modify as much/little as you want. Special cars should be pure. That would cover cars with limited production numbers or ones with historic significance.

[HUBBA.HUBBA]

I like modified and/or original equally