6 replies to this topic

[FozzyBear]

Hi all, my second post so far!

 

Apologies if this isn't the right topic for this section.

 

I recently bought an 89 Mini 1000 as my first car. (loving it) I was wondering if anyone would be able to comment on whether its the Mini Flame Red edition by the looks of it or whether its something more mainstream?   In honesty im not too fussed either way but id be interested in at least knowing what it started life as and maybe take it back to original. 

 

So i ran the VIN and it came back as:

 

MG Rover

998cc

2-door saloon/sedan. 

Round nose, traditional Mini body style.

E, City E

RHD

 

Body exterior and paint code.....Flame Red (BLVC 818)

VIN Paint code.........................COF

Model - derivative....................City

Seats......................................Flint

VIN Trim code.........................LCG

Coachline sidestripes................-

Carpets /Mats..........................Flint

Fascia.....................................Flint

Liners.....................................Flint

Door seals..............................Black

Headlining..............................Cool Grey

 

I also had a poke around the car and found 16-9 punched into the boot latch (late april 1989) and 15-89 (april 1989 also) on the alternator. I believe the Flame red was released/sold from the 28th January 89 is this true? If anyone has any comments on the matter id greatly appreciate them. Cheers! 

Edited by FozzyBear, 17 November 2017 - 05:20 PM.

[Colinmac1330]

It is a City E, if it was a Flame Red it would say something like flame red racing green on the log book as they mixed up the proper terminology a lot

[phillrulz]

 

 

 

I guess it is ? 

 

Edited by phillrulz, 17 November 2017 - 05:43 PM.

[CityEPete]

Flame red is just the colour rather than the model in this case I think, it's a flame red mini city.

[Broomer]

Wasn't there 3 "special" editions around that year ?
Racing flame
Racing green
Checkmate (black and white...)
The above terminology may not be 100% correct though.

Although there were green cars with the flame red model name. Doh.
The true mini nerds may correct me though.

Edited by Broomer, 18 November 2017 - 09:06 AM.

[Itsaminithing]

I also had a poke around the car and found 16-9 punched into the boot latch (late april 1989) and 15-89 (april 1989 also) on the alternator. I believe the Flame red was released/sold from the 28th January 89 is this true? If anyone has any comments on the matter id greatly appreciate them. Cheers! 

 

 

Oh good, somebody who gets off their bottom & uses their brain

Got to love Rover re-using model names & the sometimes dubious V5C info!

 

It's NOT a City E (economy model discontinued in Aug '88)

Could be a City (made Sept '80-April '82 & then from Aug '88) or a Mini Flame (from Jan '89 & then from Feb '90). They differed in roof colour & trim....

If it's got a white roof now don't assume that was the original colour -few cars are left unaltered. If it's still got the original seats then it's easy to tell the difference.

 

http://www.roblightb...r-brochure.html

http://www.roblightb...032547_orig.jpg

 

If it is a City (& not a Flame -not that it makes any real difference in terms of value or desirability) you might have an issue insuring it - i did!

Most insurers will tell you that you are wrong/misguided/thick in thinking it's a Mini City & that you actually own a City E.... just bite your lip, nod politely, & accept the quote .

Edited by Itsaminithing, 19 November 2017 - 08:15 AM.

[some1158]

The Mini Flame and Mini Racing were launched early 89 with flame red/white roof, and racing green/white roof respectively. The V5 treats the two models as a single model i.e. Racing Flame.

The models were reintroduced with a few tweaks in 1990 as the Racing Green, Flame Red, and Checkmate, and the V5 will say RACG FLAME CHECKMATE for these ones.

That said, the VIN decoders do show some of these as City models...as that is what the limited edition was based on.

 

The paint code for the 1989 Racing model is a composite code which indicates the two-colour combination. I would expect the same for a 1989 Mini Flame (i.e. RDV, RWL, RWU). If the VIN panel just says COF that suggests the car is a standard City in flame red.