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I Love My 850!


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#1 Haynes

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Posted 26 April 2018 - 12:51 PM

Ive owned a Rover carb Cooper for 20 years or so and some time ago, when values were not a consideration, its been modified with a cage, 1380, buckets etc all the bits you'd think would make a min perform better and be more fun.  Ok it is great fun to drive, not so in traffic, and only when you're in the mood for a bit of noise, thrash metal from the stereo, i mean the straight cut gearbox.

 

More recently i was lucky enough to pick up a totally standard 850 SD.  This morning i thought id drive it to work as the sun was out, its 15miles through a few villages at 30mph, some unrestricted A roads and a short bit of duel carriageway.  

 

Firstly she arrived in one piece without missing a beat, which is always a massive bonus.  The roads were pretty clear which is always better than being stuck in traffic, then my boss in his beamer came past on the duel carriageway but due to traffic and a heavy foot on the loud pedal untapping the full 65mph its capable of, i managed to chase him down and catch up.

 

Its such brilliant fun to drive, it seems to float through corners on its 3.5" wheels and 145 tyres with minimal steering input, the steering is light but direct the thin wheel just being held by the tips of your fingers rather than gripped.  When you rev it and push on to 60mph you feel like youre driving in a grand prix.  I guess youre on the limits of the machine where a modern car is in its comfort / sedated zone.

 

It reminds me of why we all fell in love with Minis in the first place, such a great drive.  But then you think i'll put on wider wheels and itll corner even better, faster engine and it will feel more sporty but for all you gain you seem to lose much more.  There is such a magic about the original as designed cars that cant fail to put a smile on your face.



#2 phillrulz

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Posted 26 April 2018 - 02:04 PM

id love a 850. Have a 998 carb and a 1275 spi . 



#3 hhhh

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Posted 26 April 2018 - 03:10 PM

I had an 850 hydro pudding stirrer which was getting onto its last legs so I deliberately tried to kill it but couldn't. I was ripping around popping the clutch as hard as I could, revving it to its port-limited redline and holding it there until I literally drove it until a wheel fell off. I saw it go past the passenger side in front of me. I pulled a nut off of each of the other three wheels, bolted it back on, and off I went again. Never could kill that motor though.



#4 mister bridger

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Posted 26 April 2018 - 03:43 PM

I've had a LOT of Minis but the one I remember most fondly was an Almond Green 850 Automatic Mk1 I had back in the '80s (when you could pick them up for less than £100!). It was so gutless there was no option but to floor it all the time, not lifting off for corners or you'd lose all momentum. It was hilarious, like driving a dodgem.



#5 mab01uk

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Posted 26 April 2018 - 07:39 PM

What you say is so very true.......you can spend years modifying, tuning and improving a Mini, then you get back in an original 850 with its bus steering wheel, 10" narrow wheels, etc and you suddenly realise the standard basic car is more of a joy to drive! :lol:



#6 absx2

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Posted 26 April 2018 - 07:49 PM

I`m also a huge fan of the 850 and although on paper they are not the best in design I fondly remember them as being the best bullet proof little screamers.

As for keeping up with modern day traffic, well that's no problem as you won`t be going much over 40 mph anyway.

my mk1 850 super delux would happily scream up to 70 mph in third gear, well i was happy anyway and I love the bus wheel on my daily 1000.

I still have a late 850 with cam bearings, flat tops and a 4 syncro box along with a few 1275 1000 and 1100 motors and I look it as a prized possession and if i`m mad who cares, I love it :)



#7 blacktulip

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Posted 26 April 2018 - 09:50 PM

Great story, I drive a clio 172 now which is a great performance car but I was just talking to the gf tonight that I had more smile factor from my old mini. I do miss it and can't wait to get another project to be honest.

#8 Ethel

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Posted 27 April 2018 - 09:58 AM

There's a lot of logic at play: an engine is at its most efficient with a wide open throttle so having just enough power to produce the performance you can actually use makes sense. You may think you're hooning through the corners, but laying off the brakes and keeping a constant speed is more efficient too. The genius is that your little Mini makes it so much fun, to drive for efficiency in a bigger car can be mind numbingly boring and often slower. Those skinny tyres don't put any less rubber on the road, but they approach their limit of grip more progressively, giving a bigger safety margin to your fun..



#9 Cooperman

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Posted 27 April 2018 - 02:46 PM

The 850 is where it all started back in 1959. It is arguably the most classic of all classic Minis. Still under-valued, it will become a very valuable car in years to come with originality the key to the value.

I have a 1964 car under restoration and it will be virtually standard. The head will be slightly improved with a CR of around 9.5:1 and I may use an HS4 carb, but that's about all really. Just a tacho as an additional instrument and a pair of original 5" Lucas spotlights. Gas-Adjust dampers will be used with the 3.5" wheels and 145/80 x 10 tyres.

Back to the sixties (if only!)  ;D .



#10 surfblue

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Posted 30 April 2018 - 06:38 AM

All this talk of 'modern' 145 radial tyres!

5.20 x 10" cross plies, that's what you need for cornering!

Took mine out yesterday afternoon. lovely sunny day for a 10 mile potter. All felt right with the world, bringing a smile to my and other drivers faces.


Edited by surfblue, 30 April 2018 - 06:41 AM.


#11 Cooperman

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Posted 30 April 2018 - 05:41 PM

My first Mini was bought with cross-ply Dunlops. 5-20 x 10 if I remember correctly.

The first available radials were Michelin 'X' and then Dunlop Duraband RB1.

These were followed by the Dunlop SP3, which was virtually impossible to find, and the Dunlop SP41. Pirelli then came along with the Cinturato and Goodyear with the G800. Firestone introduced the F100 and I helped with the development of this for competition. 

There were cross-ply 'knobbly' tyres like the Dunlop 'Weathermaster' and this became the SP44 radial which was a great tyre. Goodyear had the radial 'Ultra-Grip' as an alternative.

They were all 145 x 10 and were very good in their day.

Goodyear offered a wider low profile tyre called the Goodyear Grand Prix. I tried some but as a rally tyre it was not very good and they ended up on my wife's Mini Van.

That sort-of took us to the 1970's and the Dunlop SP Super 'aquajet' tyre which was the first 165/70 section tyre (as far as I'm aware).






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