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[Bobbins]

Hi ... first post ...

This afternoon I picked up a very unmolested 1998 JDM Cooper, sold my last Mini in 1983 but driving this one it feels like it was only yesterday! This car was imported into the UK in 2008 and has been in the same family since then so there's very little that's been messed with. It needs work, mechanically it desperately needs a new clutch but otherwise drives very well. Initially I'm going to give the paintwork a good going over and identify what rot there is, but for now I'll being trying to just put a stop on anything getting any worse unless it's an easy bolt on/off repair.
Having read through and followed Steve220's rebuild thread it's made me think a major rebuild could be very worthwhile, it'll need to wait for now though. Get ready for lots of questions!!!

Stu.

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[spiguy]

Welcome Stu. Congrats on your new mini!  Fellow Jap mini owner here (there are quite a few of us!). Car looks good. Depending on how it has been used in the 10 years it's been over here you might be pleasantly surprised by what you find. Every chance there will be little in the way of any serious rust, depends on any protection applied since it came back, use in winter etc.  One thing I can recommend is that unless already changed, rubber parts tend to fair less well on the Jap cars. Mine had rock solid squished cones (yours looks a bit like the front end is sitting quite low too). New cones all round made a world of difference, as did new subframe mounts etc. 

 

Best of luck and hope you enjoy getting back into minis again!

[Bobbins]

New suspension rubbers definitely needed, it's had a sump guard fitted due to hitting things which isn't really the correct solution!
You're right about the window rubbers being badly perished - fortunately the previous owner had intended to address this and had already bought replacements, I need to check what's in the boot but it looks like I already have window rubbers and door seals, fingers crossed there's a boot seal as well. It's going to be a busy weekend!