3 replies to this topic

[Clip]

Hi from Queensland Australia. Just bought my second mini. A 1962 UK built 850. It was imported brand new into Australia in late 1962. Not sure why, have yet to find out if this was the norm or not. All matching numbers and almost completely stock. It has the sweetest motor, good gearbox and pretty clean body I think, (or hope!).

 mini.JPG   72.5K   2 downloads

 

I bought my first mini 40 years ago which was also an 850, but not in this condition, it was a basket case. Always wanted another and finally have! My father was also a BMC tragic and between us we have now owned 4 minis, 2 Austin 1800s, an X6 Tasman (an Aussie model - based on the 1800 but different body and 6cyl engine), and 2 Morris 1100, plus an Austin A40 Farina and Morris Major 1500.

 

My first recollection of the family mini was when I was 4 years old - that's me in about 1966 standing by guarding the mini. I was always worried that when I was old enough to get my driver's license, there wouldn't be any left to buy! Go figure - 50 years later I'm still buying them.

 CPhoto24.jpg   65.56K   4 downloads

 

So the restoration starts. First with the body, then I'll see how satisfied I am with the engine and gearbox. But chances are I'll be wanting something a little more, although I'm not sure how happy I am about modding such a genuine article (other than paint). Maybe a worked over 850 will do me. Will certainly be spending days going through the forum for answers and opinions etc.

 

Cheers, Clip

 

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

Welcome.

 

That Mini's sitting very high in the second picture; was it brand new?

 

I used to worry there'd be no petrol left by the time I got my licence.  Now I worry that there's plenty of petrol but it'll be taken away from us.

[Clip]

Yes it would have been brand new, give or take a few months. Not long after this photo was taken, I watched my father tyre black the tyres. After he went back into the house, I got the paint brush that he left sitting in some turps to clean the tyre black out of, along with the can of tyre black and preceded to paint as much of the mini as I cold with it! I got most of the left hand side done (at least what I could reach), before he came out and discovered his once white mini, now was now half black. I'm not sure what happened after that as I think I've blocked it out of my memory :)

[Clip]

I used to worry there'd be no petrol left by the time I got my licence.  Now I worry that there's plenty of petrol but it'll be taken away from us.

Yep, me too.