17 replies to this topic

[morgen]

Hi everyone,

My daily driver is an an H plate (1990) Flame Red and I'm trying to find out what the factory badging and other accessories would have been since I've seen some contradictory press pictures (maybe from other markets). Anyone bought a UK Flame Red from new? I'm hoping to get her fairly standard over time (with the exception of some older bits!).... so far spent six years undoing old bodges from past owners (and fighting the tinworm).

As far as I know there were two similar models but both had the same stickers: In 1989 there was the "Mini Flame" (with the "Flame Red" sticker on the side). This had steel wheels with white trims, 3.1 final drive, white roof, black grille.... and in 1990/91 there was the Flame Red, alloy wheels, 3.4 final drive, chrome grille... not sure if the badges were the same but I imagine so.

My car has the 'winged' mini badges but I don't that they are standard. Also, most Flame Reds I've seen have the opening rear passenger windows whereas mine are static (I quite like the opening ones... though I suppose they make it even easier for someone to break in, which has happened once too often already!)

I'm not this *rec of the tum*/pedantic about most things.... but hey, this is good procrastination and I need something to think about when I have no access to my parents driveway or my tools!

[taffy1967]

http://www.roblightb...1990_racing.htm

[shorty]

http://www.roblightb...1990_racing.htm

mines a 1989

but i know they don't differ aha, mine no longer has orignal decals on it though

[taffy1967]

No they don't differ a great deal, but if you ever should fit alloy wheels to the 1989 version which only came with steel wheels and plastic wheel trims, be sure to tell your insurers.

[shorty]

mine did indeed come with alloys when i bought it, and they have indeed been delcared
haven't got the orignal badge on mine, hmm might be worth finding the original one me thinks

[captainjack15]

I think I need to put my Racing Green things on!

[mininuts]

Bought my Flame brand new and collected it on Aug 1st 1990
It was the second edition of the model that came with the alloy wheels. As far as I know the rear side windows never opened on any Flame as standard because the car was based on the City model of the time.
Also, the first editions came with Nimbus Grey arches and grille where the second editions had black arches and grille. Also note the badge on the bottom left of the grille which simply reads 'MINI'.

Apart from the exhaust and window stickers, the photos show how my Flame came brand new from the dealer. The first two pictures were taken three days after I bought it.

Hope this helps.

[morgen]

Thanks for all the info,

I like that way that the forum automatically changed my Freudian term for something else... I'm sure it sounds worse now

I had seen some brochures before but never that one, thanks Taffy. Those pictures are great Mininuts, I take it you still have that car? It's always nice to see one owner for so long; my first car is a Morris Minor which I more or less decided was mine when I was 7 in protest to suggests it would be scrapped - currently trying to get through a major rebuild but hope to be the only owner of it (in my lifetime anyway, untill they prise my cold dead hands of the steering wheel)

After seeing these pictures it's mostly the bonnet badges I'm after I think, seems like a fairly unusual one. Actually, add a gearknob to that, when I got mine I changed it to something more retro and now I can't find the original (which from those pictures is one thing that differs between the models), I've not seen that shape of one before on another mini, I think it had red or orange lettering.


Right, off to Ebay then, Thanks again!

Edited by morgen, 27 February 2010 - 10:33 AM.

[mininuts]

Those pictures are great Mininuts,

Thanks

I take it you still have that car?

Oh I wish!!! Part ex'd it for a 91 Cooper 1.3i back in 92.

[morgen]

http://www.roblightb...1990_racing.htm

Look at the ride height on those, seems like Rover really didn't want lots of Minis returned under warranty with speed-bump exhaust destruction!

[morgen]

Well I read somewhere that the Flame Red, Racing Green and Check Mate (along with the RSP) were introduced to test the market and see if there was a demand for sporty minis before they decided to bring the Cooper back. Seems like your Flame Red did exactly that

Is your Cooper an SPI/catalytic convert or a carb/catalytic converter? I didn't remember that there were Coopers in 91/92 other than the RSP (should have done after working in a Mini garrage for a year...)

[mininuts]

Well I read somewhere that the Flame Red, Racing Green and Check Mate (along with the RSP) were introduced to test the market and see if there was a demand for sporty minis before they decided to bring the Cooper back. Seems like your Flame Red did exactly that

Yes, after seeing the RSP, I wanted a 'new' Cooper but, couldn't afford one at the time so kept the Flame until I could.

Is your Cooper an SPI/catalytic convert or a carb/catalytic converter? I didn't remember that there were Coopers in 91/92 other than the RSP (should have done after working in a Mini garrage for a year...)

My Cooper was an Spi, (1.3i). It was one of the first injection models, being registered in 1991. Between the RSP and the 1.3i's, Rover produced, what are now known as, 'mainstream' Coopers which were carb/cat and they were only built for just over a year. These had the same interior as the Racing/Flame, no bonnet stripes or spotlamps and, IIRC didn't even have tinted glass.

[pip]

Oh my goodness looking at the brochure pictures for the flame red it looks like the previous owners of my car never changed anything! Also evident from the state of some of the engine parts but less said about that.....

Very interesting seeing some of the original press for them

[taffy1967]

Thanks for all the info,

I like that way that the forum automatically changed my Freudian term for something else... I'm sure it sounds worse now

I had seen some brochures before but never that one, thanks Taffy. Those pictures are great Mininuts, I take it you still have that car? It's always nice to see one owner for so long; my first car is a Morris Minor which I more or less decided was mine when I was 7 in protest to suggests it would be scrapped - currently trying to get through a major rebuild but hope to be the only owner of it (in my lifetime anyway, untill they prise my cold dead hands of the steering wheel)

After seeing these pictures it's mostly the bonnet badges I'm after I think, seems like a fairly unusual one. Actually, add a gearknob to that, when I got mine I changed it to something more retro and now I can't find the original (which from those pictures is one thing that differs between the models), I've not seen that shape of one before on another mini, I think it had red or orange lettering.


Right, off to Ebay then, Thanks again!

The 1989 versions look like they came equipped with the standard Mini City type gearknob. Where as the 1990 versions have the Mini Cooper type.

[taffy1967]

http://www.roblightb...1990_racing.htm

Look at the ride height on those, seems like Rover really didn't want lots of Minis returned under warranty with speed-bump exhaust destruction!

Nope, the rubber springs are new and haven't had time to settle yet.