8 replies to this topic

[Pearce]

Hello all!

First up - I apologize if these things have been covered. I've searched these forums a bunch and found a number of these things addressed but I'd like to get a New Zealand perspective on them if possible!

My car is a 1978 Mini Leyland 1000.

#1 - Fuel. Almost everyone I've talked to about this has a different opinion. What would you guys recommend, particularly any kiwis out there? What sort of octane and fuel type (Shell, BP etc) would you suggest? Are additives necessary? I've heard everything from "no" to "yes" to mechanical solutions that went way over my head! My Haynes manual says engines of this type with serial number prefix "99HE" can run unleaded petrol but mine is just "99H".

#2 - Back seat belts. I'd like to install seatbelts in the back for when I'm hauling the daughter and missus around, has anyone got any advice? I'm assuming this would need to be something done by a registered professional but any insights as to costs and what's involved I'd appreciate!

#3 - License plates. I'd like to replace my front plate with a vinyl sticker one mounted above the grille on the bonnet. No real reason, just a personal aesthetic preference. Anyone know of the legality of this?

#4 - Front seats. I'm fairly tall (6'2") and ideally I'd like to sit a bit lower and more securely. Any thoughts on readily available seats I could fit in there without too much trouble?

I'll leave it at that for now ha ha! I'd really appreciate any help you guys could give me. Thanks!

[Cooperman]

Hello all!

First up - I apologize if these things have been covered. I've searched these forums a bunch and found a number of these things addressed but I'd like to get a New Zealand perspective on them if possible!

My car is a 1978 Mini Leyland 1000.

#1 - Fuel. Almost everyone I've talked to about this has a different opinion. What would you guys recommend, particularly any kiwis out there? What sort of octane and fuel type (Shell, BP etc) would you suggest? Are additives necessary? I've heard everything from "no" to "yes" to mechanical solutions that went way over my head! My Haynes manual says engines of this type with serial number prefix "99HE" can run unleaded petrol but mine is just "99H".

I am sure you need lead additives with that engine. Ordinary 95 RON petrol is fine, but some sort of additive would help with valve-seat life.

#2 - Back seat belts. I'd like to install seatbelts in the back for when I'm hauling the daughter and missus around, has anyone got any advice? I'm assuming this would need to be something done by a registered professional but any insights as to costs and what's involved I'd appreciate!

If you an get a set they are easy to fit. I'm sure someone on here ould send you photos.

#3 - License plates. I'd like to replace my front plate with a vinyl sticker one mounted above the grille on the bonnet. No real reason, just a personal aesthetic preference. Anyone know of the legality of this?

I don't know what the NZ Constrution & Use Regulations are on this. You need to ask a local classic car club for advice.

#4 - Front seats. I'm fairly tall (6'2") and ideally I'd like to sit a bit lower and more securely. Any thoughts on readily available seats I could fit in there without too much trouble?

You can get after-market bucket seats, but they are a bit difficult to use without fitting full-harness belts, then access to the rear seats is impossible. Adjuster brackets to move the standard seats back are available from, for example, Mini Spares in the UK. Your height with standard seats should not be a problem, it's just getting a bit further bak from the wheel/pedals which you need.

I'll leave it at that for now ha ha! I'd really appreciate any help you guys could give me. Thanks!

A warm welcome to you as well.

[Pearce]

Hey thank you very much Cooperman, I really appreciate your reply and welcome!
Glad to hear the seatbelts might not be too big a job. I'll look into those seat brackets too, I might even be able to get something fabricated at work. I find I have hunch down a bit when looking a long way ahead, moving back will probably help that though.

Thanks again!

[CobraV8]

Hi there, welcome.

I am in NZ too - so can help with some of the questions.

1. Fuel - there is a lot of opinion around that the fuel additives will not make much of a difference to seat life.
2. Back Seat Belts - look on the rear pillars (may have to peep under the trim) and see if there is a fitting for seat belt bolts. If there is - buy some belts. Legally - if replacing you have to install web grabbing retractable belts. Otherwise - buy some good condition ones from a wrecker.
3. Licence plates - it is illegal in NZ to have anything other than original plate. I have heard of people in E-Type jags, porches etc getting tickets. Saying that - I dont run anything on front of my Cobra, and have a sticker on Falcon and never been pulled up on it.
4. Front Seats - if you put anything non-standard in you may be pulled up during warrant of fitness time, they can be very fussy on that. Some bucket seats are ok with normal seat belts, but others you need full harness, which again can be a pain at warrant time - you are supposed to have Motorsport NZ certificate to say you are competing to have the race seat and harness.

Best of luck and enjoy the car.


5.

[malachy]

Hi there, welcome.

I am in NZ too - so can help with some of the questions.

1. Fuel - there is a lot of opinion around that the fuel additives will not make much of a difference to seat life.
2. Back Seat Belts - look on the rear pillars (may have to peep under the trim) and see if there is a fitting for seat belt bolts. If there is - buy some belts. Legally - if replacing you have to install web grabbing retractable belts. Otherwise - buy some good condition ones from a wrecker.
3. Licence plates - it is illegal in NZ to have anything other than original plate. I have heard of people in E-Type jags, porches etc getting tickets. Saying that - I dont run anything on front of my Cobra, and have a sticker on Falcon and never been pulled up on it.
4. Front Seats - if you put anything non-standard in you may be pulled up during warrant of fitness time, they can be very fussy on that. Some bucket seats are ok with normal seat belts, but others you need full harness, which again can be a pain at warrant time - you are supposed to have Motorsport NZ certificate to say you are competing to have the race seat and harness.

Best of luck and enjoy the car.


5.

Just as CobraV8 says. Welcome to a fellow kiwi and a wellington lad at that. Join MOWOG(minis of wellington owners group) great bunch with alot of expertise amongst them. Great club for families too.
02755MOWOG (0275566964), Club President
Location:
Wellington, New Zealand

[taffy1967]

Australian built Minis got rear seat belts fitted as standard from the early 1970's: -





But I guess the NZ Mini was closer in spec to the British version? British Minis didn't get the rear seat-belt adapter plates fitted to the boot firewall until around 1982, so I doubt you're 1978 Mini will have them.

Their only strengthening plates for where the seat belt anchorages fit and they can be retro fitted I'm sure.

As for your front seats, tip them forward and look at the mounting brackets where the seat attaches by the bolts to the brackets on the front of the cross-member. You may be able to undo the bolts and fix the seat to the rearmost mounting peg, because you'd be amazed at how much extra leg room that allows.

If you fit bucket seats or those extension brackets, then nobody will be able to use the rear seat.

[Pearce]

Thank you very much for the replies everyone!

I'll have a look in the back tonight and hopefully find some mounts for the belts.
It sounds like getting some bucket seats in there could make getting people in the back difficult. I had to convince the family it would be a practical car before they'd let me buy it so that might not go down too well ha ha!
Seems like lead additives are a bit of an unknown quantity still...

Thanks for posting that ad Taffy! Mine looks very different to those, the interior and dash on mine are more like an earlier Morris and it's a roundnose too. Someone else I was talking to was surprised to hear my 78 Leyland wasn't a Clubman, maybe it was a British import? I'll have to try and find the history of it. Cheers for the mounting bracket tip!

Thanks again guys, I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

[CobraV8]

Most New Zealand Minis were made in Nelson. The spec of NZ cars was very similar to UK cars. In most cases they were kits from the UK and assembled here with some local content manufactured here.

I am pretty sure they made round nose and clubmans throughout the years.

Your seatbelt bolts - may or may not be there. My old 1977 didnt have them, brothers car late 70s had the mounts but no belts.

[Angusdog]

Fuel: Standard engines take 91. Putting anything else in is a waste of money. We put lead replacement in (From Repco) but does it do any good? Don't know but cheap peace of mind.

The seatbelts may be an issue. Ring around for firms that do it as they'll know the best solution.

Replacement front seats must not be modified in any way and utilise the existing mounts. This means standard mini seats only. Anything else needs to be certified. There's loads of info on this on the LVVTA website, in particular this PDF which basically gives you the dimensions for the body reinforcement to mount other seats. Plus certifying costs $400, so you may be best to get all the mods done you want to and get it done in one hit. In particular, join MOWOG and speaking to Ken McAdam (04 570 6039) who's the Wellington certifier. Doing both will save you an enormous amount of money. You may find you can get a warrant without being certified but eventually you'll get pulled up by someone and then it gets a bit messy.

I changed my suspension to the Smootharide kit from Minisport.co.uk and it's been expensive, as I needed to fit disk brakes to get certified - luckily I had a set ready to go on my project car but I wish I'd known before I started down this route. Basically, speak to Ken. He's a great bloke and very knowledgeable about mods. It all makes sense if you know the rules before you start.

Edited by Angusdog, 15 April 2010 - 09:10 AM.