19 replies to this topic

[MerlinTheMini]

Thanks mate, could be useful in the future!

[wile e coyote]

There are plenty of places to find mini salvage - certainly around North Somerset, admitedly I haven't been scouring the yards this year so maybe a little out of date but last time I checked Banwell breakers had a mini that I couldn't beleive had been scrapped.... unfortunately the forklift / crane had caused severe damage, and one of the yards by McDonalds & now ex Blockbuster in WSM had a '72 mini and another almost completely stripped and two metro's. (If you go there any spy an austin 1100 and get exclited - don't -  I've had the '295 for a tenner ("only wanted the carb" but I haven't got the right tools" .... can't believe I got away with that....

 

My best parts scrounging  as minis get rarer has been through being cheeky - cruise the neighbourhood and knock on doors - they can only tell you to (insert your own..) ...off!

 

I know of 5 minis (projects / ignored variety rather than roadworthy)  and two neglected metro's within 2 miles of my house and I live in the countryside..

 

Your pushbike is your friend for scrounging....

 

What are you after? I've an out of control spares stash.....

[MerlinTheMini]

Thats really useful mate! Thanks!

 

Might have to make a trip to a few of these places after my exams finish I'm after a lot for the interior and a new bonnet is crucial, aswell as bits and pieces. I'm waiting til the end of my exams (June 19th) to start work on him again, so you'll probably receive a message from me then about spares ;) haha

[wile e coyote]

No probs - I'm an inveterate scrounger....spying the abandoned and door knocking nearly always pays dividends - but be chatty and polite and respectful  and don't expect something for nothing - be prepared to pay and on many occaisions you will be surprised what you can get for nothing....... know your area patrol back roads and "garage alleys" and learn to reognise what a mini  looks like from all angles under tarps etc but equally don't forget that the same applies to metros, allegros, 1.3 maestros / montegos, marinas / itals, austin 11 /1300s / minors  they can all yield useful salvage - I kid you not they're still out there...often in the weeds - the more inaccessible the better. Also remember that there are other cars harbouring mini compatible parts too - the early suzuki SJ's for example can yield HIF44's......

 

That said you don't win all the time - one of the mini's very very local to me - a decrepit RSP Cooper I failed on as "I'm going to restore it one day" - but that was a year ago and not even the cover has come off in all that time so..... time to try again...nowt to lose

 

One door knock lead for you - not too far away from you - come off the M5 at bridgewater headed toward glastonbury - when the road levels out al the top of the hill (2-3 miles down) there's what I suspect is a metro turbo( (only spied the bottom of the alloys)  under wraps at the front of someones house - been there for years - every time I door knock - no one home!

[MerlinTheMini]

Corr mate you sure are a master of the art! I'll have to learn the ropes by roaming the streets and investigating Plymouth should have a lot there, i know people there who love classic cars so i'm sure they'll have some leads too! The reason i was wondering is i was watching the mini episode of classic car rescue the other day and asked myself why i wasn't doing that! Looks fun and cheap, win win! haha