28 replies to this topic

[mini1976]

Looking at buying a 1965 mini, that appears at first look to be pretty original and in good sound condition with no rust.

 

If I was to buy it I would probably want to swap the engine for a 1275 and change the brakes to disc's for less maintenance and better stopping. I would also probably look at fitting some seats that have head rests as they are a little bit safer. Also I guess it will have the old fashioned drive linkages so I might consider putting in a newer gearbox, but that would probably lead to needing to cut a new hole in the floor :S

 

So what are peoples thoughts on changing a pretty standard MK1, is it sacrilegious and should never be done or just what happens to make the car more usable on a day to day basis and just keep the bits I take off so any future owner can replace them?

 

Lastly does anyone have any idea what a MK1 would be worth before and after the above changes?

 

 

 

 

 

 

And yes the car is in New Zealand (where I live at present) but if I bought it I would probably ship it back to the UK when I come back in a few years.

[mab01uk]

Why not just buy a later less collectible Mini and modify that with a 'retro' theme by fitting Mk1 rear lights, bootlid, grille, central speedo, etc all readily avaliable from Mini suppliers?

[mini1976]

Because this one is available at a reasonable price and appears to be un messed with so your not for ever sorting out a previous owners mod that has actually cause other issues.

[Dzmarc]

At the end of the day it is your mini and you can do what you like with it. 

I guess if you where to make it to Cooper standard engine etc you are at least keeping it period and it would look  right and in turn probably not affect the value so much. 

 

Converting it with all those other mods though may well put many people off (since you are now 'messing' with it) so I would think carefully about what you are doing and how easy it is to put back if you later decide to sell.

 

 

Best of luck

[timmy850]

In Australia at least, the values of cars are lower than in the UK and there is less of a hype around Mk1 cars as we stopped building cars in the 70's. I don't see any problem with the mods you mention, most of them are easily reversible and will make the car more usable and enjoyable to use.

 

I have a 1963 Morris 850 that has been changed over the years. It's had a white roof and 998 engine for a longer period than when it was "original"... Sure I could downgrade it to have single cylinder front brakes, and a smaller non-original engine, but then I wouldn't be able to use and enjoy it the way I can now. I even drove it to work today, it sits nicely on the highway at 100kph at over 4000rpm and starts/stops/drives fine with all the other traffic.

[timmy850]

There's also no reason why you can't put an 850 "magic wand" shifter on any remote gearbox too. I'm considering putting one on my planned 1098 engine with a 4 sync remote gearbox

[bpirie1000]

It is your car. You make it the way you want it..

If they don't like it they don't have to look at it..

It is mini shapped and that is all that matters.... Another on the road is always good...

[Spider]

Here in Aust, while they appear desirable and much talked about there really doesn't seem to be much interest for all the 'talk' in sums of money for anything other then Coopers, Cooper S's, Clubman GT and Mokes. I find it 'odd' and I also can't understand why on one particular local forum, there seems be be, on one hand, much ballyhoo about the earlier, 'lesser' models and the 'value' of them, yet when they come up on ebay asking respectable money the same people bag out the owners for it and everyone else's car is a 'fake' - except theirs of course.

 

While they should get better money than they are, they don't and - sadly - I don't ever think that situation will change.

 

That being what it is, I'd say, go for it as it won't devalue nor ad value, so you may as well make it 'yours' in a way that you will enjoy.

[Vinay-RS]

Didn't you guys in Aus get the mini K, which looks like a mk1? Plus your clubbies are basically a mk2 with a clubman front end? 

 

I do think that most changes are reversible. If you keep all the original bits, you can't go wrong. You can modify your car (engine swap, better brakes, better suspension, decent sound system, etc) without affecting the value as a future buyer can always fit the original parts if that is what they are after.

[timmy850]

Didn't you guys in Aus get the mini K, which looks like a mk1? Plus your clubbies are basically a mk2 with a clubman front end? 
 
I do think that most changes are reversible. If you keep all the original bits, you can't go wrong. You can modify your car (engine swap, better brakes, better suspension, decent sound system, etc) without affecting the value as a future buyer can always fit the original parts if that is what they are after.

They are all (including clubman) loosely based on the UK Mk1 shell - narrow rear window and external hinges. The K had an 1100 and 4 sync remote box. The clubbies had the Mk2 rear lenses and the roundnose all had the Mk1 (although they went to Aus made 2 screw lenses)

[Spider]

Didn't you guys in Aus get the mini K, which looks like a mk1? Plus your clubbies are basically a mk2 with a clubman front end? 

 

 

After our Morris 850 and Cooper Models, our local production doesn't really directly compare to the UK Cars, so you could end up in the luney bin trying to relate UK cars to Aust cars.

 

Yes, we did get the Mini K (K for Kangaroo) and is technically a MKII Model - as far as our local production records go and the Clubman was another model range yet again, which for the most part, still retained much of the shell from the Mini K Model, but also had it's many and uniquely Aust differences.

[Gerbil367]

The main thing is for you to have a car that you love and enjoy driving - as previously said, if worried about originality and value, just keep the parts that you swap over. A 1275 makes a world of difference

 

Car looks lovely - enjoy it for all you can

[mikal]

I have a rather seriously "souped up" '67 Deluxe. The actual body shell is completely original bar the RH tank hole. Except that, if I wanted to, I could replace all the Cooper S stuff with the original gear and no one would be the wiser. Mine is in mint condition and with all the special stuff in it it's worth more as it is than if it was a standard Deluxe.
Why on earth would you return to the UK after living in NZ?!

[mk3 Cooper S]

as stated,

Keep the original bits should you ever want to go back to original. A 1275 can be mated to a magic wand type gearbox or upgrade to a remote type one?

 

Either way, it is not a desired cooper mk as such and therefore condition is everything to value