70 replies to this topic

[mini-mad-mark]

Hi, just bought a Minus Maxi (MARMITE?)

 

Wondered if there were any other like minded souls out there with one who had any advice/tips (yes I know the good advice is "don't buy one")

 

Sure I read somewhere that it is:

 

"The b@stard love child of a Matra Rancho* and a Clubman Estate"

(*ask your Dad)

 

I'm guessing it would be a small owners club!!!  As far as I can tell from the internet there are only four registered cars - does anybody know how many were made?

 

 

Cheers, Mark

[GraemeC]

Need pics of that!

[Itsaminithing]

You lucky, lucky, so & so   .... was this advertised on the 16V Mini Forum? or the one from Portchester Fareham

I've missed out on two many years ago because the owners were Muppets & asking silly money for them.

[sledgehammer]

Me likey -

 

https://www.google.c...We3YFaGgfHVdLM:

[mini-mad-mark]

Bought it last week on ebay.

 

It is this car:

 

www.flickr.com/photos/carspottinguk/17484487521

 

 

But since that picture someone (who I can only think was drunk at the time) has given it a bizarre paint job so I'm a little reluctant to post any pictures just yet - but will take some for the before and after shots

 

Hoping to make it to Stanford Hall with it looking something like - I won't say finished as that is a word I don't think you can apply to a mini project!.

 

I might post some more on here as a project but I'm not that skilled so it would look rough compared to some of the excellent stuff people do

 

Mark

[Itsaminithing]

eBay last week! How on earth did i miss that?

Need to get my MPI Sportspack re-commissioned (& sell at least one unfinished project) so i wouldn't have bid on it anyway.

(Superficially) it looks like it's in better condition than any i've ever seen for sale before, if i wasn't so far away i'd have come & given you a hand as it's nice to find someone who might actually do one up rather than stripping it for bits & trying (failing) to flog the shell for a small fortune.

[minusone]

Hi ,that's my handy work I got it back on the road about year and half ago didn't want to sale it really but didn't have the cash for a new engine ,its in book two maximum mini page 80. Stuart.

[mini-mad-mark]

Ok so progress is way slower than I would like (and no I won't make Stanford Hall - well not 2016 but hopefully 2017 at least!)

 

How I envy those people who seem to be able to spend every waking moment in the garage - my life is taken up with entertaining the wife (steady!), walking the dog, keeping my 3 kids' bangers mobile, looking after the other two minis, washing the wife's Z4, washing the company car (rules!), DIY, gardening, housework, playing football ......oh and work of course, so have not spent as much time as needed to make good progress

 

Here are some pictures to keep people happy as I know I like looking at the pictures although I like to read posts also

 

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These are pictures as purchased

[mini-mad-mark]

So a couple more pictures as I have stripped most of the "interior" and the engine out plus the wiring.

 

Now I know fibreglass cars need a bit more wire for earth returns, but this was a real bag of spaghetti plus there were some things I am not sure are that good, such as the twisted wires and soldering all four terminals of a fuse box together.....

 

At least it was done by a skilled electrician, unfortunately domestic not automotive judging by the amount of brown, blue and yellow/green wires?

 

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[Itsaminithing]

OK, so it's not the fastest progress in the world.... but at least it's moving forward .

[paulrockliffe]

So ugly. So cool! :)

[mini-mad-mark]

Got "marmite" back from the body shop last week - progress likely to be slow for a while as I have to do decorating now   but as its likely to be pretty chilly in my garage for the next couple of months I suppose thats best done now and then I can really crack on getting it back together although whether I can get it done for any of the shows this year........

 

Think it looks (slightly) less weird without the "urban" paint job but it will always be a bit of an oddball

 

Thought I would also post a couple of pics of my other minis just to show I'm not all about weirdness

 

Apologies for the iPhone/windows picture orientation conflict - if you click on the thumbnail the picture will open correctly aligned in windows (I think)

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[Itsaminithing]

Looking good so far.... will look so much better when you get the Tahiti metallic blue topcoat on it

What's the plan for the wheels & interior?

[mini-mad-mark]

It's Audi Nardo grey (or primer grey if you like!!)

 

Wheels - I think it has to be steels - I've got a set of 5.5 x 10 four spoke Wellers that might go or get some standard mini steels banded to 6 inch (yes I have read all the tosh/sensible engineering discussion about banded wheels) or I might look out for some 13 inch eight spoke Wellers - I reckon larger wheels than 10's might suit it better?

 

Interior.....well there is none and its a blank canvas so I don't know - probably quite conventional as interior is probably the hardest thing to get right

[humph]

Looks great, jealous. Was desperate for the blue one that went on ebay the other week but had to put my sensible head on