63 replies to this topic

[Jammy]

the problem with Minis is this: how can you tell a 1973 Mk3 shell and a 1991 Mk3 shell?

The easiest things to spot would be the reinforcing for rear seat belts on the C pillars, the holes in the wings for side repeaters and the whopping big hole in the inner wing for the air ducting (last two things would require the car not to have been flipfronted!). But I get your point; a tax exempt 1972 shell and a 1974 shell would be very difficult to tell apart.

[Retro_10s]

exactly, only a mini buff would know what to look for, and that's if they even check ed in the first place.

I'm with the honesty is the best policy gang on this... but i can see the temptation.

[THE STIG]

having shipped 8 minis to the states and was there for the last four to unload

customs would not have a clue what to look for

when we went to the dmv to register the car all they checked was the vin numbers matched the log book and gave us a out of state inspection cert

which we took in side and payed the tax and where given a title ( log book ) there and then

if only it was that easy here

[ceejam]

the problem with Minis is this: how can you tell a 1973 Mk3 shell and a 1991 Mk3 shell?

The only major change of shell is the sportspack shell.

Piece of *yellow human water*!

You clearly don't know Minis that well!

Gearchange tunnel, subframe mounts, inner wings

But customs people wouldn't know the difference. There's a lot of newer Minis in America with IDs of long gone rusted out MK1s!!

[Guess-Works.com]

Second that....

[slyoldfox2001]

so just to play devils advocat.

i currently have a genuine 1275GT 1979 registered.
the shell has been repaired before and is more or less scrap as it stands.
i have got myself a 1980 clubman shell, had it shotblasted and now need to replace the following panels - wings, a-panels, door steps, doors, rear quarters, complete floor, full skuttle, boot floor, valance.
so practically 75% will be replaced with new panels.
i am then going to transfer over as much as i can from the original GT inlcuding chassis and engine plates.

i am not setting out to gain from the tax free incentives as all i am doing is repairing and reshelling a car that is very close to being scrapped anyway.

so what do i do - i will not moslead anyone regardingt he shell but i also dont see it as breaking the law or ringing the GT.

comments or thoughts please ??

[Jammy]

Technically it is breaking the law. Thats all I'm saying!

[Guess-Works.com]

technically, yes it's illegal, if you repaired the shell and then rebuilt it with original identity of the shell, then that's legal.. .

Because you'll be scrapping the GT shell, that is what constitutes the vehicle, therefore the identity of the vehicle should also be scrapped. If you repair the GT shell, then there's nothing to worry about..

So essentially what yu are doing is taking a collection of parts from differing sources, and putting them together and then saying it's a GT.. which it is by parts, but not by identity...

I could build my mini with all the bits from a cooper S, but it would not be a cooper S it'd still be a Mini 1000 at the end of the day...

[Guess-Works.com]

Additional... if you do do it... make sure you SCRAP the shell, ie cut it up..

The only reason I say that is... I have 1 '71 GT sat in my unit, which has been checked by the police/DVLA and is the genuine vehicle, but some "unlucky" person is driving around with the identity of this car on their clubman..... The best they can hope for is a large bill, and at worst a flat mini !

[slyoldfox2001]

yes i understand but what i am gaining from it - nothing !!
the current shell has already been repaired and theres not much original panel work left
i then repair it with new panels and am legally entitled to say its an original 1275GT.

is not like triggers broom off only fools and horses where its had 17 heads and 14 handles !!!!

[v8mini]

i have got myself a 1980 clubman shell, had it shotblasted and now need to replace the following panels - wings, a-panels, door steps, doors, rear quarters, complete floor, full skuttle, boot floor, valance.
so practically 75% will be replaced with new panels.

With cost of panels and labour (time or cost) wouldn't it be easier to just get a heritage shell as they do a Clubman / 1275 GT shell now. and it would be a legal shell change

Edited by v8mini, 27 September 2006 - 11:48 AM.

[Guess-Works.com]

yes i understand but what i am gaining from it - nothing !!
the current shell has already been repaired and theres not much original panel work left
i then repair it with new panels and am legally entitled to say its an original 1275GT.

is not like triggers broom off only fools and horses where its had 17 heads and 14 handles !!!!

Quite simply, no, and it should undergo an SVA and be given a Q plate to be totally 100% legal...

[lew]

panels wont cost that much id rather do the panels than buy a heritige shell there not even that good i looked at it at mitp my clubby is built slightly better just with little bits of rust lol

[The Fat Leodensian]

the problem with Minis is this: how can you tell a 1973 Mk3 shell and a 1991 Mk3 shell?

Where to start?

Just a couple of differences

Al

[The Matt]

The other thing with shell identification is when a rusty or damaged vehicle has been repaired. For instance if you used the wrong inner wings on an early mini after it'd had a front ender (because the local panel shop only had one type in stock) etc. It's all adding confusion I know.