14 replies to this topic

[gav]

Can anyone with one of these models confirm if their actual car has an unleaded head fitted from the factory please. No 'maybe' or 'should have' comments, I'm looking for accurate data. Thanks! 

[roblightbody]

The first two you've mentioned, would be no originally.

But the checkmate yes.

Unleaded heads started being fitted early 1989. My Mum bought a mini in march 89 and it was one of the first.

[gav]

In theory that's correct but I have a feeling it's not 100% accurate.

[Bobbins]

I'm pretty sure the only way to be absolutely right is to pull the head and check.

[gav]

I'm pretty sure the only way to be absolutely right is to pull the head and check.

 

Yes exactly! 

[sonscar]

About that time you could order a "green pack" with unleaded head I dimly remember.Steve..

[roblightbody]

The checkmate was 1990 and the brochure explicitly says that all minis take unleaded.

Piccadilly and park lane were earlier models before the move to unleaded.

Obviously it's over 30 years ago now, so no way of knowing what's happened to the cars in the intervening years.

[ACDodd]

Model has nothing to do with it, check the engine number, mid 89 on 99HE is the number onwards.


Ac

[gav]

I'm not convinced, we have data here from the 80's which has some pre 89 cars with unleaded heads fitted. 

[nicklouse]

I'm not convinced, we have data here from the 80's which has some pre 89 cars with unleaded heads fitted. 

Sorry but what does that even mean? Any engine can have an unleaded head fitted.  It see ACs reply about factory fitted heads. I also know of people buying new Minis/metros that had the heads changed very soon after buying them. But to know about it you would need to have the paper work and hope nothing had been changed since that was done or take the head off and look.

[gav]

Microfiches and parts listings in the mid 80's listed unleaded valves/heads before they were officially fitted in 89, I'm pretty sure we've had customers with pre 89 cars with unleaded heads fitted from the factory but it would be nice to confirm this. 

[Revd]

Microfiches and parts listings in the mid 80's listed unleaded valves/heads before they were officially fitted in 89, I'm pretty sure we've had customers with pre 89 cars with unleaded heads fitted from the factory but it would be nice to confirm this.

‘Microfiches’ -now there’s a word I haven’t heard in a long time

[ACDodd]

Unleaded heads were available for dealer fit before ‘89. These could be ordered from around ‘86 onwards as a kit and to be fitted by a dealer. So there are cars that are unleaded but very few.

The point is model has nothing to do with it.

Ac

[gav]

Unleaded heads were available for dealer fit before ‘89. These could be ordered from around ‘86 onwards as a kit and to be fitted by a dealer. So there are cars that are unleaded but very few.

The point is model has nothing to do with it.

Ac

 

I was merely aiming the question at those owners due to production year ;)

[cooperd70]

Mines a 1990 Flame Red (so identical in all but colour to the Checkmate) and the engine is original and complete and it came with an unleaded head from the factory.

You'd be safe with any 1990 onwards (assume the original head is still on it, as others have suggested).

Edited by cooperd70, 02 December 2020 - 02:21 PM.