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Are Custom Builds And Highly Modified Minis No Longer A Thing?


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#46 TheFabMini

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 06:54 PM

I mean it’s just a car and at least we aren’t BMW owners!

yeah, about that...

I've also had a Bini and a Bini Clubman
At classic shows there's always that awkward chat when someone says they hate the new minis etc etc... just nod and smile

#47 Mito

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 07:48 PM

I mean it’s just a car and at least we aren’t BMW owners!

yeah, about that...
I've also had a Bini and a Bini Clubman
At classic shows there's always that awkward chat when someone says they hate the new minis etc etc... just nod and smile
I've currently got a clubman (I can tow my classics with it if I need to) and the mrs has a cooper.

I just laugh when someone says they don't like Binis, as I don't really care. Life would be boring if we were all the same. Plus, better to drive a Bini then one of the other grey modern cars.

#48 beardylondon

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 08:23 PM

Bizarrely I was actually just joking about classic BMWs!

Bini are a whole other discussion!

;-)

#49 Icey

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Posted 23 May 2022 - 10:45 PM

We’re all coming out of the woodwork, we have an R53 and an R55 😄

#50 bpirie1000

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Posted 24 May 2022 - 06:30 PM

I hate to have to tell some but the new mini..... R50.... which was the early new shape ones...

Is now 22 years old...... so they are not new minis.....

Bmw mini is a bmw mini regardless....

We do not split hairs about Auatin and Morris minis.....

Or do we?

(CRAWLS BACK UNDER MY STONE)

#51 sonscar

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Posted 24 May 2022 - 07:07 PM

I can appreciate the merits of all cars without prejudice, I may not want to or be able to afford them but they all have qualities,some of the owners however?( preparing to be pilloried),Steve..

#52 beardylondon

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Posted 24 May 2022 - 07:28 PM

I’m wondering if there’s this much loathing towards the later cars in the VW scene?

But then I guess a VW Beetle and Camper / Van is still made by the original manufacturer, unlike the BINI.

Edited by beardylondon, 24 May 2022 - 07:28 PM.


#53 DomCr250

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 02:39 PM

Personally, I don't miss those kind of builds. They had/have very little appeal. It's all been done before. While a line of bog standard cars is not all that exciting, well executed restomod builds are far more interesting than some of the extreme stuff.

The 'why' is likely fairly simple to understand - aging owner groups, increasing base costs, decreasing space/time/money for hobbies.

Or people who have them are so fed up with people making snap judgements they don't bother going to shows like that anymore.



#54 Icey

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 03:32 PM

 

Personally, I don't miss those kind of builds. They had/have very little appeal. It's all been done before. While a line of bog standard cars is not all that exciting, well executed restomod builds are far more interesting than some of the extreme stuff.

The 'why' is likely fairly simple to understand - aging owner groups, increasing base costs, decreasing space/time/money for hobbies.

Or people who have them are so fed up with people making snap judgements they don't bother going to shows like that anymore.

 

I think we got to the end of that one in this thread - if people are being abusive towards the owner or car, yeah, they ain't gonna go to shows but that's not unique to Minis there are arseholes in every community. But people just not liking extreme builds is going to be largely invisible to the owner unless they are going to shows and expecting to have their ego stroked by having a queue of people cooing over the car...and it just not happening?

Interestingly, I've seen this playout over the last few years with a couple of well known Minis and wondered if the owner grew irked by the whims of 'the crowd'. The orange VTEC turbo is a great example. Magazine feature car, when it first appeared I remember people lining up to take a look. Then with every show 'the crowd' grew more indifferent to the point the last show I remember seeing it, it was just another car in the line-up for most people. I think it's been sold on/raffled off now.



#55 roberts

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 03:54 PM

The current trend is to build "retro period" Minis, rather than "mad as f**k" Minis. If you take a closer look at recently restored Minis they might appear to be relatively original, but they are in fact completely custom and often retro fitted to make them look older than they actually are.

 

In terms of the interiors we continually work on, we now do a lot of tan, basketweave and tweed 70's inspired builds (this trend has gradually crept in over the past 4 years or so), which reflects the current demand (I love tan, so I'm all for it personally).

 

It will swing around again, especially as Max Power are back on the scene and it won't be long until everyone wants diamond stitching and banging subwoofers again.



#56 mab01uk

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 10:49 PM

I don't remember seeing any immaculate 'Cafe Racer' Minis with all the right bits ticked like Rosepetal wheels, etc back in the day or better than Factory Fresh unmodified Cooper and S's so what you now see lined up at modern shows like Beaulieu, looking exactly the same with Newton interiors, perfect carpets, no oil leaks & everything polished is not really how it was in period.....

 

A lot of our 'Coopers' or 'Cooper S' back in the day were really Mini 850's upgraded to varying standards with the Cooper parts and trim from local breakers yards, Exchange & Mart or the ads at the back of Motoring News, plus the bolt-on goodies available from the then common local car accessory shops. Insurance for younger drivers on a Cooper or S was almost impossible or expensive so unlike today the Cooper S log book was not desirable, valuable or sought after from all those that were scrapped or the many that were written off during that era. I wish I had kept a few from those we broke up for spares due to rust which would now be a sought after easy restoration project buy on ebay!  :lol:
As well as a high insurance group the Cooper and Cooper S badges were also seen as an invite to car thieves as they were one of the most stolen cars at the time to be broken up to satisfy the demand for their component parts for modifying standard Minis and engine swaps, as most were never seen again....
The 1275GT later helped BL solve the Cooper insurance problem as younger drivers could get insured on it and add twin carbs, etc when they were a little older!

 

 

 



#57 TheFabMini

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Posted 25 June 2022 - 10:45 PM

The 'Ruined minis' Facebook page is showing the modded scene is still very alive and strong but appears to be a secret hidden society.

Are there enough people on here who don't have access to Facebook?? If so I'm happy to save and upload a selections of images from the Facebook page if that would be of interest???

#58 Lowestoftmodder

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Posted 26 June 2022 - 07:25 AM

I’m happy to say that Facebook is in decline in the mid range age group and the younger users are turning their back on it in favour of other apps and media (in the uk anyway) so yes please post them up

Edited by Lowestoftmodder, 26 June 2022 - 07:30 AM.


#59 MiniFanGraham

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Posted 26 June 2022 - 10:35 AM

Modded minis are still around in various guises
 

shorties:
https://www.carandcl...om/car/C1465654

https://www.carandcl...om/car/C1434954

limo:
https://www.ebay.co....tm/134132562890

there is a 6 wheel minivan recently advertised somewhere (can't find it right now)

engine swaps such as this:
https://www.ebay.co....tm/275354787771

but yeah not seen extreme examples for a while, remember seeing a jag engined mini at a show years ago and a twin engined mini, I do admire the enginering that goes into them.

personally I prefer sticking to original with minor mods to personal taste

I guess in 10-20 years time we are going to see various electric mini conversions as fuel prices will eventually go really high after the 2030 ban on new ICE'd cars kick's in, eventually I think petrol stations will become a rare thing as they will become charge stations

 

 






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