25 replies to this topic

[Bikerz]

Hi all

Mrs and I have decided on a pair of minis for us, yes we are sad.

I would liek to know what year they injected them from and what models I should look at?

Mrs has about 1500 to spend and incurance will be a probelm as it wil lbe her 1st car and only 18.
I have 4k to play with and incurance isnt realy a problem, driving 2 years etc... I do have 4k, but rather spend 2k and mod i think, good idea?

I think we wil want 2 roll cages for safty, tho I want one just for looks,he he. I will also need a set of bucket seats as im 6 foot 4 so I think il have a problem fitting in the stock seats in there currrent postion on standard subframes.

Neither of us will be buying till after new year, I have to sell my current car too 1st , a VW Lupo Sport 100bhp 51plate.

Any advice would be great

Many thanks

Sheldon

[sqweaka]

Hi all

Mrs and I have decided on a pair of minis for us, yes we are sad.

I would liek to know what year they injected them from and what models I should look at?

Mrs has about 1500 to spend and incurance will be a probelm as it wil lbe her 1st car and only 18.
I have 4k to play with and incurance isnt realy a problem, driving 2 years etc... I do have 4k, but rather spend 2k and mod i think, good idea?

I think we wil want 2 roll cages for safty, tho I want one just for looks,he he. I will also need a set of bucket seats as im 6 foot 4 so I think il have a problem fitting in the stock seats in there currrent postion on standard subframes.

Neither of us will be buying till after new year, I have to sell my current car too 1st , a VW Lupo Sport 100bhp 51plate.

Any advice would be great

Many thanks

Sheldon

if you are going to fit a roll cage to your wifes car it'll bump up her insurance

[taffy1967]

Well check out my Mini History website for some basic facts on Mini details:-

My Rough Guide To The Mini 1959-2000

But you might be better off spending the money on the best Mini you can get with the least rust, the lowest mileage and a full service history etc.

As for fitting roll-cages, well their only really needed if you plan on taking part in some form of motorsport. If you go fitting them to a standard road car like sqweaka said it'll affect your insurance because they take the view that you will probably drive like a nutter with a cage fitted and are likely to suffer head injuries due to the cage because you'll be driving with no crash helmet.

If your worried about safety, then buy a late model (post 1996) because they come equipped with a drivers air-bag, seat belt pre-tensioners and door impact beams too.

As for the seats, well you can drop them back a peg by simply undoing the mounting bolts and if that isn't enough, then you can buy special adapter brackets that allow the seats to go right back. You'll loose rear seat leg-room, but you'll certainly sit more comfortabley up front.

Edited by taffy1967, 12 December 2006 - 09:32 PM.

[Bikerz]

cheers for advice

What year did they put fuel incetion on them? 1994?

[Jammy]

1992 I believe. 1992 was the start of the Spi, think 1994 was the beginning of the MPi.

[Bikerz]

AH ok cheers mate.

ANy companies that are cheap for incurance on a mini?

Are the sunroofs prone to leaking? Are cars with sunroofs worth more? I dont realy want a sunroof, so will try and get one without but thourght be good to ask just incase

Edited by Bikerz, 13 December 2006 - 12:39 AM.

[taffy1967]

The first Mini to go SPi was the Cooper in late 1991 then all Mini models followed suit in 1994/95 and then the Twin-Point/MPi Mini and Mini Cooper first appeared in late 1996.

There's quite a few specialist insurance companies and most advertise in the Mini Magz but here's a few anyway:-

Lancaster Insurance Services:
01480 484848

Peformance Insurance:
Standard Cars 0870 7870849
Modified & Performance 0870 7870855
Classic 0870 7870856

HIC/Mini World Insurance:
08451 258 258

Adrian Flux Insurance:
08700 777888

As for sunroofs, well the only UK based Mini model to get a glass tilting webasto/tudor sunroof from the factory was the 1990 Mini Cooper LE (aka RSP) and the only one to get an electric webasto fabric full length job was the 1992 Mini British Open Classic LE.

Other than that I doubt you'd be expected to pay extra if a Mini has been fitted with a sunroof and like most cars they can be prone to leaking although the fabric job on my sisters 92' Open Classic LE was pretty good unless you threw a bucket of water at it.

[Bikerz]

OK cheers.

I might keep the lupo and buy a cheap mini for say 1k and do it up in a year then drive it sell lupo and turbo the engine. But still need to find one for mrs, due to incuranc ebeing soo cheap for her on anything bar the coppers, se cn strech to 1700-1800 on a mini but cheaper the better and would prefer an injection (due to i dout she will be able to grasp manual chokes.lol

If i go and get her a 998cc how much would it cost for me to make it look like a copper? as only ones she likes look of is coppers. WHat parts would i need to buy to make it look like a copper and how much? Arches, what else?

Many thanks

[taffy1967]

Well your looking on a couple of hundred quid to make a bog standard Mini look like a Cooper because you'll be wanting the white or black roof (depending on the body colour), bonnet stripes, chrome grille, spot-lamps and alloys too?

But if your fitting alloys to a Mini that only got steel rims with plastic hub-caps, you should declare the mod (plus the Cooper look too) to your insurers otherwise they'll use it as an excuse not to pay out in the event of a claim. It shouldn't cost much if any extra on a specialist policy though.

[Bikerz]

were any 1 litres fuel injected? Are all 1.3's after 1992 fuel injected?

[Puddings]

no sorry all 998cc were carb so will be a 1275 you will be after, you will be hard pressed to find a 1275MPI for 1.5K near 2k would do it and still they might not be any good

[taffy1967]

All Coopers after 1991 are injection, but the Mini Sprite, Mayfair and a few LE's got HIF38 carbs with their 1275cc engines until briefly going SPi too from 1994/95.

[Bikerz]

what year did they fit a 5 speed box into the mini?

[mini93]

they never did, you can buy 5speed box's from places like jackknight or minisport etc they cost a fair lump tho!!

[tino]

I dont think they ever did as standard

a bit to late there......