Young Ree has got the bug after having been in a restored one this week.

He's always loved them, as like most of us, but I realise that purchasing one is not straightforward, with many pitfalls awaiting the unwary....mainly rusty ones at that.

 

Anyone in here got a classic one that can offer sturdy purchasing advice please?

 

He wants as original  as possible, and quite likes the later ones with the spats and deep alloys.

Probably about 4-5k to spare.

Take a good magnet.

Rust appears mainly on quarter panels just in front of doors, the corners of the panel at the bottom of the windscreen, round the headlights, sills, inside and outer, both sub frames but particularly the rear.

As for mechanicals, look at the usual.

This has lots of Info.

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/270227-classic-mini-advice

Take a good magnet.

Rust appears mainly on quarter panels just in front of doors, the corners of the panel at the bottom of the windscreen, round the headlights, sills, inside and outer, both sub frames but particularly the rear.

As for mechanicals, look at the usual.

Christ. So, near enough everywhere then?

Check the sub frames! There are many specialists out there to assist with restoration but if the base is solid then it's a far easier task. Check under the carpets to ensure the floor pan is also in good order as I've seen a few with planks of wood holding up the front seats

Check the sub frames! There are many specialists out there to assist with restoration but if the base is solid then it's a far easier task. Check under the carpets to ensure the floor pan is also in good order as I've seen a few with planks of wood holding up the front seats

Mrs R's first car (Mini) had that mod. 

 

Also, I had to drill holes in the driver footwell to help the water to constantly  drain away.

Actually you know, I've just realised that one of my cussies is an ex BL garage going back decades, and one of the mechanics (NOT a techie, no, a MECHANIC) is in the middle of renovating a Mini from top to bottom with a Honda Civic Type R engine under the bonnet for a guy in Canada.

He's actually flying out there to meet the boat to hand it over when it's finished.

Mechanically simple, if sometimes access if tricky.

Rot is everything, and likely in most places. Floors, boot, doors, subframes, around the windows, seams and headlamps to name but a few.

Sort of cute, but dog slow and noisy and uncomfortable.

Just what a learner should be driving!

After I made a mess of myself on the bike (actually the road made a mess of me, I was definitely off the bike) I bought a ra(o)tty minivan as a shagwagon, complete with mattress in the back.

As bought it had no loom or brakes, and the engine was shot. No heater nor speedo neither.

Bits were very cheap back then, 1968ish.

A mate made me a loom. I replaced all the brakes and swapped the engine out of an 1100. Yeah Man, its got the remote gear shift! Total spend, about £50 all in.

Never did have a heater or do any of the rot apart from a few dabs of red oxide. Only got round to the speedo in the winter as the slush would come in through the hole in the dash and I had to wear my biking gear.

Mechanically simple, if sometimes access if tricky.

Rot is everything, and likely in most places. Floors, boot, doors, subframes, around the windows, seams and headlamps to name but a few.

Sort of cute, but dog slow and noisy and uncomfortable.

Just what a learner should be driving!

After I made a mess of myself on the bike (actually the road made a mess of me, I was definitely off the bike) I bought a ra(o)tty minivan as a shagwagon, complete with mattress in the back.

As bought it had no loom or brakes, and the engine was shot. No heater nor speedo neither.

Bits were very cheap back then, 1968ish.

A mate made me a loom. I replaced all the brakes and swapped the engine out of an 1100. Yeah Man, its got the remote gear shift! Total spend, about £50 all in.

Never did have a heater or do any of the rot apart from a few dabs of red oxide. Only got round to the speedo in the winter as the slush would come in through the hole in the dash and I had to wear my biking gear.

 

 

Ahhhh, yes. The old red oxide trick, oh, and 'Rustcure' too.

 

Kind of made you feel as though you were doing something positive to address the galloping  tin worm problem. 

 

NEVER painted over it either.

Edited 9 August, 201411 yr by Mr Ree

Mechanically simple, if sometimes access if tricky.

Rot is everything, and likely in most places. Floors, boot, doors, subframes, around the windows, seams and headlamps to name but a few.

Sort of cute, but dog slow and noisy and uncomfortable.

Just what a learner should be driving!

After I made a mess of myself on the bike (actually the road made a mess of me, I was definitely off the bike) I bought a ra(o)tty minivan as a shagwagon, complete with mattress in the back.

As bought it had no loom or brakes, and the engine was shot. No heater nor speedo neither.

Bits were very cheap back then, 1968ish.

A mate made me a loom. I replaced all the brakes and swapped the engine out of an 1100. Yeah Man, its got the remote gear shift! Total spend, about £50 all in.

Never did have a heater or do any of the rot apart from a few dabs of red oxide. Only got round to the speedo in the winter as the slush would come in through the hole in the dash and I had to wear my biking gear.

 

 

Now THAT has just created a film of coffee all over the PC screen! 

Absolute class.

If you've got the right money you can now buy a new bodyshell, finished in modern materials so alleviating most of the old rust problems. 

I've been working on a 68 Mini for a neighbour when he struggles with it! The main thing is dreaded rust, in comparison everything else is very easy to sort out Welding has been the biggest job on it by far!

If you've got the right money you can now buy a new bodyshell, finished in modern materials so alleviating most of the old rust problems. 

Am I right in saying the Escort mk 1 or is it 2 bodyshell is also being produced again too? 

For reference also, should he go down this route and requires bits and pieces I think Rimmer Brothers may be invaluable. It's kind of like the JLR / BL equivalent of VW Heritage.

For reference also, should he go down this route and requires bits and pieces I think Rimmer Brothers may be invaluable. It's kind of like the JLR / BL equivalent of VW Heritage.

They are great! A tad pricey but good! I've used them a lot for the Stag, David Manners in Birmingham specialise in Mini parts too

Get a mark one golf instead. 

If I ever bought a classic motor for fun and tinkering

I would buy either a Mark one Golf, preferably GTI

or a mid 80s 911. 

Get a mark one golf instead. 

If I ever bought a classic motor for fun and tinkering

I would buy either a Mark one Golf, preferably GTI

 

 

 

 The only thing to beware with this scenario is the insurance costs afterwards. I was offered a very cheap (but incredibly tatty/ rotten) Mk1 1.1 for peanuts for the boy. Insurance couldn't be bought for less than £3k

There's also Minispares...

http://www.minispares.com/shop/classic.aspx?c

I reckon you could pretty much build a brand new one from all the bit's and pieces they sell !

They are great! A tad pricey but good! I've used them a lot for the Stag, David Manners in Birmingham specialise in Mini parts too

I've used them for a couple of bits whilst working on the golf, I didn't find them too bad price wise, dispatch was speedy as was delivery. Was well chuffed

 The only thing to beware with this scenario is the insurance costs afterwards. I was offered a very cheap (but incredibly tatty/ rotten) Mk1 1.1 for peanuts for the boy. Insurance couldn't be bought for less than £3k

I could get classic car insurance for a mark 1 that wouldn't 

cost me more than £200 a year...  The only thing stopping me is

having no garage to keep it in.  

But I'm over 40, very good postcode and full licence over 20 years

and about 17 years since my last claim.

Insurance is something that used to be a big expense when I was young

and living in Dagenham. Now my annual insurance bill is just a whisker over £600pa

and that's 3 separate full comp policies for the S3, the van(trade insurance)  and the bike.  

Almost makes the greying hair worth it...

Just got back from seeing my 'old school' mechanic.

 

The only word he could say every time i spoke was "RUST, RUST, RUST', oh, and watch out for dodgy synchro and oil leaks, oh, and RUST"

 

He then showed me the Canadian project, now LHD too.

Making and fitting a steel lift off complete front end.

 

Fired up it's 300 Honda horses for me! 

0-60 sub 4 seconds if you can get it to hold its power down, and wheel spin easily obtainable in 4th.

 

Should be complete by November.

Absolute MONSTER in sheeps clothing. 

Who was selling that rather tasty Mini Pickup in here 6 months or so ago? 

 

Search facility isn't throwing owt up for me. 

Edited 9 August, 201411 yr by Mr Ree

I could get classic car insurance for a mark 1 that wouldn't

cost me more than £200 a year... The only thing stopping me is

having no garage to keep it in.

But I'm over 40, very good postcode and full licence over 20 years

and about 17 years since my last claim.

Insurance is something that used to be a big expense when I was young

and living in Dagenham. Now my annual insurance bill is just a whisker over £600pa

and that's 3 separate full comp policies for the S3, the van(trade insurance) and the bike.

Almost makes the greying hair worth it...

Same as My Dad is 55 he's got an MGB and a Stag on a specialist classic policy which costs in total £160 it's crazy especially as the MGB is tax exempt

Same as My Dad is 55 he's got an MGB and a Stag on a specialist classic policy which costs in total £160 it's crazy especially as the MGB is tax exempt

sadly, you've got to be over 25  to obtain those sort of prices.

 

Moggsy was over £600 for Miss R this year.

Me only, it would have been £65

sadly, you've got to be over 25 to obtain those sort of prices.

Moggsy was over £600 for Miss R this year.

Me only, it would have been £65

I know I looked at driving a 1275 Midget but it was easier to do the Fabia and now back to the clio