93 replies to this topic

[jpw1275]

Mine is a mk3 and has the ignition key on the steering wheel ..... Yours sounds like a mk2 ?

Cheers james

[62S]

The picture at the top of the page doesn't have the ignition key in the centre of the lower dash rail.. isn't that a mk3 normality??

The ignition switch moved late 1970 when the steering lock was introduced on UK cars.
 

Also, the thread said nothing about the headlining.. mine has the headlining in two removable frames similar to that of a mk1.

Must have been a retro fit unless you have a Clubman Estate.

[Trissy B]

Ahh... well mine was registered early 71' so could have just been a slightly older part. The opening in the bottom dash rail is smaller I believe so wouldn't have been simple to change if it was after market.

 

The thing I'm taking away from all this is - there is a lot of variation in shells in that era.

[62S]

Ahh... well mine was registered early 71' so could have just been a slightly older part.

No, and it won't fit properly unless it has been tailor made or someone has cut out the upper side rails above the cant rail
 

The opening in the bottom dash rail is smaller I believe so wouldn't have been simple to change if it was after market.

No, the opening in the dash rail was enlarged from 1967 when the Mk 2 Mini was introduced.
 

The thing I'm taking away from all this is - there is a lot of variation in shells in that era.

No, no more so than at any other time. Late 1969 to 1973 round nose shells were pretty much unchanged apart from the sills and hole in the rear bulkhead. You are quite right to have doubts about your 1971 Mk 3 shell. Looks to me as though your bodyshell has the later single bolt front subframe and cut roof rails and no drip rails; ergo, I'd be very surprised if it is from 1971.

[Trissy B]

Looks like i'm thoroughly wrong then..... and its a good job I don't care then! and will hopefully never sell it

[bikenutmart]

I have a 1972 (L) 850 auto with all these things, it has an ashtray on the dash top, one on the tunnel in the back and one in each rear bin, or rather just the holes for them, which wait for it, I thought were for the front inertia seatbelts !!!sorry new to minis, am I right in mounting the inertia reel in the rear bin and the belt coming out of the ashtray aperture? I think not!! where does the seatbelt mount, I feel really stupid, but at least I owned up to it, why does a mini need 4 ashtrays? Please let me know. Cheers Mart.

[mab01uk]

If inertia belts were fitted pre-Mk4 they were mounted in the sill area with special brackets if I remember right......rear passengers used to trip over them when getting in and out!

 

The Mini has lots of ashtrays because Alec Issigonis was a smoker......but there was no radio slot because he felt they were a distraction to drivers.

[bikenutmart]

Thanks for that !!! Mart.

[Keith Staley]

I have a 1972 (L) 850 auto with all these things, it has an ashtray on the dash top, one on the tunnel in the back and one in each rear bin, or rather just the holes for them, which wait for it, I thought were for the front inertia seatbelts !!!sorry new to minis, am I right in mounting the inertia reel in the rear bin and the belt coming out of the ashtray aperture? I think not!! where does the seatbelt mount, I feel really stupid, but at least I owned up to it, why does a mini need 4 ashtrays? Please let me know. Cheers Mart.

 

I've got a Mk3 (L) 850 manual and the inertia reel is mounted on the outside of the rear bins with the locking nut (large oblong plate) fitted inside the bin. The belt runs up the outside of the bin to the eyelet, then back down to the anchor which is on the inner sill next to the front seat.  

[mab01uk]

 

I have a 1972 (L) 850 auto with all these things, it has an ashtray on the dash top, one on the tunnel in the back and one in each rear bin, or rather just the holes for them, which wait for it, I thought were for the front inertia seatbelts !!!sorry new to minis, am I right in mounting the inertia reel in the rear bin and the belt coming out of the ashtray aperture? I think not!! where does the seatbelt mount, I feel really stupid, but at least I owned up to it, why does a mini need 4 ashtrays? Please let me know. Cheers Mart.

 

I've got a Mk3 (L) 850 manual and the inertia reel is mounted on the outside of the rear bins with the locking nut (large oblong plate) fitted inside the bin. The belt runs up the outside of the bin to the eyelet, then back down to the anchor which is on the inner sill next to the front seat.  

 

 

Yes  I remember some on the outside of the rear bins like that.....I think the inertia reel belts were fitted in various ways over the years, especially when they were a Dealer fit or owner upgrade from static belts, it was not until the Mk4 that they tucked them out of sight inside the bins with a welded in mounting point and did away with the 2 ashtrays.

[sonikk4]

Something else to look doe and is not easy to convert is the drain holes in the guttering

 

So Mk3 should look like this

 

and not like this

[Swift_General]

I have a late 72 Mk3 and did have a 74 Mk 3 and both had key on column. Think that sterring locks were standard around 70/71 but not exactly sure. Columns went from single stalk to twin in 76 with the Mk4 when the wiper switch was moved from dash to column.

[bikenutmart]

Yep, my 72 (L) 850 auto has a steering lock. Mart.Its a totally genuine car with all the features listed here. Glad I bought it 3 years ago for 200 quid.

[Keith Staley]

My 1973 Mk3 passes all the checks mentioned in this thread with flying colours, bar one.....mine has an HS4 with a waxstat?
 
It still has its original engine and all the numbers match with the log book and HPI so I've run the engine through Guess-Works helpful site and it comes up with this:
 

Details:
Source Vehicle: Mini
Engine type & CC: A Series 850 cc Transverse mounted
Fueling: HS4 FZX1142 carburetter tamperproof capstat, ADH Needle, Red Spring (1976 on)
Engine features:
Lucas 16AC alternator with -ve Earth
Mechanical petrol pump

Gearbox features:
Std. Ratio Rod Change gearbox
3.44:1 final drive

 

So, does tamperproof capstat mean the same as waxstat......also, it says in post 1 that waxstats weren't fitted until 1975? Maybe someone in the past changed the carb?

I'm just trying to figure this out as I think I need to replace the jet & needle as the choke is sticking on so I suspect a bent jet. The needle seems to be held in with locktite so I can't identify it without force. I want to fix the problem with original spec parts so I'm thinking it needs to be changed to the earlier 'red jet' and the ADH jet by the looks of things?   

Edited by Keith Staley, 08 October 2015 - 02:08 AM.

[Swift_General]

My 1973 Mk3 passes all the checks mentioned in this thread with flying colours, bar one.....mine has an HS4 with a waxstat?
 
It still has its original engine and all the numbers match with the log book and HPI so I've run the engine through Guess-Works helpful site and it comes up with this:
 

Details:
Source Vehicle: Mini
Engine type & CC: A Series 850 cc Transverse mounted
Fueling: HS4 FZX1142 carburetter tamperproof capstat, ADH Needle, Red Spring (1976 on)
Engine features:
Lucas 16AC alternator with -ve Earth
Mechanical petrol pump

Gearbox features:
Std. Ratio Rod Change gearbox
3.44:1 final drive

 
So, does tamperproof capstat mean the same as waxstat......also, it says in post 1 that waxstats weren't fitted until 1975? Maybe someone in the past changed the carb?

I'm just trying to figure this out as I think I need to replace the jet & needle as the choke is sticking on so I suspect a bent jet. The needle seems to be held in with locktite so I can't identify it without force. I want to fix the problem with original spec parts so I'm thinking it needs to be changed to the earlier 'red jet' and the ADH jet by the looks of things?   

Like you say probably had the carb changed at some point. And the reason that the jet is bent is likely to be because a 73 should have the thicker bulkhead crossmember before there was an increased 'dip' to accomodate a waxstat carb hence your jet has hit the crossmember with engine rocking etc.