23 replies to this topic

[bunch1980]

Not sure if this is right place for this question but here goes!

I have found varrying widths of the mini saloon some say with mirrors usually around 1560mm others less or more or
different width for a cooper. Does anyone know true width of a mini sprite with the standard black plastic arches? say from arch to arch?
Reason I ask as is if get one i want to try and squeeze it in garage with my motorbike and really hoping i can get bike out with out
having to take mini out or vice versa!
I was thinking of driving it in front first then folding in mirrors and getting drivers side as close to wall as i dare!

Dont really want to leave her out side!

[ste88]

how would you get out? climb over to passenger side?

[captainjack15]

Instead of doing that, why not just buy a cover?? It'd save about a ton of effort.

[bunch1980]

That was plan yeah to climb out over passenger seat, most days would still ride bike to work as rush hour is bad which ever way i go to work so
a bike makes sense just be nice to be able to have a car and a mini to, to drive on those horrible days or just when want to pick up something bigger than
a packet of sandwiches lol! I think more likely i will have to either put car in first and bike be ready or move bike then get car out and put back bike which be more
hassle but id rather she be nice and safe in garage!

I did over 10yrs of covering up motorbikes with a cover lol so sure dont want to do that again with a mini, be much safer in garage really to and as im on like a new build
site cant just park anywhere near coach house we have 1 allocated space but missus has that and i have garage so if i park mini not in garage it would be out of site to!

I will try when and if i get it and see if i can squeeze bike past mini, i only have 250cc trail bike now nothing like the big bikes ive had before!!

[Nick '91]

As always, the mini comes first, so just hope the bike also fits, if not you can continue using a cover on the bike for another 10 years.

[bunch1980]

As always, the mini comes first, so just hope the bike also fits, if not you can continue using a cover on the bike for another 10 years.

It sure will come first, i know it will all fit in, i was just hoping to be able to use one or the other with out moving the other! lol that was when i was at home before i had
a garage, bike wouldnt last 5 mins if i left it outside especially being a trail bike kids would have it for joyriding!

Just looking forward to owning a mini where as i have a chance to buy newer 04 plate fiesta to it wont quite be the same!!

[The_Mistro]

why not reverse in so that the passenger side is against the wall?

[taffy1967]

Not sure if this is right place for this question but here goes!

I have found varrying widths of the mini saloon some say with mirrors usually around 1560mm others less or more or
different width for a cooper. Does anyone know true width of a mini sprite with the standard black plastic arches? say from arch to arch?
Reason I ask as is if get one i want to try and squeeze it in garage with my motorbike and really hoping i can get bike out with out
having to take mini out or vice versa!
I was thinking of driving it in front first then folding in mirrors and getting drivers side as close to wall as i dare!

Dont really want to leave her out side!

This is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So help me Rover: -

Edited by taffy1967, 20 February 2010 - 01:28 AM.

[bunch1980]

why not reverse in so that the passenger side is against the wall?

only reason for not doing that is so i can get really close to wall easier with out scratching her! be easy enough to get out passenger side im not really tall or big! lol

[bunch1980]

Not sure if this is right place for this question but here goes!

I have found varrying widths of the mini saloon some say with mirrors usually around 1560mm others less or more or
different width for a cooper. Does anyone know true width of a mini sprite with the standard black plastic arches? say from arch to arch?
Reason I ask as is if get one i want to try and squeeze it in garage with my motorbike and really hoping i can get bike out with out
having to take mini out or vice versa!
I was thinking of driving it in front first then folding in mirrors and getting drivers side as close to wall as i dare!

Dont really want to leave her out side!

This is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So help me Rover: -

Thank you very much that makes it just over 1.4m with out the mirrors folded out! lots of other interesting specs to are any more avaliable for like a 93' sprite? which is what im looking at buying!
as i do wonder what it has or has not got, would it for example have electronic ignition and a catalytic converter?

[taffy1967]

No problem and the Mini Sprite (don't get confused with the 1983 Mini Sprite LE though) replaced the Mini City in 1992 as the base Mini model. The Mini Sprite appeared in the general 'Mini' brochure that Rover Cars issued at the time and I believe all Rover cars had individual sales brochures by that time as opposed to featuring in one large Rover Cars brochure (which is where my 1990 scanned image originated).

Anyway the Mini Sprite came equipped with the 1275cc HIF38 carburettor engine (the 998cc engine was deleted along with the Mini City) that had electronic ignition and a catalytic converter as standard.

Around 1994/1995 it like the Mini Mayfair got kitted out with single point fuel injection for a short time before the new Twin-Point/MPi Mini range replaced them in October 1996.

You can find images of the brochures on this site here: -

Click Me 1

These were the UK brochures it would have featured in: -

Click Me 2

Click Me 3

I got them from this site: -

Click Me 4

Edited by taffy1967, 20 February 2010 - 01:39 PM.

[The_Mistro]

as taffy said sprites were the base model mini, replacing the city! they came with rover special arches and steel wheels, started of with a Carb then they moved over to the injection engine too, they come with 2 clocks and a shelf as the front dash, fixed rear side windows! the stereo is fitted under the dash in the passenger foot well!

[bunch1980]

No problem and the Mini Sprite (don't get confused with the 1983 Mini Sprite LE though) replaced the Mini City in 1992 as the base Mini model. The Mini Sprite appeared in the general 'Mini' brochure that Rover Cars issued at the time and I believe all Rover cars had individual sales brochures by that time as opposed to featuring in one large Rover Cars brochure (which is where my 1990 scanned image originated).

Anyway the Mini Sprite came equipped with the 1275cc HIF38 carburettor engine (the 998cc engine was deleted along with the Mini City) that had electronic ignition and a catalytic converter as standard.

Around 1994/1995 it like the Mini Mayfair got kitted out with single point fuel injection for a short time before the new Twin-Point/MPi Mini range replaced them in October 1996.

You can find images of the brochures on this site here: -

Click Me 1

These were the UK brochures it would have featured in: -

Click Me 2

Click Me 3

I got them from this site: -

Click Me 4

Thanks thats a great site! shame insides of the brochures are not scanned in or am i missing it? lol
I see im sure my mate that has this sprite said it still had points etc for the ignition, hhhhmmmm

[bunch1980]

as taffy said sprites were the base model mini, replacing the city! they came with rover special arches and steel wheels, started of with a Carb then they moved over to the injection engine too, they come with 2 clocks and a shelf as the front dash, fixed rear side windows! the stereo is fitted under the dash in the passenger foot well!

Thanks, yea it does have the black arches, he has added the nice 4 spoke revoloution alloys look great! are the 2 clocks a speedo and rev counter?
my mates on doesnt have the stereo im wondering if who ever owned it before him was trying to make it look more like a early mini or something!!
I need to go around and see it again only seen it the once and cant remember all what it has.

[taffy1967]

No problem and the Mini Sprite (don't get confused with the 1983 Mini Sprite LE though) replaced the Mini City in 1992 as the base Mini model. The Mini Sprite appeared in the general 'Mini' brochure that Rover Cars issued at the time and I believe all Rover cars had individual sales brochures by that time as opposed to featuring in one large Rover Cars brochure (which is where my 1990 scanned image originated).

Anyway the Mini Sprite came equipped with the 1275cc HIF38 carburettor engine (the 998cc engine was deleted along with the Mini City) that had electronic ignition and a catalytic converter as standard.

Around 1994/1995 it like the Mini Mayfair got kitted out with single point fuel injection for a short time before the new Twin-Point/MPi Mini range replaced them in October 1996.

You can find images of the brochures on this site here: -

Click Me 1

These were the UK brochures it would have featured in: -

Click Me 2

Click Me 3

I got them from this site: -

Click Me 4

Thanks thats a great site! shame insides of the brochures are not scanned in or am i missing it? lol
I see im sure my mate that has this sprite said it still had points etc for the ignition, hhhhmmmm

Unfortunately the whole brochures haven't been scanned and perhaps your mate's Mini Sprite was the 1983 limited edition version which would have had points and ran on 10" wheels.

There's a brochure for that here: -

Click Me 1

But the post 1992 Mini Sprite was a very different beast altogether. I can't find any of the specs on-line, but most of the mechanical specs are similar to most post October 1992 (pre-1995) Mini limited editions that's listed on this site. The Mini British Open Classic LE, Italian Job LE, Rio LE & 35 LE are good examples since they were based on the Sprite: -

Click Me 2

Edited by taffy1967, 20 February 2010 - 09:15 PM.