16 replies to this topic

[Dan16v]

Can anyone tell me the difference between the mk3 and mk4 mini's? I did have a look on a search but didn't find anything.

I am currently after a new project and have seen a Mk III tax exempt shell that is quite solid, the shell doesn’t have an engine/gearbox and a few other bits, If I was to buy a mechanically sound Mk4, could I transfer over the bits like the engine?

Cheers

Dan

[Al*]

yeah basically they were the same cars... small differences though... the wiring harnesses were beefed up (4 fuses instead of the 2 in a mk3), the steering colums were the two stalk style, the centere interior switches (lights, wipers etc.) were a different style.....the roof gutter was stripped of the "earsplitter rail" and the drain holes are not nearly as nice.... as for swapping all mechanicals into it yes there will be no problems except the fact that the front subframe was mounted on the tower by only one single tower bolt on each side as opposed to the mk3 having 2 on each side.....there shouldn't be too many hiccups though.

hope that helps,

Al

[taffy1967]

And the subframes were rubber mounted on the MKIV Mini's too I believe?

[Guess-Works.com]

They were, mk1/2/3 share the same subframe on the dry models... solid mounted twin bolt, MK4 saw the introduction of the rubber mounted subframe and turret bolts..

Also the gear tunnel may be different, depends if the MK3 was fitted with the rod change box or the remote.

[Dan16v]

Cheers for all the info guys, that clarifies a lot of things

I take it that the mk4 has a rod change mechanism, how can I tell if this shell has a tunnel for a remote or rod change? (I had a feeling that the remote change has that little starter button mount in the floor pan) It’s a 1972 shell, if that makes it any easier to determine which mechanism it will have.

I take it the mk3 has a single circuit master cylinder on it, can you swap the mk4 dual circuit one straight on without modifying anything?

Sorry for so many questions, I didn’t want to buy something and then find it will be a pain to get parts for

Cheers

Dan

[Dan16v]

[attachment=16782:attachment]

A pic of the floor might help if anyone can tell if this would be rod or remote change

[miniboo]

i think it is a rod change but can you do a pic of it as though you were sitting in the back seat and in line with the tunnel.

Cheers

[Dan16v]

Its the only picture of the floor I have I'm afraid, its one the owner sent me as I’m going to look at it tomorrow evening, what should I look out for to tell if it is a rod change or not?

Cheers

Dan

[Dan]

That's rod change. Your engine will fit it, but the subframe won't so you'll have to keep the original and hopefully it's in good condition. Be careful with originality of this car and don't just assume that it'll stay tax exempt when you swap lots of bit's over. It may come out at the next MOT that it doesn't have the original engine any more thanks to the new computerised system and this may prompt a more thorough investigation into it's identity. They might make you go for an identity inspection if they aren't happy with how much you've changed so you might end up paying tax on it anyway. Their argument being that it wasn't built before '73 as you built most of it last week.

Edited by Dan, 11 June 2006 - 12:10 PM.

[Dan16v]

Dan, thanks for the info,

That might be a slight problem, it would just be the engine and gearbox from the newer mini, but the rolling shell has coilovers and a rear trailing arm beam set-up so technically its not the original suspension either!

It would have the original steering, which is one out of the 5, but what about the axles, what does that apply to with a mini?

Sounds like a mine field as most minis don’t have the original parts on them by now anyway. I take it would mean an SVA test and Q reg plate.

[mini-gti]

surely you can argue the fact that all your doing to it is putting a new engine into it, i think the rear suspension comes as a modification done at a previous date, not done at the same time as the engine transplant, so its become part of the cars identity

gaz

[Dan16v]

It all seems a bit of a grey area, what’s done when etc.

It hasn’t been back on the road or MOT'd with the new suspension, so I don’t know how you could argue that one, its probably down to how picky the MOT tester is on the day, still bit of a pain if it has to get SVA'd.

How would you check originality of a steering parts and axels etc, the only one recorded is the engine number and chassis number.

[mini-gti]

How would you check originality of a steering parts and axels etc, the only one recorded is the engine number and chassis number.

well i guess there original spec parts, so they are original or replacment parts, not modified or come from another vehicle, like my project that's having a complete vw drive train

gaz

[Dan16v]

Gaz, I see what you mean, I think it will be ok, it most likely has 2 out of the 5 required sub assemblies and is the orginal shell, so i should be able to keep the registration, the MOT tester can only really tell that the engine and suspension has been changed.

[Dan16v]

After seeing it this evening, it turns out its a mk4 shell with single front sub frame bolts, on a mk3 logbook, I take it this would need an SVA to put back on the road legally, as it doesn’t have an engine or gearbox?

Quite a shame as it would be a fantastic project for the money.