Hello!
I used to frequent this forum 12 years ago when I owned my first project car - a 1985 Mini City E. I had some welding done, fixed a few bits enough for an MOT, and bought a 1275cc engine. I moved to a flat, and my parents then downsized, so I lost my space for a car, and the house buyer made a good offer to buy it - so that was that, and I handed the keys over and asked for first refusal if he sold it in future. I stuck to bikes for a few years and then found a rotten BMW E30 316i Touring, which I restored everything except for cosmetics and now use it as a daily, but I've always thought about minis, especially as looking back I knew zero about cars and never got chance to get stuck in.
December 2024 rolls around and the cars owner asked me if I'd like to buy it back, and a deal has been done, so it'll be on my drive in a week once the car transporter company I'm using reopens after xmas!
It hasn't turned a wheel since it left me, spending 7 years in a garage, and then 5 on a drive under a tarp when they moved again. Unfortunately it's spent the last few months without a cover, and when I went to go see it there was a lot of damp carpet. Unfortunately, a quick stab with some keys also revealed the passenger floor pan needs replacing at a minimum. I did have the drivers side and both sills replaced (inner + outer), so hopefully other than the small cosmetic bits here and there, it's not too bad - but I'll be buying a MIG welder and fixing that - something I'm used to from doing both sides on my E30, but I rented a welder previously.
Once I get the car I'll do a rundown of current condition. I use these forum build threads as a bit of a log for future reference, but any comments about the bits I'm inevitably getting wrong are welcome - which leads us to...
The Plan
Fast road build, stage 1 kit, no turbo or anything mental - happy to spend a few quid but I have a lot of projects so needs to be sensible-ish...
Engine
- Find a 1275cc + manual box, preferably SPI or MPI - why? Because they're more likely to be lower mileage, unleaded, and I won't need the dizzy etc anyway.
- Fit a hotter cam, although not decided between a couple yet
- Depending on condition, maybe bore up
Head
- Get the head ported/polished professionally, new valve guides and so on
Gearbox + diff
- Refresh but otherwise standard, no straight cut etc
- Either 3.2 or 3.44, TBD.
Ignition
- HIF44 single carb setup
- Megajolt conversion
- Electric fuel pump
Electrics
- I've made a couple of motorbike looms now, and given the absolute mess of the current, might attempt it for this project, mainly as if I buy one I'll end up chopping and building a fair bit anyway
Brakes
- Discs on the front already
- Refurbish rear drums
- New lines (flex + solid)
- New M/C, no servo for now
Interior
- Either roll cage or harness bar for a 4pt harness, no rear seats
- Cobra classic buckets with headrests
- Undecided on dash, might make it myself, no centre console or anything
- New simple steering wheel instead of the multi coloured clown one
- Welding...
Exterior
- I think a black grille is 1985 period correct? So might fit one of those instead
- 2x big spot lamps
- Possibly a black roof
- Maybe replace the arches, not sure how much I like them
- More welding...
The above MPI lump is for sale on FBM for not too bad a price but it's missing the gearbox worm gear and has a snapped bolt on the timing chain cover, have my eye out for any others that pop up - if anyone has one they're thinking of selling let me know!
So there we have it. Back in a mini, and this time with slightly more of a clue - but still not lots. I did everything on my E30 bar much engine work, so I'm looking forward to finally getting stuck in to an engine properly, and the A+ seems the best one to do it. I've already watched the Bill Sollis rebuild DVD and got a copy of the Vizard book somewhere, but lots more to learn!
Will post an update once it's on the drive and I've had chance to poke around the nightmare I've let myself back in for.
Edited by iDemonix, Today, 06:07 PM.
