3078 replies to this topic

[Northernpower]

Hi from New Zealand.  New to this forum, although I have robbed plenty of tech info off you guys for a few years now
 
I've owned half a dozen Minis as well as a BMW (don't hate me, it had a blower and went fast) but my current project is...
 
1976 Leyland Mini Clubman panel van - Australian assembled, NZ new
Flat rear floor, like a pick up, no rear seats
Knight Motorsport Engineering R1 front subframe
Lynx AE diff with equal length driveshafts
Lynx AE electric reverse motor
2003 Yamaha R1 998cc engine
20 valve head, fuel injected, stainless headers, heavy duty clutch, 6 speed g/box
Bosch 044 fuel pump, modified standard van tank, custom fuel lines
5x10 banded steel wheels with Yokohama A032R tyres
Fibreglass Sport Pack arches
Mk1 VW GTi front chin spoiler
Semi sealed Halogen headlights (through relay)
Cooper S 7.5" disc brakes (F) spacered drums ®
 
Exhaust and re-wiring is next on the long list of things to do.
 
I can't wait to confuse people out on the road when a 41 year old panel van screams past them at 11500rpm

Loving the idea of an R1 in a van. Welcome to the forum. How long before you have it on the road?

[Vanbulance]

 

Hi from New Zealand.  New to this forum, although I have robbed plenty of tech info off you guys for a few years now
 
I've owned half a dozen Minis as well as a BMW (don't hate me, it had a blower and went fast) but my current project is...
 
1976 Leyland Mini Clubman panel van - Australian assembled, NZ new
Flat rear floor, like a pick up, no rear seats
Knight Motorsport Engineering R1 front subframe
Lynx AE diff with equal length driveshafts
Lynx AE electric reverse motor
2003 Yamaha R1 998cc engine
20 valve head, fuel injected, stainless headers, heavy duty clutch, 6 speed g/box
Bosch 044 fuel pump, modified standard van tank, custom fuel lines
5x10 banded steel wheels with Yokohama A032R tyres
Fibreglass Sport Pack arches
Mk1 VW GTi front chin spoiler
Semi sealed Halogen headlights (through relay)
Cooper S 7.5" disc brakes (F) spacered drums ®
 
Exhaust and re-wiring is next on the long list of things to do.
 
I can't wait to confuse people out on the road when a 41 year old panel van screams past them at 11500rpm

Loving the idea of an R1 in a van. Welcome to the forum. How long before you have it on the road?

 

Thanks mate It depends on how my bank balance is looking over the next few months, but hopefully it'll be legal before the middle of the year. 

[Miki Leyland]

hi all,

 

having had an 850 as my first car many (far too many) moons ago, then a Cooper which i sold to buy a ford capri - i know, i know ... I was keen to get another mini, so bought a '93 Mini Cooper but really wanted one much older.

 

i've now acquire a '71 spanish Authi MiniGT which i'm having converted to rhd. so will probably sell the '93.

 

The Authi has been modded to look like a Cooper but am puttng back to the original spec - or close to it anyway.

 

looking forward to meeting up with local enthusiasts.

 

dave

Congratulations. Authi Minis had better and thicker steel planks. by the way, is your car blue with white roof?

[tdn46]

Hi,

I'm new here to these forums. I am looking to buy a Mini in the next year or so but as it will be my first car I don't have a huge budget (about £3000) is there any sites that would be particularly worth looking at to find a decent quality one?

[g111mds]

Hi,
I'm new here to these forums. I am looking to buy a Mini in the next year or so but as it will be my first car I don't have a huge budget (about £3000) is there any sites that would be particularly worth looking at to find a decent quality one?

I kept an eye on eBay, gumtree, the mini groups on Facebook and the mini forums too. Just a case of keeping an eye out. I actually found mine through someone responding to a wanted advert i posted on the Scottish mini site.

[Montmorency]

Hello everybody!

 

My first car back in 2003 was a 1991 British racing green 1275 Cooper which I had and loved for four years.  I finally got my second Mini last year in July which was a fully restored 1974 Mini 1000 which had a 1275 engine swap during the restoration.  Turns out the engine used in the swap was not as great as it looked.  Started off smoking thought to be valve stem seals, turned out to be piston rings.  After a painful experience with a supposedly reputable Mini garage bodging an engine rebuild which resulted in the crank snapping in half...  I have now ended up doing a proper job with a 1380 new build!  I have finished the job and have been running it in for the past 700 or so miles and aside from a small oil leak all has been good.  Will be taking it for a full suspension set up rolling road tuning next week and can't wait!

 

Here are some pics

 

Cheers

 

Steve

 

 

 

Edited by Montmorency, 25 February 2017 - 10:22 PM.

[Oxfordshire guy]

I own a 1996 UK spec' Rover Mini Mayfair spi automatic, in charcoal metalic. I've owned a number or Minis over the years - both manual and automatic, and have found this one to be nippy, reliable and a bit different being an auto.

The car is mainly standard but I have had a few subtle modifications carried out including a Maniflow Manifold, RC40 and K&N, all of which have improved the power quite a lot.

I'm conscious of not going too far as I don't want to put too much stress on the AP box - I'm wondering if any other forum members have experience of the automatic Mini - both in terms of care and modifications?

Many thanks,

Roger. 

[Godwin]

I bought a 1979 Mini last week. It was originally sold in Ipswich, England. Restored and upgraded to a 998cc engine. Then imported to the US.

[sparkymae]

Just bought a 1990 Mini Studio 2 998cc, about 72K on it. Love it! I have a 09 Mini Cooper s also, but the classic just makes me happy. :) Its a REAL car.

[Haygate]

I bought a 93 Italian job a few weeks ago, upgraded the radio and speakers, added some grey/polished super lights and have a few more things to do then that's it, just going to take it out of the garage on nice days then tinker on some of the bad ones.

First mini in 15 years and I still love them.

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[Markthetwisted]

Hi all new to the forum but not new to minis!Just bought my 4th mini cooper in February, after a (child enforced) 10 year break. I've had two MPI Coopers, an ESP Cooper ( should never had sold) and now I'm driving a J plate carb cooper. Just getting back to grips with a the joys of constant tinkering, and the realisation that I drive everything with wheels like it was a mini!!! No wonder everyone complains! Anyway, looking forward to reading the forum and taking part hopefully.

[Chugger]

_{'86 Lamm (Original Prototype)}

Edited by Chugger, 21 March 2017 - 12:47 PM.

[paul748]

Been in and out of TMF over the last few years. Recently bought a nice totally original black 30 with 12k miles on it.

I'm in the process of cleaning/renovating the engine bay and suspension rubbery bits. It will be used for shows and dry day tootling.

[Trento94]

I bought a 98 Cooper Sport a few months ago, back on the Mini scene after a few years away. It's in very good shape with only a few little rust spots to sort out. Thinking of a new interior and a few mods to up the hp

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[Syma]

Drive??? Well I can sit in it and make vroom vroom noises but thats about it. I own a 1979 Canadian Leyland mini. I purchased if back in the fall of 2016 and my dad and I have been working to restore it. Today we met with a painter and he should be able to start painting it a couple of weeks. The wife wanted it to be british racing green but as much as I like that colour it is going to be Tahiti Blue.

 

 IMG_2819.JPG   75.96K   5 downloads

This is what it was like the day I got it