I dont normally coment on these things but this guy has to be on some sort of mind altering drugs.

You only have to take a trip to your local official or unaofficail mini club to see some sensational mini so suggesting this car is the best and most original is FUB.

As other pinted out - it's sooo good it he shows one photo of its arse.

But the best of all is his attempt to swap it for one of the Sports bikes mentioned. And his comment about which are his "First" choices simply conforms that this guy really beleives he is going to have someone wanting to trade a sports bike for a mini - especially a clubman.

I reckong he would have a better chance of turning up at his local bikie gang cubhouse wearing a pink tou tou and seeing if someone wants to swap their fat boy for it.

^^ thats funny stuff!

I think in all fairness, the guy's granny must have been a mini freak, and she modded the clubby while stripping the shell and turning it on it's roof. Clearly this guy is a bike lover and never tinkers with mini's!

His Granny really liked mini's, she has a roundnose in the background of his pictures he sent me. ( under restoration ) Couldn't be his, as he is a bike guy. I'll give him credit, the car's in good nick. I have seen cars in as good condition and I have seen modified cars in better. I wouldn't pay 8 grand.

I dont mind people trying to get that kind of money, if they can get it, good on em! (makes me jealous to an extent!)

Just what annoys me is giving people who may not know better info about stuff like "runs on unleaded", when infact it's un true and will have them in problems within 6months, as the Doc has shown.

Mini's are all about the experience, so stuff like that definatly hurts the experience!

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My car has run for four years on unleaded with no additives and no problems.

well i couldnt help it...
i just got my car recently,and have been thinking about the same debate going on here too... i guess you guys know im still new to this experience...
what is the verdict?does it run on unleaded(purely) or
leaded(unleaded with lead addictive)?
in the past there wasnt any unleaded for these beauties,so the only option is for you to buy a lead addictive(like a converter)so that it runs smoothly...(thats my understanding.)
so what is going on?please explain....and what happens if you dont add the addictive?

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im new,green about cars,but that doesnt stop the growing passion in me about the mini...

it's not lead it is a lube to stop the head giveing problems
makka

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".

In my case, nothing! (100,000 mile old head)
In the Dos's case, the valve seats started pitting! (recently reco head)

If you don't used the additive your head may eventually stuff up and you will have to fit hardened valve seats.
If you use the additive you will spend a lot of money on additive and it will cost more that the valve seats.

OK.. what happened is- way back, when most cars had cast iron heads (like a Mini) and crap valves, they had already put lead in the fuel to improve the octane rating. They found that the lead salts produced coated and protected the valves and `seats' in the head, it acted as a high temp lubricant.
Cast iron is basically a mixture of iron and carbon (in the form of graphite flakes).
Without any lead or substitute, the red hot exhaust valves micro-weld to the iron particles in the head, and this can pull chunks out of it over time which is known as valve seat recession.
Even many cars with alloy heads (eg Jaguar) had valve seats made of cast iron, well into the 70s or later.
Additives such as Flashlube or Redline lead substitute or Valvemaster act to prevent this microwelding.

It is true that an old car, run for years on leaded fuel, can use unleaded without additive for general running about, (for a while) IF it is not disturbed. But the minute you reface the valves and seats you run the risk of rapid valve seat wear. See my pic above.

OTOH, after 30,000 miles in my 1310 using Flashlube I stripped it for a look- the seats were shiny and the S/S valves were not worn. I gave it a quick lap in and put it back together.
BTW I can't fit unleaded seats in this head as the exhaust valves are too BIG...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Ive just thought of something else about this mini - Correct me if Im wrong but dont cars do better off being driven? When I got my K with 25800mls on it, after 35 yrs it took under 6 months of regular use and non-granny driving for the whole lot to go to crap - driven that little (esp. in the years leading up to my purchase of it) must have screwed seals and bearings and pumps etc. cos it started running at..oooh.. 5psi max Oil press when hot..

So the poor bastard who buys this car (8K clubman.. hahaha) can take his pick - rooted valve seats and a head reco, or perhaps the whole engine will startto bugger up, for a full reco!! Methinks low mileage over a long time (32 yrs) and lack of driving aint as good as it sounds...

hey doc can u confirm about the unleaded introduction date, like when it was first available?

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Unleaded came in here about 1988 I think. Sometime after that they phased out leaded fuel and gave us LRP crap instead. Most had Valvemaster in it. That stuff does NOT give the level of valve and seat protection that the lead did, so if you think that will now allow you to run forever with plain unleaded, methinks you are mistaken....

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

unleaded was introduced in 1986

yeah, taxi's tend to wear better than other cars i've heard.

no need to be a smartarse

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I don't think he was...it is true to an extent that taxi's last longer cause they are always running and kept warm, most engine wear is caused during the start and warm up process...

I got in a taxi the other day..it had done 710,000k's....needed a service one a week he said to keep it on the road though

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