Before you change the head gasket find out what temp the car is really running at. If it has an 88? thermostat it might be fine.
I would be more worried about the Clubby running too low.

I was just asking the condition of the above. It seems a bit warm, I'll keep my comments to myself from now on. A parting gesture, I'd try to lower the temp on any car at 3/4.
Good luck.

i used my mini for 2 years in tassie with a thermostat. could not get it over 80* no matter what i was doing, so the cooling system was working fine.

if noting else, having the theromostat down there will allow you heater to warm up quicker - vital to see where you are going in winter i reckon

_________________
the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates

Sorry if I offended
The point I was trying to make is you don't know how accurate the guage is. The car that says ? may in fact be running hotter than the car that says ?. The 40 year old stock (cheap) Smiths guages are not always right.

And one reason is they are fed by a 40 year old Smiths voltage `stabiliser' that uses 1950's vibrator technology. (no, not that kind of vibrator, luv... )
They are supposed to be 10.0V, but most are not after 40 years.
I flung mine and fitted a `wombat' special electronic one. Now even the fuel gauge reads right!
PM wombat if you want one.

_________________
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.

Nuh, thats what the towel out the window is for.
I just got used to having no gauge at all,
This is where mine used to run at all the time, no matter how it drove

I used to panic when it got to this level

And when it got to this high,
i almost, umm blew up?
Yes the mini can go over 100

It was this hot after about 20% a 200 kay drive,

in the end, the needle went over the 'H' letter, completely dry
melted the temp sensor,
I just wasnt used to having a temp gauge, so i suppose i didnt take too much notice of it.
Needless to say, that was my last drive of the mini, when i cooked it.

Maybe ill take notice of gauges next time

_________________
Sir Namibian CAMEL of MONGOLIA !!!
Vrilen Snyson Racing: Finding us all a Vrilen
Asparagus: Experience the versatility

i did not like scraping the ice from the inside AND the outside of the windscreen

_________________
the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates

No, its way too cold, on too many occasions have massive amounts of water not been enough to clear the ice, you have to use fingers or other hard things to dig into it, and then you have to steer with your knees for a long time, cause the steering wheel is too cold to touch aswell

_________________
Sir Namibian CAMEL of MONGOLIA !!!
Vrilen Snyson Racing: Finding us all a Vrilen
Asparagus: Experience the versatility

i remember - water just makes thicker ice

thats why i'm back in sydney now

_________________
the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates