Well, yesterday, I picked it up. Not literally - I'm not that strong!
But it finally has a rear parcel shelf and seat belts. And child restraint anchors. I'm stoked!
The boy (5) had his first ride in the back, and the little girl (22 months) had her first ride at all. My wife came out, so it was also our first trip in it as a family since before the girl was born. Very happy!
I also changed the spark plugs (fouled, dry fouled, carbon build up, no oil (checked them hot), after being started for moving round a workshop lots over the past month), and the top radiator hose. My engine has a non-standard top engine steady - the engine's sitting at an unusual angle, and as such the standard 1275 top hose doesn't sit quite right... Might've contributed to it looking a bit dead.
And I also got my radiator overflow system working better - I've had it on there for years, but when I changed the top radiator hose, I found it was empty.
I filled the overflow hose (it's rather long - tank is sitting loosely on the driver's side, between the firewall and the spring tower (can't think of a better term!)), managed to get all the air out, it's now holding the radiator full of water and the overflow tank, too.
Today, I used it to pick up boy from school, where I was called Mr Bean by a 5 year old. I didn't say it, but at least Stiggie wouldn't roll my car in the first corner!
Then used it to take boy to Rugby - we all park on the hill overlooking the park, Mini didn't like the angle of the hill and the grass and spun half the way up there... The kids there were more appreciative.
Not because of the wheelspin, just because it was such a small and noisy car.
