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few Q's for a newbie
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Author:  oz [ Fri Jul 09, 2004 10:59 pm ]
Post subject:  few Q's for a newbie
g'day i'm new to buying / restoring mini's but have always loved them (mainly clubmans) recently a mate at work's decided to sell is 60's clubman, no rego, compleat running car, some rust in roof seams and a little surface rust mainly around the boot for $400. A few questions i want to ask are
1. being 5' 10" am i a bit tall to drive it
2. it'll be used as a daily driver and the occaisonal long trip, how will it handel such trips
3. where are some good part retailers in the syd area
4. i think its got a 998 in it at the moment how would i go about putting a larger engine eg. engineers ok, getting an engine, how big could i go engine wise for it
5.how do i got about gettin it back on the road eg. getting it re rego'd

sorry but its my first time doing this and i dont want to buy somthing i'll regret

thanx
Author:  68matic [ Fri Jul 09, 2004 11:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
wow someone who likes the clubman in preference, great

1. im almost 5' 10". had no trouble driving it. the only thing you have to get used to is getting in and out: right leg around wheel arch, knee bent outwards to avoid the steering shaft, lift up and out over the bottom ledge, and out we go on the ground. swivel round, left leg under the steering shaft and onto the ground. a big push and youre up on your feet.

2. daily or not, will depend on: engine and yourself.
engine: usually if you get someone to teach you how to look after it, and if the engine's been looked after, then yes. i know a couple of people who use mini's as daily drivers. some even go interstate.
yourself: depends on how many miles you want to put on it, or if you want to wear the engine slightly. i drive an automatic which can be jerky alot, drum brakes which are hell at the lights, and a 33,700-mile engine i wouldnt want to screw up for daily driving.

3. mini spare shops i know of: Smithfield, Silverwater (lidcombish), padstow, seven hills, beverly hills not 90210 (ive Doogie has everything)

4. never done it. there are learne'd people here who will know

5. go to a blue-slipper-giver-outerer and get a list of what they check. then work on the car.

correct me if im wrong, i didnt know clubmans were made in the '60's. i thought they came out in the early '70's.

please be prepared: about $800 extra in money to be spent when needed, car to get around, someone to help you (parents, mates).
Author:  WhoDat [ Fri Jul 09, 2004 11:23 pm ]
Post subject: 
1. I'm 6' 0" and I fit :lol:
2. After resto - brilliantly
3. You have more choices that we do over in SA A good start would be
http://www.karcraft.com.au [recommended by many here]
http://www.miniandmokeworld.com.au/main.asp
4. How big? Honda 1.8 VTECH [with the works = about 250 BHP] 8) How big is your wallet?
5. NFI - Ya just put ya money on the counter over here :P

The mini is not the problem. It'll do or can be made to do anything you want.
My advise is to examine yourself and your own capabilities. If you can do the body, paintwork, and mechanicals yourself then go for it. If you have to pay someone else to do most of that restro work then it'll cost a bomb and your better off looking for a base vehicle in top condition to start with.
Author:  poeee [ Fri Jul 09, 2004 11:53 pm ]
Post subject: 
1. being 5' 10" am i a bit tall to drive it

I'll say no, you should be fine. Though i'm a short ass, so...

2. it'll be used as a daily driver and the occaisonal long trip, how will it handel such trips

Won't have any probs with daily driving and long trips if everything is kept in good order. Just takes a bit more TLC (or MONEY) than your average car to keep in good order, but no more than any other car of its age.

3. where are some good part retailers in the syd area

Better to ask someone from Sydney ;)

4. i think its got a 998 in it at the moment how would i go about putting a larger engine eg. engineers ok, getting an engine, how big could i go engine wise for it

If you are really fair dinkum in a daily driver, i'd go find yourself a reconditioned A+ engine and box (A+ is a late model imported Mini engine, stick round here for a while and you'll learn). Not overly cheap once ya get it recoed, but you will have a very good engine and box.

5.how do i got about gettin it back on the road eg. getting it re rego'd

Depends on the body condition. If the body is fine, then the general rule is $1000 and you'll get a good Mini outa it. That will more than likely be new CV's, new uni's, shocks, plus other stuff you may need.
Author:  oz [ Sat Jul 10, 2004 12:19 am ]
Post subject: 
sweet thanks guys at the moment i've got my own ford econovan that i use to cruise around in but i just thought it was time to bite the bullet and go for it, thanks 68matic for those shop listings i'm in fairfield so their all pretty close to me :D , as for engine size i'd like to go injected say a swift GTI engine but in my eyes it would just ruin the look of it so i'll just go with a larger mini motor. there's no rush on having it done by a certain date so i'll just take my time doin it but once she's done i doubt i'll step foot in the van again :D
Author:  min13k [ Sat Jul 10, 2004 12:24 am ]
Post subject: 
i'm in sydney if you ask nicley i'll help you by looking at the car and haveing a quick look see tell you what it will need and around about prices
payment for this service is a 4 pack of jack danials and cola cans retail for around 17 bux
oh yeah i have a crap load of clubby parts in my shed garadge and under my carport
makka
Author:  oz [ Sat Jul 10, 2004 12:42 am ]
Post subject: 
thanks for the offer mate but my girlfriends dad and her brother are both mechanics by trade and so's my uncle and all 3's had a look at it already, car's still straight, frame's fine and running gear is decient the only parts that realy need attention is the shell rust , brakes, engine is running but she's on her last legs so it's up for reco or replacement same as the gear box and CV's. just thought i'd ask here to see if i was biting off more than i could chew
Author:  min13k [ Sat Jul 10, 2004 12:43 am ]
Post subject: 
well if the "mechanics" know mini's ask them you asked for an opinion with out actully looking at the car i can't tell you
makka
Author:  min13k [ Sat Jul 10, 2004 12:45 am ]
Post subject: 
i'm in smithfield matic is in cabra lol
makka
Author:  oz [ Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:09 am ]
Post subject: 
what i ment was the car is worth the money and i got 3 mech's giving it the thumbs up but we wernt sure on weather parts were widely available in aus (or nsw) or be a wild goose chase where i'd be forking out my yearly wage on just a shell or brake pads when i found the parts i needed. having neither of us owned a mini (yet have worked on them) i didnt know how they would handel long trips or consistant daily use cause i've heard both positive and negative reports rangeing from "their as tough as dog nuts, they'll handel 6hr drives in 40 degree heat" to "you drive them any more than 2 hrs and they'll cook" (both quotes are from 2 mates i work with, both mini fanatics)
Author:  min13k [ Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:21 am ]
Post subject: 
well i dunno i drove my 1380 powerd mini from sydney to hay and back again and while it was there it did a khana on the way back sat on around 130 to 150 kph
as for the body work once again with out seeing the rust and such it is hard to tell
makka
Author:  min13k [ Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:25 am ]
Post subject: 
if you have been around fairfeild a long while you may have seen one or more of the mini's i have owned
makka
Author:  gafmo [ Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:04 am ]
Post subject: 
my turn now and my 2 bobsworth :o

Welcomb poiganat freind to the mad house

getting part for the little mini, well not to much problems so far specialy if you are reconning the car as we in Syd have around 4 good places to get parts from plus the assistance from this fine group of poiganant freinds.
My wifes 1100 is a little warm and is a daily drive of 70klms per day. If your worried that Mini's cant be driven long distance, they did win Bathurst and thats a long trip and at a fast past. :shock: My wife is also almost 6foot tall and people are surprised when she gets out but she has no trouble driving her morry. I think your mates are refuring to the engine getting hot it peak hour trafic. Thier are remadies with alittle bit of work :roll:

As you have said, you have always love the mini. 8) Normal this starts as our perants owned one when we were young, yep me to. When set up they are excelent fun and just like a Gokart and can put a lot of shame on the old Leb boys :lol: How fun is that. Stay with this mad bunch and ask question and look back on the history of this site for additional guidance.

Oh yer Have fun with your new baby 8)
Author:  cush [ Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:41 am ]
Post subject: 
i'm 6' 2-3" (3-4" including hair) i have no trouble with it....now that i've found the seat adjuster :)
Author:  oz [ Sat Jul 10, 2004 11:38 am ]
Post subject: 
thanks guys, min13k i've bee in fairfield all my life (19yrs) yet havnt seen to many minis around here tho lately on the way to work in the mornings i've been seeing a fair bit of an orange clubman scooting around liverpool thats up for sale
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