I have recently picked up a mk1 1964 (late 63 with floor start) i can get the orginial engine but didnt want it as its an 850 still with all its papers etc. 2 cracks on the doors with the minorist pieces of rust and thats it.

question is should i spend a fortune restoring it or should i turn it in to a race car?

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restore restore restore....

oh did i say restore?

I think its just wrong to turn 850;s into race cars now, as they are just too muchj of
a rarity.

I'm with chris..restore it

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Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

and did you hear steve say something about his 850 being insured for $12K+

you'd never get that for a race car

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Nah , make it a race car , then our original 850's will be worth more as there'll be less original ones .

But seriouisly , not sure what it's like over there but here original 850's are getting scarce while you can still pickup a reasonable clubman shell cheapl enough to turn into a race car , put a fiberglass flip front on it if you want the roundy shape . Get the original motor as well , even if you don't use it this time around , somewhere down the track you might want to put it right back to original . If you don't get it you'll possibly be kicking yourself later .

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Yep - my opinion also is to restore it as an 850 - original motor and all.

Plenty of other shells around to make a race car out of and there is nothing special about an 850 as a shell to warrant it being used as a race shell

Unless it is one of the very early ones which used the slightly thinner grade steel which made the body about 22 kg lighter . Find an older 850 (my Sports 850 was one) which has cracks on the side panels beside the door striker blocks . I was wondering why and did some digging and asking , several people have independently come up with the same story of BMC needing to reinforce the b pillars on the early mini's and also they soon after changed to a heavier grade steel .

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I still need more convincing to restore it, i willhavet o go all the way back over to pick up the motor.

but im being swayed in the right direction.

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ok have just been looking up all the number and just waiting for confirmation and its actually a 1961 morris mini minor still in rust free condition.

I will go and pick the motor back up to keep it all together and restore back to close original as i can without sending any money on her at all.

first things first is to strip the body back of all the blue pearl paint they have put on and get it back to the original red, now does anyone know if its tartatn red or cherry red on the first original morris's?
i cant find any reference to which one it is.

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Tell you what, keep the 850 as an 850 and race the Elf

hey stu if i wanted to race a tank i would buy it but i think i need a lighter car due to the fact im no lightweight as it is.

maybe i just throw the super charger on the car and supercharge the 850, that could be interesting with single leading brake shoes.

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