What are the real pro's & con's of clubmans versus roundies apart from just personal prefence, the things that REALLY set them apart.
NO ARGUMENTS ON THIS POST PLEASE.

LOL...oh this is gonna be sweet IBTL

IMO...other than the fact clubmans are ugly as sin...there is NO difference what so ever...their cabins are virtually identical...their engines and subframes are virtually identical...they are the same car...except clubmans are ugly

about the only REAL difference i can think of is that clubbies have larger engine bays...makes them more suitable for conversions and probably easier to work on with the original powerplant...

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Bling me up Scotty!
"wait till it grows into a plant...then bunny rabbit THE PLANT!"

1966 Morris Mini DeLuxe FOR SALE

I've had heaps of both , clubbies - bit more engine bay space and you can take out the grille and grille support panel for even more room to work on things . Roundie , well , more classic and original I guess . Clubbies , bit more modern interior but looks a little more dated than the roundies (personal preference here but I think BMC put more thought and style into earlier colour combinations and shapes than BLMC did , especially in the early to mid 70's . But I really love the very early roundie trims ....) , I'm biased towards roundies at present but I haven't had a clubbie (other than parts cars) for several years , both can look great with some attention but both suit certain things . Roundies for example suit the more classic styling (red with white roof and spotlights always looks better on a roundie than a clubby because that's how the works roundie rally cars were ) whereas clubbies look better with solid colours and 12" wheels . I realise this probably isn't what you were after as it's more personal preference but it's what you've got ....

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to be completely pragmatic.... and taking each style as "off the production line", without swapping engines/brakes around

CLUBMAN

body pros: bigger engine bay, better seats
body cons: more prone to rust
engine pros: none really
engine cons: pooey rod change gearbox (yeah yeah, early ones excepted), later ones had emission control which robbed some power

ROUNDIE

body pros: less prone to rust
body cons: less room in the engine bay
engine pros: remote change
engine cons: none really

I don't think one has real benefits over the other... it all comes down to preference - I've made my bed...

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

in stock form, a clubby will be the easier car to live with and maintiain. why?

MUCH MUCH better seating (especially the later models with high backs or 1275LS seats)
Gauges that are right in front of you and read in KM/H
More room in the engine bay to work on (and that includes the oil filter. did you know that you need to take the grill off a roundie JUST to change the oil filter?)
You get more standard equipment in a clubby (i,e heater/demister on base models, most were fited with a radio, cloth/vinyl seats on clubman S models, and if you score a LS or SS then you get FM radio with cassette, fog lights, mettalic paint and so on.)

the disadvantyages of a clubby is that they can have more of a tendancy to rust
as not all were rust proofed, but in saying that i have 2 excellent Clubman shells and have owned 3 others that were 98%rust free. and i have seen lots of roundies that have also rusted.

If you buy a clubby you invariably will cop alot of crap about it, but in all honesty you learn to live with it. most of the time it is just people havin a joke around and thats cool. other times they are dead serious and to them you just open your bonnet, change your oil filter with the grill on, then go into your car and relax in your more comfortable seats while you turn on your radio, put your heater on and relax (assumin its winter haha)...

yes i know some roundies came came with radio and heater, but Clubbies all had heaters as stock eqquipent and majority came with a optional radio (or if a clubman S wiill have one as standard... not this diamond dot crap)

that the facts, not my opinion either,,,,, (very biased facts though.. i was gona put up the advantages of ownina roundie but could not htink of any...

roundy pros: they're awesome
roundy cons: they're TOO awesome



that said...i really do have to agree with everything that's been said here...and unfortunately tim...it does kinda just boil down to what you prefer...or in alot of cases what you've got a clubman isnt any less of a mini...its just a different mini...i for 1 prefer roundnoses and wouldnt touch a clubman...but they ARE essentially the same car...

all cars rust...seats can be changed...and ICE isnt hard to add...

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Bling me up Scotty!
"wait till it grows into a plant...then bunny rabbit THE PLANT!"

1966 Morris Mini DeLuxe FOR SALE

Cheers for all that

I nearly didn't buy the clubman because I did prefer the round noses and in the end was swayed by my wife (she prefers clubmans) we both saw it as the solution to my mini "itch" and she would have it as her car when I found a roundy. This car is very original and bodywise is in very good condition, I've had to do quite a bit of mechanical work to bring it up to scratch but have enjoyed the challenge.

Having the clubman has really convinced me that the round nose is for me but I just wanted to know if there were any real differences between the two. Thanks to Czerial I now know the facts for the clubman . This clubman must have had good rust proofing as it has very little rust. Maybe because it's was one of the first clubmans (72) and the rust proofing process was changed later on.

I have nothing against the Clubman it's a great car but just love the classic style that bit more. Hopefully we'll have both and I'll learn the real differences myself.

when i was searching for my first (and as yet only) mini i spent about 6 months looking for the right car...i came THIS (pinches thumb and forefinger infront of face and stares at it intently) close to buying a clubman...at they time they were VERY plentiful and relatively cheap...after 6 months of searching and contemplating driving interstate to pick up one of the then 3 round noses on sale at the time i almost gave in and bought a clubman...but in the end the perfect little round nose presented itself...i still remember the moment i rocked up to the guy's place and there it was...gleaming in the sunshine sitting on his driveway...i knew i'd found my mini...

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Bling me up Scotty!
"wait till it grows into a plant...then bunny rabbit THE PLANT!"

1966 Morris Mini DeLuxe FOR SALE

roundie = cute
clubby = tough

definatley like clubby interior more than roundie

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CLUBMAN: You guys complain about the gearbox, Pro: sincro on first gear except K and cooper S, that is they are the only mini's with sincro on first.

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*Reasonable pricing
*I come to you..
Jay: 0431404607

a mini is a mini except when it is a MINI other than that a mini os a mini is a rini is a mini..........
i've kept more clubbys than roundys
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".

You've probably all heard my story before but for those who haven't...

I too spent about 6 months looking for the right mini and found it, a $5000 two owner mini-K in mint condition, only driven on Sunday's, drove like a dreammmm! Put $1000 deposit and couldn't sleep for the rest of the week while I waited to pick it up. That day arrived but there was a phone call from the owners wife to tell me her hubby didn't want to sell it any more. Totally ps'd off and disillusioned I spent all my mini money on my house. I then spent months looking at minis but they never compared and I no longer had $5000 to spend, that's how I ended up with this little clubby.

dunno about yer mini but anything over 10mph and 1st was touching redline its just a get up n go gear...you really dont ever need to shift down into 1st at speed...or atleast i've never had to

and in my experience of driving cars with syncro on 1st you have to be going pretty damn slow for it to let ya in anyway

_________________
Bling me up Scotty!
"wait till it grows into a plant...then bunny rabbit THE PLANT!"

1966 Morris Mini DeLuxe FOR SALE

prolly better to just buy it then n there...assuming a bank's open just run down and get a bank cheque and get back quick smart before the dude changes his mind

_________________
Bling me up Scotty!
"wait till it grows into a plant...then bunny rabbit THE PLANT!"

1966 Morris Mini DeLuxe FOR SALE

It all boils down to
Would you sleep with an ugly woman ? Not just ugly, the chew your own arm off variety. If you would, the clubman is the same as the roundnose. :wink: