Thinking about buying an 850 but i know nothing about them.
Can sombody help.
1. Value in good restored condition
2. Pros Cons to a more common model like cooper S
3. Is this model a collectable or not so much
4. Is this a car that is UK build or OZ

5. Or just ignor all the above and send me a link as to where i can read up on it.

Thanks in advance.

you're an absolute champ...


Less than a cooper s but then it's cheaper to buy originally


it's getting more and more rarer than the rapidly increasing number of Ss these days..

less chance of having it (or your badges) nicked



Absolutely... everyone loves them... admit it..


Can be UK (imported), can be the other(built here), can be both...(CKD kits manufactured in the UK and built here)

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Pro's , they are the original mini , they're basic , they're fun

Con's , original trim is unnavailable , orriginal floor mats are unavailable , if original only have single leadiung shoe breaks which require more attention ,not as much power as a later mini but you get used to them , no synchro in first , gear lever is awkward for some but very direct feel .

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Sounds a bit bias but i still appreciate your help.

What to look out for when purchasing. What are the rarest bits to find as this one i am yet to see, but i hear it needs a lot of TLC.

In case it is not worth the resto, sorry if i offend you or anyone else. Will any of it be any good for my 78 LS.

Im assuming it has Drum brakes all round, and wet suspension?

Basically , the seats and interior trim are the hardest bits to find . All 850's were dry suspension , drum brakes all round and the drums were the single leading shoe type , not twin leading shoe like later mini's . Also look for sliding window doors and the wider number plate indent on the boot lid . I'm talking about the YMA2S1 850 here by the way , not the YMA2S3 Morris Mini Minor which also had the 850 motor but was bascially a poverty pack mini deluxe , they didn't have the 850 interiors (850's had two tone seats and looked better than later ones) .

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never...

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all 850's had dry suspension umm stuff that will be good for 1275 LS
i think the following bits will fit

side rear windows
clutch/brake mastercylinders
subframes
steering bits
bootlid (if aussie made otherwise big no. plate holder)
lights

i think basically everything except doors and mechanisms, and windscreens??, will fit a clubman shell


As far as i know thats what would fit
if im wrong others can correct me

Brenton

So if its not Morris Mini Minor what is it.

What is the Std exterior colour/s

Damn it the doors i need.

If it's got an 850 motor (either 8AMUH or 8YUH engine prefix) then it's either a Morris 850 (YMA2S1) or a Morris Mini Minor (YMA2S3) . Morris 850 had sliding windows and UK style boot lid , Morris Mini Minor had windup windows and the Australian style bootlid . Standard colours were varied and changed each year , do you know the original colour of this one and any details of it yet ? Best bet when you see it is get all the details off the ID plate (body number , original engine number , paint name) and I can tell you it's age etc .

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Regardless of what doors the 850 has they will be the wrong ones for a clubman , Clubman door frames/jambs were different to round nose ones , they can be adapted to suit but it's a lot of work .

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Know nothing yet, i lie i do know that the floor is rusted, go figure!
Can't wait to see it, but i have to wait till it stops raining.

What Cush hinted at (but did not say) is that many 850's have been turned into Cooper S replicas. So original 850's are hard to find.

They are the Mini in it's purest form - as Issigonis intended.

Yes, they are collectible, but not as sought after as the Cooper variants.

IMHO more desirable than a 998 LS and provide similar performance - less weight due to basic spec and pre-pollution 850 motor has similar power to a post-76 998.

Comparing 850 to LS:
- Glass is the same except the doors, subframes similar (not identical but will fit).
- No interior bits interchange.
- Lights will not fit except headlights.
- Boot lid and hinges will fit.
- Doors do not interchange
- Wiper mechanisms and electrics all different.
- Most mechanical items will interchange, but many of them would be a downgrade in spec - smaller engine, no-synchro on first gearbox, worse brakes etc.

If you are looking for a donor for the LS, you would be better off finding another Clubman, as a lot of bits simply don't fit your LS.

Unless it's terminally rusty you should be able to find someone willing to swap a donor Clubman for the 850.

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

Now theres a thought.

I was and am looking for a clubbie and got throw this lead and found out it is a roundie now im still considering getting it to keep if its worth it and how many the boss lets me have at home. I have been looking around for a round nose to work on or vice-versa. My LS is driveable so i could get this one going then do the LS up. Wow it sound so simple.

exactly, i have a 63 morris 850 as a daily driver at the moment and its incredible, its a welcome change from a 1275'd mini k.
if the 850 your checking out just has rusty floors its not a hard fix, and its rewarding (and costly at times) experiance, you'll be keeping a huge part of motoring history alive.
if i where you, get it, store it away, but parts here and there, then oneday start restoring it.

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real men race downhill - keiichi tsuchiya