Hi All,

I have brought a matching numbers 1967? Mk1 Mini which needs Body and Mechanics done. I want to get peoples opinion on doing modifications to it.

I want to add a roll cage, race seats,air con,heater,dry suspension ... but now feel that the car has lasted almost 50 years "as is" and feel bad changing it.

What are others thoughts?

Cheers

My advice is to restore it "sympathetically". That's what I've done, and I'm very happy with it.

Two schools of thought, no easy answer.

It's your car now, do what you want.
BUT, consider that your car will never be original again. I have a theory that bog standard 850's, Cooper's (note - I mean cooper in the plural, not S)and perhaps Deluxes may one day become more rare and valuable if left standard. So many 850's and Coopers were converted to S replica's (as indeed were deluxes) that good original models are now in short supply. Could a plain jane Cooper (or 850, Deluxe) one day become rarer and more expensive than a Cooper S. I think they with the Cooper they may. It will take more time for the 850 then the Deluxe to reach the same levels I suspect.

The other option is to consider what mods can you do (whilst retaining the std parts) without cutting or drilling too many holes such that it could be readily converted back. Things like changing seats etc aren't so much of a problem (unless you go modifying the mountings) but installing a roll cage may for example.

When relatively new, Mini's were often heavily customised by their owners to personal taste so one could argue that there are very few absolutely factory original cars (especially Cooper S's) unless they have been fully restored.

My suggestion - whatever you change, retain the original parts for later on. Just in case.

KB

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Doing a sympathetic rebuild on my matching numbers 68 minimatic .. Why?
Because I agree with KB's theory.. Too many have been hacked up already


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Simonw
Brisbane QLD
1st car - 1964 Mini Panelvan 850
Previous - 1978 Leyland LS 1275 Gold
- 1969 Mini K

I agree with the posts above.
Seats, trim, suspension, engine, gearbox, brakes even paint etc can be swapped backwards and forwards, modded etc without too much trouble but keep all the original parts so you can always go back if you or someone else wants to in the future.
The one thing that is hard and expensive is when you start cutting, drilling, bending, modding, replacing panels etc on the body.
I've got a matching numbers with original log book 66 deluxe that needs restoration and I'm considering some sympahetic mechanical and interior mods but will not change the body in any way.
I may decide to sell it but would only do so to someone who would either restore it or do sympathetic rebuild.
Cheers
Rod

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1967 New British Racing Green Mk1 Cooper S, 1967 Lake Green 1275 MG Midget, 1969 Jet Red / Crystal White Mk2 Cooper S, 1972 Gambier Turquoise Clubman GT (ex police), 1972 Camino Gold Clubman GT, 2009 JCW Challenge Edition, Megane RS265, Clio RS220.

Thanks All,

As KB said "It's your car now, do what you want." BUT...

I can tell (and feel)that the way to go is to keep it as close to original as possible or at worst keep the parts to return it to where it is now. But think as DavidE & simonw said a sympathetic rebuild is in order.

Or as Rod said "sell it but would only do so to someone who would either restore it or do sympathetic rebuild" I have done this before with a car and turned away a buyer to their surprise.

Will get the Hydro looked at and Engine and see if they are OK

Will Post when I know more.

Thanks Again

The only thing my matching numbers deluxe is missing is a r/h tank and cooper badges or otherwise would be a s replica but I have all the bits still to put it back if I want to

I also agree that it is your car so do what you want
You can go a long way on the mechanical/running gear side without touching the body
I've got a "back to original" mk1 S and Clubman GT but I also have waiting a 69 Mk 2 s that has seen a pretty hard life (looks like it was raced) and I will be building it as a car for me to drive and have fun in so am going wet to fully adjustable dry, upgraded brakes, SC box, quickshift, performance modded engine with black box ignition, paddy hopkirk seats and steering wheel, roll cage (it previously had one fitted so all the holes are there anyway), full exhaust, Weber, 12" wheels etc, etc but i am leaving the body standard. I've always like the idea of a "sleeper" car and really like the look of mini's as they are. All That I do will be easily reversible and all of its original cooper s parts that are removed will be packed and stored.
I want to do a bit of track regularity with it.

Most importantly it is your car so enjoy it
Cheers
Rod

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1967 New British Racing Green Mk1 Cooper S, 1967 Lake Green 1275 MG Midget, 1969 Jet Red / Crystal White Mk2 Cooper S, 1972 Gambier Turquoise Clubman GT (ex police), 1972 Camino Gold Clubman GT, 2009 JCW Challenge Edition, Megane RS265, Clio RS220.

Often thought about a roll cage but to be honest, if you ever want to have someone in the back or not wearing a helmet in the front, a roll cage becomes a bit of a liability in a real accident (your head hits the bars depending on type of cage). I'd think seriously about this option before hacking and slashing (which will be required if you want to put in a real one that works).

On seats, suggest you sit in minis with sporty seats of different varieties before making a decision. I've had the stock seat (and never will again) as well as cobra high back bucket seats and the issue with those are access to the back seat (headrest hits roof when swinging them forwards). With 2 high back bucket seats you basically cannot access the back seats even to put a bag back there as there just isn't any room to maneuver.

The other issue with bigger bucket seats is that the two seats in the car will nearly touch each other due to cramped spacing, which isn't a good look or comfy for that matter when there are two people at the front. Essentially you bang elbows and it's very very hard to access the handbrake depending on the size of the seat.

Today I have the Cobra low back bucket seats and I have to say they are made for minis. VERY comfy, access to the back seats, look superb and fit perfectly. Never looked back since then and would never consider another seat for a round nose mini.

Regarding engine mods: I take it that the engine is a 998 Deluxe motor. If you are wanting to keep the matching numbers you can do quite a bit of work to a 998 to give it more go, including putting in an 1100 crank and 202 head or similar. As Graham Russell has been doing you could get a good 90-100bhp out of if which is plenty in a mini. If you were to change to a thunderous 1275 then consider storing the original engine and buying a separate one to mod and drop in. But that also requires engineering certificate etc.

Good luck!

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Lillee,
Why would you need an engineering certificate to put a 1275 (and disc brakes) in a Deluxe?
A Mk1 Cooper S was just a Deluxe body with go-fast bits added during production.
[edit] no eng certificate is on your Mini or mine...!

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

My thoughts. I have a '67 Deluxe that is far from standard. Having said that, the body shell is completely original apart from the hole I made for the right hand tank. The interior is original apart from being retrimmed in leather. All the mods are basically the bits that sit in the front subframe, i.e. engine, gbox, carb, brakes and suspension. It retains it's Deluxe badges and to me is a sympathetic example of what could have been a typical souped up car possible in 1967 which was my intention. It has no modcons and I have no qualms I ditched the 998 engine (not sure if it was the original one anyway, my car doesn't have a id plate with number). It is NOT a pretend Cooper S and as far as I'm concerned it is a 1967 Morris Mini Deluxe....

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67 Deluxe
Dry suspension
1293cc, 11:1 comp, RE 282 camshaft, 45 Weber, extractors etc
4 synchro close ratio gbox
Cooper S brakes, no booster
Stealth box, as Doc says "goes harder and idles!"
RH tank cos I needed it crossing the Nullarbor etc..

I think do what you wish with it. It does not matter what other people think. There are enough minis out there still; it is not as though it is an old Aston Martin.

And I'll add my final point. As you need to do body work, then it is no longer truly original anyhow (or wont be when you're finished) so sympathetic rebuild may be the order.

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I definitely got a blue slip done because the engine number was different to the rego paper on the car! That was what I was referring to.

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Yeah but that is not a (private) Engineering cert, it is just for RMS check details for adjustment of records.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.