Just wondering if anyone knows which models had starter buttons on the floor and when this was discontinued.
Cheers,
G

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Roundnose project car (Now in Sydney!)

850 only, I think it went when the sliding doors did- 1965, although BMC made some 850s (with windups) up until `67, for the Gummint..

My `64 850 has one, but I mightn't use it- haven't quite decided yet.

Coopers and Mini Deluxes all got key start.

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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 66 850 pvan has a starter button and wind up windows

my 69 1100 van has 1. it also has wind up windows.

my 64 van has it, along with windup windows

I have to admit i am a bit confused then - I purchased what i was told was a deluxe (Probably about a 68??), it has a floor starter button though (Next to the hand brake??) and wind up windows. Is it possible that this is an 850 shell with newer doors?? I was also told that it was hydrolastic, (haven't had a chance to get under the car yet, finally dragging it back from Geelong on Saturday!). As usual - any info heaps appreciated!

PS - DR.Mini - what is Gummint???

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Roundnose project car (Now in Sydney!)

Please tell me more about later 850s! My car according to the build plate is a 65 Deluxe (YMA2S2) but although it is a hydro, it has 850 floorpan (without channels for brake/hydro lines) with the magic wand hole welded over and evidence of the new hole being cut. But no hole for push button starter. And the floorpan is painted original colour. It has wind-up windows but there is evidence of the striker plates being modified. It is very neat and I still don't know if it was a factory mod or not.

My car doesn't quite add up and I'd love to find out exactly what the deal is.

Cheers,
Anto.

Steve and Mikeys' 62 Dorothy has a floor mounted starter. they restored her with 0.01mm precision.
i think its mounted on the bulge on the driver side, in front of the box section.
they said only MK1 minis had them (possibly only 850's).
She's got sliding windows,
a blue/grey coloured centre speedo (not black),
map reading lights from the translucent plastic plugs on the side of the centre console,
the door handles are just the handle (there is not black notch attached to the door at the pointy end of the handle) - i also find that MK1 doors have shorter door handles.

i read somewhere that to see if a floor attachment was original, disassemble everything and the hole in the floor should have perfect edges and shapes.

places that havent been touched still have their purple undercoat under the paint. my car was australian made (68mini matic) and im guessing thats what they did.

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Inconspicuously Conspicuous
Appreciation without Depreciation
forever chasing clearer skies...

I'm not sure about vans. I only owned one(`77) and we cut it up- had no floors..

conundrum..
`Gummint' - can you say Government...??

ALL Deluxes and MiniMatics and Coopers and S's and MIni Ks had key start.

As for the last of the 850s (`66-67)made for the Water Board and other Government departments, I'm not sure what they had, or even whether they were hydro.

MiniMatic had the 850 floor with the cable going thru the 850 gear lever hole and boot, but it was hydro with the pipes etc like a deluxe, but no push button. Go figure...!

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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.

while on the topic of 850s, did they all come out with UK number plate holders (ie wider) or did they come with the standard (shorter) ones?

Blimmin' blimey now I'm confused too

How do I find out exactly what year model mine is then?

1. All 850s up to 1964 had floor starters, as did Mini Minors 65,66 (848cc, magic wand, floor starter, wind up windows, dry suspension, 850 grille, no lights for the front parcel shelf), as did most vans 65-?? that came with magic wand gearchange

2. Anto, i reckon you have a Mini Minor (see 1.)that someone converted to deluxe spec. Mine has the same body prefix as a deluxe as well. Whether yours has factory change or otherwise, you'll never know. What is the engine number on the ID plate?

3. The starter button and the exhaust for the cars with a remote gearchange are not compatible. I found this out because PO had fitted the remote type exhaust to my 850 and it was shorting out the starter button terminals

4. The wide number plates were only on early 850's that had most of their components imported. In the drive to reach the tax magical local content %, the boot, and hence number plate holder were one of the first things to be made here. No one is exactly sure of the change over date for that one.

5. Fruity you will NEVER know the EXACT date of your car because all of the manufacturing records were destroyed. The best bet is to try and find when it was first registered, but if the RTA has not had a record on the computers it may be impossible to find that out as well

michael

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the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates

A little known fact is that the glass in all cars coming out of zetland was date coded. I was once shown how to read it and I will try and have a go at reading mine to refresh the memory (we are talking 25 years ago)! It showed the date and month from memory. The code was a dot system within the brand on the glass. A dot was put under a letter and the trick was to count the letters IIRC. Have a look.
'

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Chris

Everything I like is either
illegal, immoral or fattening.

[quote="conundrum"]I have to admit i am a bit confused then - I purchased what i was told was a deluxe (Probably about a 68??), it has a floor starter button though (Next to the hand brake??) and wind up windows.

Sounds like my car.Supposedly a 68 deluxe (running gear certainly was from a deluxe ),floor starter, windup windows ,evidence of a magicwand gearbox(covered hole),single cylinder front brakes and dry suspension.
The brakes and suspension I can understand but The rest I could never quite figure out.
The running gear I think is more likely 67 as the wiper motor was 12/66 but who knows, the door area doesn't show any sign of having been modified to take the windup window type.

In my 850, I recon i'm gunna have a Clubby column so it has the steering lock, and have the floor starter wired in so ya need to turn they key and push the button at the same time. That should confuse the thiefs!

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