Hi Peeps :
Im looking for a mini and need some advice.
Im wanting to purchase a mini , i dont mind if its a roundnose or a clubman and from following ebay and a few web car trader sites i realise the roundnose and generally more expensive and my budget is only $2000-$2500.

The bad news is i cant get a mini with too much work needed on it as i have nerve damage in my lower spine which not only limits me to what i can do but for how long as well " Basically body work is pretty much a no go " interior and engine shoulnt be too bad " was quite mechanically minded 20 years ago ".

Anyhow the advice bit , which mini's should i be looking at with the above in mind and also the budget in mind what years are easier/cheaper for parts etc and i guess any models which were more reliable.

Also from watching ebay for 8 painful months watching mini's go by while i was saving money up , most of the mini's for sale seem to be from interstate " i live in geelong vic " so thats another hurdle for me.

I guess in short i am asking what sort of mini can i get for that kind of money ? and which model should i be looking for ?.any other places i should be looking for a mini as im getting quite desperate lol.

Cheers
Bill

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Project Pickles is ALIVE!!!!! Click Here!
Success is so much sweeter after the struggle

Rust wise;
Basically all makes and models are about the same, towards the end of production of the square nose minis they only dipped the lower half of the body in the rust proof-er tanks. From memory between the mid 70's to 78, all the early ones got the full submersion in the tanks. But this doesn't mean all late minis will rust out their roofs. It comes down to the life each car has had, when I striped down my 62 mini it was in decent condition for it's age but I've had/have later minis that are in worse condition. It really is case by basket case, some are good others need repairs and others are unfortunately just F'd.
Parts and reliability;
Unless you are trying to keep it 100% factory original pretty much all parts are interchangeable. Reliability is the same deal as above the technology minis use never really changed a whole heap so it comes down to if the car has been looked after or run into the ground. One thing I can think of is suspension, hydro is smoother to drive but if the 40 to 50 year old pipes with 150psi get even a pin hole the entire side will fail and drop down to the bump stops. it's not a violent/dangerous "drop" it will take maybe 5 to 20 minutes to settle down. The other option and more common is the rubber style suspension, firmer/stiffer ride but more reliable and you can buy brand new parts for them unlike the hydro bags which are not available new.
Square nosed minis will be cheaper simply because their is more around these days.
With your budget in mind you'll probably be limited to a 998 or a 1098 powered mini. You should be able to find one with a decent body in rather standard trim. It'll probably have an ugly engine bay and I wouldn't expect a fancy interior but looks can be deceiving, just because it has a dirty engine bay or a rough and ready interior doesn't mean it wont run well or be a comfortable/long lasting interior. And these things can all be fixed up over time when you get more funds.

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Respect mine and I'll respect yours.

Wow Kennomini thats the sort of well thought out reply i wanted so thank you.

I probably should have mentioned i dont plan on keeping it original as i like to personalize it to my own taste and im a pretty laid back driver these days so engine size wont be a problem.

And i will no doubt add/change things as money permits i just want to get it on the road first then look at doing it up so to speak.

So thanks again and hopefully i will secure a mini soon.

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Project Pickles is ALIVE!!!!! Click Here!
Success is so much sweeter after the struggle

Hi Bill,
Have you sat / ridden in a Mini since your back problems?

Don't want to discourage you, but this could be the most important factor in your choice, consider suspension type (Hydro / Dry) and seating, you may need other than standard etc.

Get yourself to Watto's BMC Experience Grand day out and talk to people and get in and out of a few cars.

http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=77380

You'll have a great day and meet some nice folks!

Welcome to Ausmini!

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Sir Alec! we are not worthy!

This is great advice, there aremany people out there that tlak about the roughness of a rubber cone suspended Mini, these may not suit you. I am a fan of hydro cars and believe if any mini is going to suit you then this will be it.
If this is the case then you are then restricted to a certain year range, from memory about 66 to 73, but if needed someone here will be able to give exact dates.

Steve

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1964 998cc Cooper
1971 Mini K x 2
1972 Clubman GT

A Morris 1100 is the perfect thing for someone with a crook back.

LANDCRAB!

Dry suspension isn't that bad

Your dry suspension just has to have some dry suspension left in it.

My moke is on dry suspension, it rides fine and I have a horrible back.
Same story with my 850

My clubman however, was on seen-better-days dry suspension and was quite bouncy.

The condition of your seat also plays a big part. If the arse has fallen out of it, it makes everything much worse.

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You're so square
Baby I don't care

i have a landcrab for sale $800

one of the most comfy ars ever built

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

The Poor Mans Rolls Royce In My book

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" A Hundred Years From Now It will not Matter what my Bank Acount Was,
The Sort Of House I Lived in, Or The Kind Of Car I drove ... But The World May Be A Better Place
Because I was Once Important In The Life Of A Child"

Go one step better and get an 1100s and then you practically have a Cooper S with a lounge room built around it.

There is not much (within the legal limits) that they cant keep up with.

Mike

Graham to be honest i have just been so obsessed with getting a classic mini i didnt think about the ride , i just assumed you could just update to new shocks/seats etc to smooth the ride out ?.

I have done tons of reading the last 8 months or so but with all the medication im on my memory retention isnt good to say the least lol.

I will definately rock up to watto's BMC expierience though and this may be blasphemy buy where is coopers homestead ?.

And thanks for the warm welcome and your answers.


Are these the early 60's mini's ?



Haha im assuming this is a nickname for a moke ? if so anyone who owns one in victoria deserve's a medal with our weather " at least you wont need an airconditioner in summer "

Thanks for all the replies i think buying one will be tougher than i thought , not only money constraints but ride comfort etc .... damn so confusing lol.

Which leads me to ask about how interchangable are the parts and from which models " as i think i read somewhere that they mainly just changed the fronts ? " Eg: would seats from a 60's mini fit a 70's mini etc ?.

Thanks again.

_________________
Project Pickles is ALIVE!!!!! Click Here!
Success is so much sweeter after the struggle

landcrab =1800(BIG MINI)
know where there is a squarenose mechanicly not bad exterior need TLC interior good.about $2000.
i have a soso back
and have fitted honda civic seats best move

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65 panel van Sprog
73 panel van Iggy

Do you have any pics of it ? any rust etc etc

_________________
Project Pickles is ALIVE!!!!! Click Here!
Success is so much sweeter after the struggle

will contact owner see if it is still on offer

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65 panel van Sprog
73 panel van Iggy