Wednesday, July 01, 2009 - 05:15 pm, by: Gary Redman(Gary)
If anyone is a Mini fan, I was at Valley Motor Auctions in Newcastle today and they have an original 1961 Mini 850 with 5,000 miles on the clock which is going to be sold. They have it in a sealed air tent thingy with all it's trophies. It has won every Mini car show it has entered and also won best Mini in the world contest in 1991 against all the ones in Britain. Totally original in every way (except the tyres I think)
Thursday, July 02, 2009 - 11:32 am, by: James Harris(Haro)
oooh oooh ooh !! PICK ME ! I am a mini fan. Kinda wierd considering I am now 6'5" tall haha. My 1st car was a Leyland 76 Mini Clubman S, loved that thing and spent some money on it.
The disk brake conversion was the best money ive ever spent, oh and the rebuilt 1310cc engine
Anyways - i dont think ill buy one though for a while, i wonder how much it will go for, prob 15K or so
Thursday, July 02, 2009 - 01:10 pm, by: Wess McManus(Bar)
Awesome James! My first car was a 77 yellow clubman mini S 1100. Apart from colour, identical. Loved that car, great fun. I'm 6'3 and oddly most headroom i've had in a car.
When I was shopping for my mini I came across early immaculate 850.one granny owner cream/red interior but couldn't afford the $2300!!!!!doh by comparison I paid $700 odd for my tidy S.
Ben Lipman Goo Roo NSW Soarer TT manual, plus TT track car
Thursday, July 02, 2009 - 06:23 pm, by: Ben Lipman(Ben12a)
My first two cars were minis. Leyland SS 998cc rag top and a white Morris with a 7 litre blown block.(ie the capacity was about 7L after the conrod was blown out the side of the block.) Learnt the hard way about maxxing the rpm in top gear down a massive hill, chucking it in neutral to gain another few mph, then putting it back in gear and popping the clutch out. Fronts locked momentarily, then they gripped and the engine made the worst sound I have ever heard from an engine bay.
I reckon they are the only FWD car an enthusiast should ever own.
I'd show some pictures, but back then you had to get them developed from this thing called film...
Miles Baker Goo Roo Vic 66 Mustang GT Convertible, 55 Chevy Bel Air, 69 Firebird 455, 69 Nova SS Clone
Friday, July 03, 2009 - 09:23 pm, by: Ben Lipman(Ben12a)
Miles Baker wrote on Thursday, July 02, 2009 - 10:18 pm:
I've never understood the attraction
I think it comes from the fact they were a lot of people's first car. Given the choices back then, they made a lot of sense, and were very rewarding to drive.
BUT
As Matt said, they weren't the best for long highway stints. I personally liked the gearbox whine, but the lack of anything resembling creature comforts inside made anything over a hour an ordeal you told your grand kids about.
Friday, July 03, 2009 - 09:36 pm, by: Chris Fletcher(Wickedcat)
I must be getting old - my second car was a 1963 Mini Van 850cc. After many many hours of blood, sweat and tears, I ended up with a very quick brick - 1275 (1100 S)"freak" motor and gearbox, Mini 1100 diff and doors (wind up windows), 7" rims and tyres with the front guards flared to suit (no bolt-ons) because of 2" ground clearance on the sump, after-market seats and full instrumentation (6 gauges). In 1975, this brick was clocked by police at 135 MPH on the yet to be opened F6. Those were the days !!!!!!!!!!!