New project teaser

Informal polls have been conducted and the results are pretty much unanimous. There is one particular model of car that you can drag home without raising the ire of the significant other. There will not be the "what have you done?" conversation just shared excitement. I am bringing it home next week.

It couldn't have happened at a less convenient time. The E28 was just wrecked and sold, the Falcon is being a bit cranky about being forced back into daily driver status. While I was out troubleshooting a new vapor lock issue a car pulled up to the shop and a gentleman I recognized but hadn't seen for a few years asked if I was interested in his car. It took me a minute to put it all together and in my head it was a slow realization that I couldn't say no as my brain was simultaneously saying "OH BERKELEY THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA"

Went out and looked at it Thursday, shook hands on the deal and I will collect it sometime this week. 

I am the proud new owner of a 76 mini 1098. Bodywork is a bit scruffy, engine needs a rebuild and he is keeping the front seats. I don't care. It is relatively shiny and it is mini shaped. It was his daily driver until it went down on power and upon inspection found it needed a rebuild. Disc brakes up front and wears 12" minilites. Our mini expert noted lots of bonuses that didn't catch my eye.  

Build thread as soon as I collect it. I imagine it will be washed inside and out and the engine pulled and sent to the machine shop promptly and then waiting for parts to arrive.

I am really excited about this.

When I was reading the first part before scrolling down to see the picture I was thinking "I wonder if it is a Mini?"

Awesome, can't wait for the build thread. 

In reply to Jumper K Balls :

Enjoy!   I’ve got the mini bug bad myself and an eyeball deep in a project too.   Can’t go anywhere in a mini without questions or a story.   Heavens they’re fun

Where's the "looking-forward-to-the-build" icon??

I had one almost 30 years ago, 1275cc, LCB, twin SUs, 10" wheels. It was a riot to fling around on the local back roads.

Awesome. They have so much character. Everyone and his dog will tell you about VTEC swaps, but the character of the A series is a big part of the car. Mine's a 1293 that is full of snorts and giggles. Mini Mania sells pre-built engines.

A set of 10" wheels will transform the car. Seriously, the difference in weight and driving dynamics is massive. You can get a set of the cutest little 7.9" four-pot brakes from Mini Sport and stick some proper wheels over it. Putting some real Group 2 arches over top makes it look proper at the same time.

Mine was.

Mine is.

Super jealous. I've always wanted a mini

In reply to Jumper K Balls :

Thank you - for a minute I thought you were going Accord or Miata. This is so much better - I appreciate you!

I know zero about these so I have to ask, what is there a purpose to the line from the roof to the fender lip or is it just a design element?

In reply to rustybugkiller :

All the body seams are on the outside of a mini in order to make more space on the inside. They manage to be smaller than a Fiat 600 on the outside and still have more room inside. Kind of a marvel in that respect.

Nice! Looking forward to the build log.

While you're taking that engine apart, check out the clearance on the idler gear on the trans. I think in 1976 you're okay, but later ones didn't have it set up properly which leads to rapid wear. The trans is a high-effort assembly, it's all done with shims.

Very nice...

I will not go to Craigslist

i will not go to Craigslist

I will not go to Craigslist

This is my family’s friends mini cargo van it’s got a 1600cc bmc engine 

If you want a vauxhall 2.0L in a subframe and ready to go.....I know a guy ;)  

Didn't FIAT make a small car back in the day, might have been an 850? :)

I had an 67 ex racecar, 1275 with a DCOE weber pointing through the speedo binnacle. Not recommended, kinda loud.

coexist said:

Didn't FIAT make a small car back in the day, might have been an 850? :)

I had an 67 ex racecar, 1275 with a DCOE weber pointing through the speedo binnacle. Not recommended, kinda loud.

 

 

 

Mine was built with the newer style binnacle, then retrofitted with a center speedo. There was no room for the SU air filter and the speedo and the firewall, so the PO left out the firewall plate that usually sits between the first two. World's loudest speedometer, but boy were those noises fun.

coexist said:

Didn't FIAT make a small car back in the day, might have been an 850? :)

I.

 

 

 

It's gonna happen. It is just taking much longer than anticipated. 

It will also be nicer than I had anticipated

I love Minis to this day because of the  original "Italian Job" movie.

I hate Minis to this day because everytime I drove my brother's souped up Mini Cooper in the rain, it  understeered off the road. Probably why I have an aversion to FWD to this day.

I will  admit that it was way too much fun on the way to the crash site,  just that the neigbours were getting tired of the tire tracks on their lawns.

At the time, I drove a MG Midget with proper RWD.

Pete

That just means you hadn't figured out how to drive it yet. The trick is to bring in too much corner entry speed, turn the wheel and put your foot to the floor as the back end comes out. Mini racers would put casters back there if they could. Meanwhile, every time I come out of a corner I think "man, should have gone in faster..."

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Pretty confident that I never did figure that out. It was kinda fun in the dry, but dangerous in the wet. Cant imagine what it would have been like in the snow. Required too much of an attitude adjustment on my part.

Regarding  FWD versus RWD....There is a reason the Miata is so popular and the Lotus Elan that came out at the same time never caught on and has gone the way of the Dodo.

Pete

Set up the pick up time with the seller. Looked ay my coffee mug and thought "how prophetic "

The next 5 hours will be agony. 

So Ransom and I collected what is probably the last viable, challenge priced mini on the west coast today. 

Rolled it into the shop and started to clean it out and take stock of what is there.

I got as far as moving the vacuum over to it but didn't actually start removing the layer of filth inside. It's been off the road for about 2 years.  First thing to go will be those awful eBay headlights.

See you in the morning mini!

That was challenge priced? Damn!

If there were more available in that range I would have another. 

In reply to EvanB :

I was going to say the same thing- that for challenge money? Wow!

Cant wait to follow the fun.