Wildly off topic: Minis - enlighten me

[Storm]

As my random fad for the moment, I've been carried away on a wave of nostalgia for those nifty little cars known as "Mini's" . My cousin had one back in my school days and as it was a hoot to drive, skid and generally be young idiots in.
However, it been a while since then, so as I'm thinking of maybe possibly getting one for my daily 50km commute, I'd be keen to hear from those who've had one such pearls of wisdom as :

1) What do they go like? (yes I realise its only a 1000cc/1100cc )
2) Maintenance issues that you only find out about too late?
3) Issues to watch for on particular models?
4) Servicing-how much, how often?
5) Top speeds?
6) Availability of parts?
7) Do you have to slow to 1st gear for any hill higher than 2 inches?
8) Are there any good clubs to meet other likeminded folk?
9) Do they blow ring with a passenger or two/load of tools?
10) Anything else you think I should know

Thanks for the help

[FJRider]

1) standard-ok, tired -less than, with basic engine mods (parts cost,if you can find them)
2) If its still legal they'll show. C.V.joints are always an issue on front wheel drives. Distributor
3) Sport models often thrashed/pranged.
4) usual story, everything costs.
5) Standard about 60-70 MPH (more if its downhill... etc)
6) Car wreckers could be your next best friends. The internet is good. REALLY good
7) Drive it like a 2 stroke. No worries.(its NOT a V8)
8) There always is.
9) See No.7)
10) Tall people and those with bad backs need not apply...Being LOW gives a great sensation of speed. (ever driven a go-cart ???... similar feeling)

I have raced these in standard form AND very modified (Morris 1300 engine) and they CAN go. To get the best out of them, you need to re-learn the art of driving. Watch "Goodbye Pork Pie" if you havent already.

[Bullitt]

1. Theyre not overly fast, theyll keep up with traffic but even the slowest of modern cars will be quicker. A 1275cc motor is a bolt in conversion and makes a big difference. However I wouldnt like to drive a hotted up one on front drums. A decent brake conversion is probably dearer than the motor conversion
2. Nothing specific comes to mind. But remember theyre all old cars now so everything can go wrong if you get a rough one.
3. See 2
4. Just the usual 5k and keeping an eye on everything else as required
5. My hotted up 1293cc was still accelerating at 170. A stock 1275 should be good for 150. Dont buy a mini for top speed.
6. You can buy everything new. And theres enough around you can get most parts second hand too.
7. Not on a 1275, dont know about smaller motors though Id guess a 1000cc one would be ok.
10. I loved mine but the driving position was horrible. With my foot on the brake pedal my knee was hard against the steering wheel. Their handling is brilliant for their age but probably most modern cars would keep up. With more power the biggest limitation to mine was it was undertyred. Thats why I got something with the same mechanicals but a better driving position...I just wish it was as quick as my mini was...

[Ghost_Bullet]

1. Minis or any small car could easi be classed as cool. For me I would class the Japanese, Hondas frist big production car the N360 as the mint one.

by GhostBullet

Or then you could go for the n600, one on trademe right now, but a bit on the expensive side in my opinion.

[yod]

they didn't call 'em a flying brick for nuthin!!

i had a '76 clubman repowered with a morris 1300 and twin SUs - awesome little car

like driving an oversize go-kart - steering is almost 1 to 1

[Indiana_Jones]

why get a mini when A Reliant is so much cooler? lol

-Indy

[Dave Lobster]

Minis are the biggest money pit you could possibly buy. Even in the UK, where parts are readily accessible, they're a money pit.
Great fun, on twisty roads. But you'd be as well to buy a normal car, and then throw a few more grand down the drain.

If you've got thousands and thousands of $ to blow.. get one. You wont regret it. But like someone said, you'll need to blow more on:
Disc brakes
Neg camber arms
Decent shocks
Seats with support
An engine that works properly (and sucks petrol accordingly)
All sorts of other things.

The legroom problem shouldn't be a problem. Just remove the back seat, cut off that lip bit, and weld the front seats in further back. Job's a good 'un.
You can get little brackets to lower the steering wheel.

If you can find one, a 205GTi is a much better bet. Faster, handling the same, etc.

[firefighter]

ive got a tiny rover 114 sl, its cheap but i'm seliing it, they seem like a good idea at the start but they are difficult to get in and out of and a general pain in the un-comfortable arse after a month!stick with the good old 1300 corolla thats the way i'm going I think.

[Storm]

Indy- Because that thing is weird and fugly-personal opinion
Everyone else, thanks for your input.
Also, question 11) what should I be paying for a decent one?

[FROSTY:Me]

One thing noone has mentioned here is rust.
Ya need to check the lil beasties out thoughroughly sp

[dino3310]

great little car but watch out for those SUVs.
we just bought a little honda for comuting its fuckin awesome on gas but scary at times cause ya so small on the road.

[fridayflash]

nostalgia is one thing and reality another lol, buy a suzuki swift or sumthing

[vifferman]

If you can find one, a 205GTi is a much better bet. Faster, handling the same, etc.

Indeed.
We've got one, and having driven many minis, I'd say there's no comparison. A standard, non-Jap version, 1.9 GTi is 135 hp, weighs about 860kg, has a top speed of over 220km/h, has comfy seats, disc brakes all round, wider tyres (195 x 50), etc etc blah blah blah. It's one of the most fun cars I've driven, but not very relaxing: imagine driving a go-kart on steroids around the street, with it constantly nagging, "Go faster, you pussy!"
Then there's the exciting built-in features like dramatic oversteer on lift-off: you go barreling into a corner a bit hot, back off the throttle, and the back comes out.

[Storm]

Minis are the biggest money pit you could possibly buy.
If you've got thousands and thousands of $ to blow.. get one.
All sorts of other things.

So they're just like motorbikes then?


Vifferman- what sort of cost am I looking at for a GTI? Bearing in mind I am doing the single income supporting a family gig at the moment, and thusly, am not cashed up.
Also, its minis that I'm keen on just now, dont confuse me with other options

[TLDV8]

As my random fad for the moment, I've been carried away on a wave of nostalgia for those nifty little cars known as "Mini's" . My cousin had one back in my school days and as it was a hoot to drive, skid and generally be young idiots in.
However, it been a while since then, so as I'm thinking of maybe possibly getting one for my daily 50km commute, I'd be keen to hear from those who've had one such pearls of wisdom as :

1) What do they go like? (yes I realise its only a 1000cc/1100cc )

My first car (in 1976) was a Cooper. and had a Clubman in 1981.

I still remember in the late 1970's or early 80's (old age ) seeing a 1310cc (i think) Mini with a cross flow head (Croxley or something like that with twin side draft Weber's sticking out of the front of the bonnet) making a V8 Holden ute look very average (on the Puke club circuit,until the ute lost it coming around the stables corner and hit what looked like a mint Austin Cambridge parked in the middle of the grass area)

In their time they were a great car performance wise and did well worldwide including Bathurst/Australia as giant killers with their cornering ability.


Some specs here.

Not forgetting the Mini is close to 60 years old being first released in the late 1950's.
Hotting then up is little different to modern cars,if you remove the cylinder head and intake off a modern car short blocks have changed little. ??


http://drcwww.uvt.nl/~bogaard/compare2.htm