Love them or hate them, October 4th 2000, the last traditional Mini rolled off the production line.
Twenty years ago, production of the original Mini ended
- Thread starter skinflint
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2018
- Messages
- 6,212
- Points
- 113
- First Name
- Bob
Sorry but, hate, hate them lol
First ever job as a 17 yr old truck apprentice was a bottom radiator hose on a British rail mini van, about a week later, no nails, nerves shot, swear box full i finished. Can still hear my tech Dave laughing, swine. Clever design but awful to work on.
First ever job as a 17 yr old truck apprentice was a bottom radiator hose on a British rail mini van, about a week later, no nails, nerves shot, swear box full i finished. Can still hear my tech Dave laughing, swine. Clever design but awful to work on.
Same here Bob.
Pete
I had three, kind of a love-hate relationship. Must agree with Bob about the maintenance of them, steering knuckles, CV joints, subframe rot, brake adjustment, tyre wear and lots of other issues, don't wish to go back to one. For charisma 100%
Regarding model kits, I understand the Revell 1:24 Mini Cooper kit is excellent.
Still available brand new from David Brown, just need a lottery win first
https://www.davidbrownautomotive.com/mini-remastered/
Regarding model kits, I understand the Revell 1:24 Mini Cooper kit is excellent.
Still available brand new from David Brown, just need a lottery win first
https://www.davidbrownautomotive.com/mini-remastered/
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2018
- Messages
- 6,212
- Points
- 113
- First Name
- Bob
You left off the deaded water pump by pass hose
Must admit I’ve never owned one. A friend had a Wolsey Hornet, which was basically a mini with a different grill, a recognisable boot and leather seats. Great little car to drive, a right pig to work on. Replacing the engine in that took us about two months......probably because we found it better to go down the pub rather than work in an unheated garage in December and January.....
I was surprised to see they were made to 2000. I thought they were replaced by the Metro in the late 1970’s, with production ceasing soon after.
PS, The Tamiya kit builds up well, I have one in my display cabinet....
I was surprised to see they were made to 2000. I thought they were replaced by the Metro in the late 1970’s, with production ceasing soon after.
PS, The Tamiya kit builds up well, I have one in my display cabinet....
Last edited:
WRT shortcomings, wasn’t the distributor originally located right in the splash zone at the bottom front of the engine? I seem to remember that wrapping it in a plastic bag was essential for reliable running in wintertime.
OK for it's time - a friend gave me a lift in his immaculate bog standard Mini, a year or so back - I realised how cramped, noisy & uncomfortable it really was, and a feeling of vulnerability! Everything towered over you, and you were aware of the lack of crash protection! I've never been in a Smart Car, I wonder if you have the same feeling...............
Dave
Dave
It was Tim. After the first year or two they fitted a sort of plastic boot over the distributor cap, which slowed down the ingress of water but also made it harder to dry out.
I must admit though, when it was running I used to enjoy my mother's automatic mini - bought new in 1968. It came with the 998cc engine and twin carbs, basically the Cooper spec with a 4 speed auto box. With the torque converter, you could just stick it in 4th and drive all day, or in D to let it do its own changing. If you stood on both pedals at traffic lights then took your foot off the brakes, it would burn rubber for 20 yards and out-accelerate almost anything else (I once burnt off a Lotus Elan) up to about 20 mph.
Dave, most cars were like that in the sixties! We're cossetted now, with air bags, side impact protection, crumple zones, ABS, etc.
Pete
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2018
- Messages
- 6,212
- Points
- 113
- First Name
- Bob
Later ones had a plastic tray screwed to the front panel to keep water off the distributor, usually left off after service
And ahh yes the always stuck handbrake quadrants, many an hour spent trying to remove mud then getting it to move, next service do it again lol
And ahh yes the always stuck handbrake quadrants, many an hour spent trying to remove mud then getting it to move, next service do it again lol
D
Deleted member 7181
Guest
I had one as my first car. A proper banger but my brother and I went all over the country in it to watch motorbike racing. I swapped it for a series lll Land Rover, slightly different!
A good mate had a genuine mk1 Cooper S that had been converted for sprint/hill climbing. It was just this side of road legal and absolutely terrifying!
A good mate had a genuine mk1 Cooper S that had been converted for sprint/hill climbing. It was just this side of road legal and absolutely terrifying!
Oh yes , just going to my cousin's wedding, had to keep stopping to fill up the rad and return home .You left off the deaded water pump by pass hose
As for fitting the
thing. Absolute nightmare.
They were Rick, held the road like glue, the Cooper versions were fast .Thank God for Consumer Reports..........I knew these things were dreadful back in the day! You lot have only just reconfirmed it.
Still they were rather sporty looking in a boxy sort of way.Rick H.
- Joined
- May 26, 2009
- Messages
- 12,971
- Points
- 113
- First Name
- Ron
Ah, memories. You can't wack them.
Mine? I had a dark green with a black roof Cooper. Twin S.U. carbs I seem to remember. I had it for a while, including the first 2 years or so of my married life. We used to sling my eldest son onto the back seat in his carry cot. When he got too big and heavy, we had to sell the mini and bought a V.W multi windowed Samba instead.
My mate had an all white 'S'. I remember it just had a small chrome S on the rear end.
We had many a dice from Chester to Belle View in Manchester to see the stock car racing. I never could catch the b****r
Here's me with the Cooper in 1971. Plus roof rack, a C2 slalom canoe and a trophy. In the background is my other motor, a Ford Anglia 100E. That is how I used to drive it around. No wonder the cops wouldn't leave me alone!
I once parted with the canoe, complete with roof rack on a twisty road heading for the River Tryweryn nr. Bala in N.Wales.
Happy days and Tony, sorry for the slight excursion down memory lane.
Yours in the ex. fast lane.
Roy Salvadori
Mine? I had a dark green with a black roof Cooper. Twin S.U. carbs I seem to remember. I had it for a while, including the first 2 years or so of my married life. We used to sling my eldest son onto the back seat in his carry cot. When he got too big and heavy, we had to sell the mini and bought a V.W multi windowed Samba instead.
My mate had an all white 'S'. I remember it just had a small chrome S on the rear end.
We had many a dice from Chester to Belle View in Manchester to see the stock car racing. I never could catch the b****r
Here's me with the Cooper in 1971. Plus roof rack, a C2 slalom canoe and a trophy. In the background is my other motor, a Ford Anglia 100E. That is how I used to drive it around. No wonder the cops wouldn't leave me alone!
I once parted with the canoe, complete with roof rack on a twisty road heading for the River Tryweryn nr. Bala in N.Wales.
Happy days and Tony, sorry for the slight excursion down memory lane.
Yours in the ex. fast lane.
Roy Salvadori
Hi Ron,
Pleased to have your trip down memory lane in the thread, thought you might have signed yourself off as Russ Swift.
Pleased to have your trip down memory lane in the thread, thought you might have signed yourself off as Russ Swift.