Love them or hate them, October 4th 2000, the last traditional Mini rolled off the production line.
[MEDIA=reddit]CarTalkUK/comments/j4vovm[/MEDIA]
[MEDIA=reddit]CarTalkUK/comments/j4vovm[/MEDIA]
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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. -
brilliant little car...had a dogs*%ยฃ brown one as a runaround.....would love one now, but not a dreadful bmw one
back in the day my brother raced them in grasstrackingPer Ardua
We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no ones beenComment
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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
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You left off the deaded water pump by pass hose:tired: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
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You also left off the handbrake quadrants. And the battery box. And the starter cable shorting to the subframe. And...
PeteComment
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Must admit Iโve 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 1970โs, with production ceasing soon after.
PS, The Tamiya kit builds up well, I have one in my display cabinet....Comment
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WRT shortcomings, wasnโt 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.Comment
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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...............
DaveComment
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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.
PeteComment
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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 lolComment
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I remember the rocking engine mounts that caused my 1968 model to jump out of gear. Oh and I managed to over heat it and blow the head gasket.
Ah those were the days.
JohnComment
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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!Comment
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Never had one but I did like them. Only thing I didn't like was the fact that the battery was situated about 3 feet from the petrol tank.Comment
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