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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1585 Location: Le Mans
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Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 4:39 am Post subject: |
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In 1964 I had my first Mini; a basic starter-button-on-the-floor and gear change wand plus the compulsory flexible extenders to the switches so you could reach them without leaning forward. The car was stolen, used for a robbery and thrown off the quay into the harbour at Portsmouth, then recovered some six week later but not until a cargo ship had squashed it flat at low tide. Later I had a 1275S which was breathed on by Alexander Engineering, bored out to 1293cc with larger carbs and a big bore Alextractor exhaust. A hoot of a car. My wife had a Mini in the 70s but that was the last of out British Leyland days I'm afraid. |
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BigJohn
Joined: 01 Jan 2011 Posts: 954 Location: Wem, Shropshire
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Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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In 1980 I transferred to North Yorkshire Police, our beat cars were Mini vans. I was 6'6" and 18 stone.
The vans were all BLMC rejects in one shape or form and the webbing on the seat bases were assisted by a pile of Yellow Pages phone directories, which soon turned to paper mâché due water ingress from the numerous factory fitted holes in the floors. In the Dales flat out in 3rd was as fast as flat out in 4th. The heaters were hot in summer and freezing in winter, sat with the engine running and heater on full, ice would form on the roof in winter. On quiet nights you could hear them rust.
I got posted to Harrogate after 18 months on medical advice due to tearing my back muscles getting in and out of the nasty hateful little things, thank Ford for the Mk1 Fiesta! _________________ 1974 Mk1 Escort. |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6329 Location: Derby
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 1:10 am Post subject: |
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We always had Minis when I lived at home - in fact my mother stuck with the original style mini well into her eighties! I would say that a Mini is quite fun to drive but I wouldn't want to own one now. They are great for nipping about locally but not really on a long journey. My brother had a nice Wolseley Hornet version and someone else I know had a smart Riley Elf. My youngest brother missed out on the fun so bought a mini van and loved it..
I suppose it was inevitable that I would be drawn into the mini fad because my Dad was something of an authority on the Mini/1100. He gave lectures to the engineering apprentices which went down well.
Despite the family attachment to the Mini I always preferred the 1100/1300 (ADO16). I especially liked the MG version with it's two tone paint job. Nice car.
Incidentally, (I may have mentioned it before) an elderly friend of the family owns one of the very earliest Minis in existence. He bought it new in 1959 and it is an immaculate cherry red example - probably worth a fortune now! |
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misterbridger
Joined: 09 Oct 2015 Posts: 46
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 11:32 am Post subject: |
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I love them, and must have owned dozens. I currently have a "Cooperised" mk1 998, and am slowly building a a 1290cc engine for it. Not the most comfortable things I'll admit, but not stopped me doing the "Italian Job" tour to Turin in it a couple of times recently. |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6329 Location: Derby
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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One of my earliest memories is of the Mini. It must have been early 1960 and I was just six years old. My Dad had taken my Brother and I to a new car showroom. I recall he was all over a pale green Mini and quite excited about it.
I, on the other hand, had found a timber framed house on wheels. I can recall getting into a Morris Traveller and telling everyone that "this one is much better - it's got proper handles and everything!" |
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Ellis
Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 1382 Location: Betws y Coed, North Wales
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 11:17 pm Post subject: |
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My mother had a succession of Mini Estates from 1966 to 1978 and the worst ones were the last two on "S" and "T" registrations both Clubman models with the 1098cc engine.
Her opinion was the best was the 1969 H registration with the 1000cc engine.
My aunt had a Wolseley Hornet Mark 2 (1967) and I always though it more solid and better built than the same year Mini Estate my mother owned.
Some months ago I found some very early design Minis :
What do you think of that 1950s "look"? _________________ Starting Handle Expert
1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet |
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emmerson
Joined: 30 Sep 2008 Posts: 1268 Location: South East Wales
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 11:55 pm Post subject: |
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I was an apprentice at a BMC dealer in 1959, so sort of "grew up" with Minis.(except they were Austin Se>ens and Mini-Minors then).
Gearbox problems on the first few we sold meant lots of engine-out jobs. Trouble was that the workshop manuals didn't get to us until a couple of months after the cars, so we took the engines out by lifting the body off the subframe. We could not understand how the "bonus" time for a gearbox change was about four hours less than we were taking, till we learned that the engine came out of the top!
They were a novelty in '59, but I always prefered the Ford Anglia, which came out about the same time.
I've had a few Minis over the years, but never really liked them. I bought Herself a Wolseley Hornet once; she made me take it back! |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6329 Location: Derby
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 12:15 am Post subject: |
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I think the improved access should have been retained. I wonder why they turned the unit round for the production Mini? Having the exhaust at the front would seem more logical - quieter too. |
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MVPeters
Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 822 Location: Northern MA, USA
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 12:59 am Post subject: |
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Ellis wrote: | My mother had a succession of Mini Estates from 1966 to 1978 and the worst ones were the last two on "S" and "T" registrations both Clubman models with the 1098cc engine.
Her opinion was the best was the 1969 H registration with the 1000cc engine.
My aunt had a Wolseley Hornet Mark 2 (1967) and I always thought it more solid and better built than the same year Mini Estate my mother owned.
Some months ago I found some very early design Minis :
What do you think of that 1950s "look"? |
I've seen those photos before but never studied them.
Radiator in the right wing?
Battery up front.
13" wheels, perhaps?
Called an A36, maybe? !
I had 3 Minis, a white 850, a red 850 to repair the white one, then an ex-Group 1 1275 'S' in blue, full roll cage etc etc..
I hit a potato lorry near Crewe & rebuilt it with a Clubman front end - sacrilege.
I had transferred my 1972 plate to it. Last shown on DVLA as a red 998cc car!... Is it still around?
WAM 10 K _________________ Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S' |
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mikeC
Joined: 31 Jul 2009 Posts: 1776 Location: Market Warsop, Nottinghamshire
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 9:14 am Post subject: |
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Ray White wrote: | I think the improved access should have been retained. I wonder why they turned the unit round for the production Mini? Having the exhaust at the front would seem more logical - quieter too. |
I think they turned the engine round because the prototypes suffered from severe icing in the carburettor. _________________ in the garage: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
Recently departed: 1953 Lancia Appia, 1931 Austin Seven, 1967 Singer Chamois, 1914 Saxon, 1930 Morris Cowley, 1936 BSA Scout, 1958 Lancia Appia coupe, 1922 Star 11.9 ... the list goes on! |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22453 Location: UK
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Rootes75
Joined: 30 Apr 2013 Posts: 3825 Location: The Somerset Levels
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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My nephew who is 15 has bought a project car, a 1979 Mini. Its stripped already and being simple in design is great for a beginner. _________________ Various Rootes Vehicles. |
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Bitumen Boy
Joined: 26 Jan 2012 Posts: 1735 Location: Above the snow line in old Monmouthshire
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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Rick wrote: | mikeC wrote: | Ray White wrote: | I think the improved access should have been retained. I wonder why they turned the unit round for the production Mini? Having the exhaust at the front would seem more logical - quieter too. |
I think they turned the engine round because the prototypes suffered from severe icing in the carburettor. |
I was just about to suggest carb icing too
RJ |
There was supposed to have been some problem about the transfer gears as well, the prototypes with the carb and exhaust at the front only needed two gears but the inertia in the larger gears used didn't do the (A35 derived) gearbox internals much good. With the engine turned round the other way the idler gear that became necessary to avoid the cars having 4 reverse gears made that problem go away. Most of these issues, of course, came about through building the cars as yet another "parts bin special"...
My own feeling is that access to the distributor may have had a lot to do with it, at least the Mini as we know it has an easily removed grille to make up for the poor location of the diz. Can you imagine trying to fettle the points on a diz trapped between the engine and bulkhead?
I had 3 Minis in my youth, loved driving them even though I didn't really fit but hated working on them. Not sure I'd want another one tbh, maybe if I was rich and leisured and had a reliable specialist close by I could be tempted! |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6329 Location: Derby
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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Bitumen Boy wrote: | [
My own feeling is that access to the distributor may have had a lot to do with it, at least the Mini as we know it has an easily removed grille to make up for the poor location of the diz. Can you imagine trying to fettle the points on a diz trapped between the engine and bulkhead?
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Can't the distributor just be removed to do the points.? |
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Bitumen Boy
Joined: 26 Jan 2012 Posts: 1735 Location: Above the snow line in old Monmouthshire
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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Ray White wrote: | Bitumen Boy wrote: | [
My own feeling is that access to the distributor may have had a lot to do with it, at least the Mini as we know it has an easily removed grille to make up for the poor location of the diz. Can you imagine trying to fettle the points on a diz trapped between the engine and bulkhead?
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Can't the distributor just be removed to do the points.? |
That's another workaround, it's a matter of personal preference more than anything. I preferred the grille off method as it can be done sitting down... Of course, removing the diz assumes you have a workbench and vice, or some other means of holding the removed diz, points fettling being a two-handed job - I didn't at the time, was working in the street.
I can't imagine removing the diz would have been an easy task if it was down the back of the engine and tight to the bulkhead? |
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