What to do with a problem like - A Mini

[MWF]

I'm in a dilemma. Oh poor me.

One of those sort of good dilemmas, if that makes sense.

Ten years ago I bought my first car, a 1994 1275 Mayfair in Caribbean blue with lots of mods and a great history. I drove it for about 18 months before I got something more suitable for the morning commute down the dual carriageway and the Mini sort of sat around on the lawn waiting to be sold.

It didn't get sold and in fact it stayed on the lawn for a few years until my sister passed her driving test and I let her have it. She tootled around town in it until a few months ago when she got a Ka.

She now says I can have the Mini back and it's currently sat locked up in garage. Of course I'm delighted to be reunited with it and excited to bomb around the streets of south central Wolvehampton in it - yes it's all good in that respect.

But then there's this niggling little thought at the back of my head saying "Modify it Chris, mess with it, spend money, you know you want to." where as my frontal lobe is going "Oh no, not this again, not more money burned on cars, just leave it alone."

Now the car is lovely, an usual color, very tastefully modified and low milage (sub 50k on the clock I think) but it was made at Longbridge and was delivered from the factory with the standard Rover rot which has eaten part of the scuttle already. On top of that someone backed into the back corner and creased the seam and I kind, erm, reversed into a bollard and dented a door. This rather rough bodywork is pretty off putting and imo really devalues the car.

Sooooooo long story short, considering the car doesn't really owe me anything, considering it would be lovely to restore it to its former glory (plus a few mods) and then scamper around in a really nice Mini for summer would it be logical to source a decent body shop and get the bodywork all sorted out. I've never had bodywork done really and don't know what to expect. Ideally the restoration work would up the value of the car and effectively pay for itself, but I might be being naive there.

Sorry for the rambling but I'm just sort of lost for what to do really. Certainly nothing to complain about but I am concerned about:
a: Trying to shift this Mini right away and it going for peanuts
b: Rattling around in it during summer, feel bad about condition, then sell for peanuts

When I'd rather:
c: Get it sprayed up nice, restore a few bits, fit some nice wheels and arches, bomb around in summer, feel proud and sell on for a good price where I don't feel I'd have been better off spending the whole time feeding ten pound notes into a shredder.

[JonnySierra]

Multiple choice, eh? They're always easy!

The correct answer is

mwf said:

c: Get it sprayed up nice, restore a few bits, fit some nice wheels and arches, bomb around in summer, feel proud and sell on for a good price where I don't feel I'd have been better off spending the whole time feeding ten pound notes into a shredder.

Bits are easy to find, and if it's in a state now you could always have a go at the bodywork yourself (easy for me to say from the comfort of my desk, I know). And it's hard to beat a Mini for the grin-factor.

With the sensible head on - like you say at least with a Mini you don't lose money, and if you do, it's not much. My Sierras make that KLF film where they burned £1,000,000 look low budget. I bet all three are worth under £1k though.

Get it and prepare for the summer!

[horney™]

The only thing that could chuck a spanner in the works is the bodywork. If it's gone badly round the screen it quite often means the bulkhead is going too which is a tad more expensive to fix. Another bad area is where the rear subfram bolts up under the rear seat. If this is rotten it's a pig to fix.

I would get a quote for the work from someone who knows minis and then look at your options. Minis with T&T fetch £1K+ on ebay all day long no matter what state they are in.

Nick

[trg1984]

on saturday mines going in for some body work then its up for sale, ive looked around at similar spec/condition minis and the price it should be worth will cover the costs of the repairs and what i paid for the car.

[MWF]

I see guys, so really what I need to do is get it under the eyes of a specialist and get a quote.

[Jackman]

Does it have tax and test by any chance? I know someone wanting somthing just like this.

[MWF]

Yeah it's MOT'd up to Sept I think, tax might have expired. Drives fine.

As mentioned it's a 1994 Mayfair with a 1275cc and manual box. It's got the late shell with the washer tank in the back but it's on a carb not single point injections. 13" Minilite alloys with 175 tyres, Cooper grill, bumper over riders, LCB manifold and RC40 exhaust, lovely interior with loads of walnut. Underside is all undersealed too. Won concourse at Mini in the Park once.

[jiminwatford]

go on, give us some pics

[MWF]

Only pics I has are these from a while ago when it was left roosting on the garden.



Only modifications I'm thinking of making is fitting wider arches and deeper dish wheels, cliched I know.

[BMC Paul]

if for sale, pm me fella ;D

[Pillock]

Noice!! Certainly looks better than you make out, but photos do that sometimes

Are you going to enjoy getting it back up and running and in good nick, or are you doing it for financial reasons, i.e. you don't want to sell it for peanuts? If it's going to be the bane of your life whilst being worked on, then get rid for whatever you can get now. Life's too short to be sentimental if it's going to make you miserable! On the other hand, if you're looking forward to getting your teeth into it, then go for it - it'll be a laugh and you'll end up with a great motor!

Note though that although Minis are getting to be nicely worth something, I wouldn't have thought you'd make a profit on it just by doing the work and then selling it straight on.....

[rustybits]

Just look after it. Prevention being better than the cure and all that. Mercilessly attack any signs of tinworm immediately, and give the engine a good servicing.

Once you know it is all solid, then you can start thinking about mods. Modifying a mini is hard to do, there are so many cliches to avoid. I recommend you keep it simple. 10" mambas, debumper, and a properly ported cylinder head. Nothing else, unless you want to simplify the interior or whatever.

[reanimation]

Get it in a fit shape to blast about in the summer. bet you've really missed simple small Karts!
You know how much fun it is and what you need to do to get it how you like it, plus summer driveway tinkering should be quite relaxing, well better than work maybe, you know what i mean!

[keithyboy]

As Horney says, Minis with a bit of test fetch silly money. There is another way. Put it in your garage and take it to pieces. And then you....

well........

just kind of leave it there. Works for me.

[samwell]

you will really struggle to make money on paying for someone to fix the bodywork and selling it. Also theyr often so much worse underneath. Scuttle could mean inner a-panel is shot and bulkhead. doors more than likely through the bottom.
And putting wider wheels and erches won't add much value. Better off fitting wide wheels and arches, reverting to standard to sell and selling the othe rbit separately.

i say enjoy it, fix what you can and get the look you like but its worth as much standard as people are always looking to restore to factory.

[craig1010cc]

I've been getting quotes of getting the bodywork on my cooper fixed (late model minis rust for fun, more so than the older one)

Normally to change the scuttle, you will need to chop the wings off, but there is one place that can do it leaving the wings (sleaford minis)

They quoted
Scuttle replacement (inc new dash rail) all painted ect £850 (but wouldn't cost much more to have the wings done at the same time as it would be quicker and about £700 of the above would be labour)
A panels, £200 a side
Reskin/repair door frame, £250 a side

I would guess that rear 1/4 would cost in the region of £3-400 to get straightened/ painted

They also estimated that a full resto inc wings, front panel, A panels, doors scuttle, sills and full respray would be in the region of £2-3000

But ask one of the local mini clubs who they rate locally and take it round.

Value now, I would guess around £1500, value finished back to mint £3-4000 if taken back to show standard. Prices of minis are starting to rise (try and find an MOT'd mini under £500 these days) and kept in good condition will hold their money but they do have a habit of consuming vast sums . But then i wouldn't be without my 2 ;D

[MiniDan]

I know of a place not too far from you that sorted all the work out for me on my 35.

Top place, had it highly recommended to me by a friend.
www.jandjminis.co.uk/

For a Scuttle, 2x A-panels, 2x Sills, 2x Door skins, Boot Floor, Rear Valance, 4x Falken tyres and new paint all over was £1500.

[craig1010cc]

That's not bad, Nov 06 I paid £700 for a full boot floor and rear valance (all BMH panels), might have to give them a call and see what they'd want to do mine

[MWF]

Just want to say thanks for the input and info guys I really appreciate the time taken to reply.

I used to be really into Mini's 10 or so years ago back when I was on the committee of my local club. Anyone ever heard of The Rattling Tappets?

I'm not fussed about doing things differently with the mods, just want it how I've always wanted it.

[trg1984]

mines getting a new wing, windscreen taken out, windscreen surround repaired and repainted, A panel replace, front valance de rusted/de seamed and the bonnet straightening out and repainted for £300

ive seen the guys work, and hes got 3 minis of his own

if u can get the work done for the right price then its definately possible to make a profit.

or if you decide to keep it then go for whatever takes your fancy, 13s and wide arches may not be the most original mini mod but its down to whatever makes u happy at the end of the day