1967 Mk1 Mini - old skool street racer project

[7o8y]

Hey people......I'm a new member so first off a big HELLO!

Now......the car - 1967 Mk1 Mini 850. Bought it December 2005 as a road going car with MOT and tax. Has been standing since then unfortunately and now I have the space and a bit of extra cash to start it...woohoo!

Plans are to make it look like an old skool street racer, keeping the bodywork as it is for the time and concentrating on the mechanics mostly.

First off is to remove the hydrolastic suspension and replace with uprated dry setup, new brakes all round inc. front disc setup, yank the engine out and source a decent 1275 or bigger and bolt on some 6x10 minilights Need to sell some 7x13 deep dish superlights if anybody's interested?? Other bits also required are big arches, classic buckets, new chrome-work and a few odds 'n' sods!

I am seriously considering supercharging it in the future too so any help and advice would be much appreciated

....all thats left for the time being is a few pics - enjoy!.....

[MetroLee]

Very nice

[mk14dr]

I love these 'proper' minis'. It looks nice and clean

[Kris]

Looks great, I'd use it as is, would be a shame to change it really IMO

[J.P]

As fun as your plans sound id hate nothing more than those to be carried out on your car. Mk1's are much too rare to do that to IMO!

Lovely car, what seats are those?

[MiniDan]

jasonpollock said:

As fun as your plans sound id hate nothing more than those to be carried out on your car. Mk1's are much too rare to do that to IMO!

Lovely car, what seats are those?

Sorry mate, but thinking the same thing.

That is such a fantastic car as it is.

Upto you at the end of the day though matey, but I think the majorory are going to view this the same.

[briandamaged]

Of course it's yours to do as you see fit.....but on the showfield it will look like all the others. You may as well do all that to an 80's Park Lane or City.

I'm not one for originality normally but in this case if it was me I'd be looking to do something different, if I was going to do anything at all.

But welcome to Retro-Rides anyway!! I hope you find the inspiration on here to not follow the Mini herd.

[jdmini]

dude please don't do those mods to a car like that..maybe some really subtle ones like cooper s brakes and a better engine...but you'll lose so much of the cars value if you mod it too much.

as some one said, get a more common mini and mod it.

[jdmini]

for an old skool look racer look, why not put a nice old cage in there, and a nicer smaller steering wheel?

13" wheels aren't old skool, and you'll lose the handling

[7o8y]

yes i know what you guys are saying but it just has to be done! I will upset the purists but isn't that what this site is full of....modified retro cars??!!

I can't wait to get stuck in

[7o8y]

as for the 13's.....they weren't my first choice!! I did want the 6x10 minilights but bought the 13's as I was going to do a bike engine conversion and needed them for traction! now bike engine idea is scrapped I'm left with them....will put 10's on it eventually!

[jdmini]

you could sell the 13s easily mate

[slater]

Yeh seriously if you want a car like you have described please don't do it with that one.

Theres nothing wrong ith modding mk1s but whats the point if your going to mod it to look like a generic mk4 'street racer' with 13x7s and loose all the mk1 features!

Just think a little more about what your doing for me please!

[7o8y]

jdmini said:

you could sell the 13s easily mate

not when they're brand new and i'll lose alot of money.....l already tried and wasn't succesful. really want 6x10's

[7o8y]

it wont lose the Mk1 features just by putting 13's on it and it certainly wont look like a mk4!! i saw a mk1 consul in beautiful condition slammed on the floor with 17" multi-spokes....did it spoil the originality? - yes. But did it look the dogs danglies? - hell yeah!

[slater]

mate how much do you care about this car? the wheels are the number one most important part of the car that will make the most stupidly huge differance to how the car ends up!! You simply cant afford to not have it perfect. You need to sell the wheels and get the right ones! Yes you may loose a few hunderd quid (if that!) but most people end up spending ten times that much on useless junk that dosent matter one little bit to how the cars going to end up!

Basicly all I'm saying is your much better off cutting your losses and getting the right wheels. Otherwise the whole car will end up being a loss!

[7o8y]

yeah i see your point fella! I would be much happier getting some 10's on it and having it perfect! I'm going to see what i can do with my wheels, re-advertise them again i think!

[slater]

Good stuff! sorry for being rather forceful, not in the mood for beating about the bush! could be a relly nice car this!

Personaly id be sticking some 7" golf cart/quad/lawnmower wheels and tyres on it for the ultimate wtf factor!..... but hey your on the right track allready! ;D

[7o8y]

thats ok...sometimes need some help!

7"? is that possible to fit on?? sounds totally crazy haha

[slater]

I'm sure i could make it work somehow