1972 mini 850

[Fungus]

Hi everyone, i'm 15 and i've just got my new mini ;D Its an 850, and as you can see needs a fair bit of welding luckily i have a saturday job at a local metalworks, so that shouldnt be a problem

Anyway, here are a couple of pics i got today;





















cheers

[ChasR]

That does look like it has seen better days!

Either way, it is definitely something to learn on . Enjoy.

[Gas Works]

you've got your work cut out there! Great first cars, for learning in and learning on.

[Davenger]

So, what does it need?
Looking like a new front end, new rear valence and closing panels.
Be prepared to replace the lower hinge panel and the trailing edge of the boot floor.
What's the rear subframe like?

[bluffin]

Great cars cheap and fairly easy to restore as parts are easily available

Have fun with it

[pantera2075]

Congrats on the new baby.

Anyway, a couple of things for you to ponder:

'72 L reg means free tax - what does the logbook say?

And, that carb is a 1 1/2" SU - which if i'm right, at this age, is wrong (not in a bad way, it's better than the standard 1 1/4"). What are the first 3 digits of your engine number? It's on a metal plate just under the spark plugs at the side.

[Fungus]

Thanks everone :')

I'll go and have a look now, i want to put a stage 1 kit on it when it's done, but i didnt know if the carb was the correct one for the needle it comes with :/

Also, if you were were going to keep it an 850, what would you guys do to the engine to to wake it up a bit?

Cheers

[Fungus]

From what i can make out with htis crappy torch the first 3 are 85H

[mallspeed]

i love a nice mini , it will be good when you have sorted it out

[Davenger]

1 1/2" SU isn't that wrong for an 850.
My 83 850cc van had an 1 1/2" SU on it.
Could be a later engine, or just a later carb

[Fungus]

i reckon its a later carb - I'll see if i can find some info to tell me what the carb is.

I have the tax disc form from 1990 here, and it says that it's £100 per year to tax, but also that the car is from 1972. So is it possible to apply for tax exemption?

Cheers

[pantera2075]

AFAIK, just send off the logbook with a change of taxation class - it should be automatic, but if it's not, post here for help in argueing it. L reg is a bit of a funny, as it's changeover year from exempt to not.
I think 1990 was before tax exempt came in - though I may be wrong.

Yes, it's probly a later carb, but from recent experience, you will struggle getting a new needle and jet for a std 850 nowadays.

And for now, don't bother tuning it. My last 850 (RFM251V) many moons ago was rolling roaded at 19bhp at the wheels - but it was brillliant fun getting it sideways on every roundabout at 15mph.

Easiest, simplest, cheapest mod when you want more power is to bung in a 998.

[Fungus]

The problem is, I'm prety sure putting it as an 998 would make insurance more expensive, although so would listing all the mods. So maybe i dojust give it a good service and be done with it :L

I lifted up the carpets today, big mistake So much rust it's untrue, theres almost no floor

i will hopefuly get some pictures tommorow, but its getting dark as soon as i get back from school

[gernster]

great find mate! Ah thats takes me back!

Ive seen em in worse nick, good luck with the resto!

[miniswift]

Hi,

For you to drive this car, you will need to have it with 850 engine.
You can fit cooper free flow stage 1 kit(not small bore LCB type).
Try to get hold of K+N filter in a std airbox as it will run quieter.

To find out if your car is tax exempt or not, you will need to find out manuafcturing date.
You can do this by contacting British Motor Inductry Heritage Trust.
They will look into your cars history from your chassis number, reg and engine number.
I think it will cost over £75 but if your car is proved to be made before 1973(was it 1st March?).
I think money well spent!

Resto wise, do a good job with either pattern panel or BMH panels.
I think you need to buy David Vizard's books. There are few editions of How to tune BMC A-series and how to modify Mini. You can mod 850 to almost std 1275 level for cheap!
MG Metro camshafts are good.
1275 pressed steel cam gears are good for power.

I think 1st things you want is to get hold of unleaded 998 head to make your car to run on unleaded without additives!

Cheers
Atchi

[Davenger]

My memory is getting terrible.
What was the number of the 998 cooper head.
AEG295 maybe?
One of those would be awesome on an 850

[spacekadett]

My '68 Mk1 was still reg'd PLG rather than historic as it had been off the road so long. When I got it running I was in far too much hurry to drive it to faff about going to the DVLA office ;D so I just bought 6 months tax. A few weeks later a new logbook and tax disc arrived (a 13 month one at that - that took a little sorting ) along with a form to return my current one for a full refund

[Davenger]

12G295.
Wasn't far off ;D

[trigger]

AVX - Nice local number plate there, Yours like a lot of work to get back on the road tagain but don't let me put you off, I wanted nothing more then a project car like that when i was 15 but my parents wouldn't let me.

I'll have to keep my eyes open for it when I'm about in Colchester!

[Davenger]

Dec 13, 2010 23:31:44 GMT trigger said:

AVX - Nice local number plate there, Yours like a lot of work to get back on the road tagain but don't let me put you off, I wanted nothing more then a project car like that when I was 15 but my parents wouldn't let me.

I'll have to keep my eyes open for it when I'm about in Colchester!

I had a MK1 escort when I was 15, a 2 door 1300E
If only I'd known scene tax was on it's way ;D

Which little village are you in 850mini?
Think I've still got some bits from my 850 van, I'll have a look when I visit my mum in Thorrington