Wanting A Classic Mini...Advice Please

goz83

Hi. I'm looking to get a classic mini for company advertising and trying to keep the budget as close to 2k as possible. Ideally the car would cost about 1k and I would spend another 1k getting it cleaned up and resprayed (i know a garage that will do me a great price for body work). I honestly don't know what to be looking out for here. I was aiming for a 79-82 mini, because having her as a classic is important to me and I didn't want anything so old that it would need leaded fuel. If I buy up north, what's the procedure and cost for registration down south....will there be vrt? will it be much, as It is a cheap classic? I seen one on DD in Fermanagh and the guy is asking for £1700. It looks like a nice example, even though it's above my desired budget when you take into account that I will be getting her resprayed (gold or black will be the colour). Your thoughts on it would be appreciated.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/4669178

macplaxton

First bit of advice. Read the Classic Cars forum charter first as some of your questions are already answered there.

w124man

VRT on that one will be €200 plus a set of silly plates.

Mini's in black or gold look shoite!!

goz83

w124man wrote: »

VRT on that one will be €200 plus a set of silly plates.

Thanks.

w124man wrote: »

Mini's in black or gold look shoite!!

Minis in any colour look shoite, but i'm not trying to make a fashion statement...like I said, it's to be a company car for advertising.

bbsrs

goz83 wrote: »

Thanks.



Minis in any colour look shoite, but i'm not trying to make a fashion statement...like I said, it's to be a company car for advertising.

Maybe you can bargain this guy down to 2k

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/rover/200-25/austin-morris-mini-pickup/272672

goz83

bbsrs wrote: »

Maybe you can bargain this guy down to 2k

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/rover/200-25/austin-morris-mini-pickup/272672

So.....i'm open to serious suggestions.

kona

Mini engines were leaded up to 1989 I think

Ps what garage are you getting the bodywork done? Mine needs attention and I'm looking around

goz83

kona wrote: »

Mini engines were leaded up to 1989 I think

Ps what garage are you getting the bodywork done? Mine needs attention and I'm looking around

www.gvdautos.com in Walkinstown. He does a lot of restorations.

RobAMerc

1. get a van for advertising - bigger side means more room for bill boards etc.
2. as with practically all classics - you'll get what you pay for.

johnayo

Try and get one with most of the work done. If the body is in poor condition, it could very quickly become a money pit.

goz83

RobAMerc wrote: »

1. get a van for advertising - bigger side means more room for bill boards etc.
2. as with practically all classics - you'll get what you pay for.

The problem is that there are too many vans with advertising. Even though a mini is much smaller, it'll attract more attention and can also be placed in places a van cannot.

I agree, you get what you pay for, most of the time.

johnayo wrote: »

Try and get one with most of the work done. If the body is in poor condition, it could very quickly become a money pit.

I was looking only for something in good working order. I didn't mind a bit of rust here and there. In the end, I decided on a 1990 Austin Mini, so I wouldn't have to think about leaded additives, or conversions.

I bought this => http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/4862013

Overall I am happy and got the price to €1900 over the phone based on everything checking out and there being no hidden problems.

Took an hour to get there today. Car was covered over...good sign of care I thought. Car was undersealed, but I will have it checked that it is done properly and no rust is hiding. Started to give her a decent looking over. Engine bushings need replacing, cheap fix. Drivers side repeaters did not work, nor did the reverse lights, but i'm sure this is an easy fix too, so I let that go, considering the price drop. Asked the owner if she had any work done, or if there was anything else I should know. She said the alternator was replaced and a gearbox plate sorted. On that note, I decided to buy it. Got back to Dublin and pulled in to have my wifes uncle to give it a quick look over. As he leaned in to check a switch, about a cup full of dirty water spilled into the drivers well. Obviously a leak. He wasn't in a position to check her out properly, so he said to watch that the temperature was ok on the final few minutes home and that he would look at it next week for me.

I decided to remove the DIY centre console and to my disgust, there was a tupper ware container underneath the leaking heater matrix catching the rusty water that was leaking from it. The tub had obviously fallen from where it was sitting and spilled all over the place. The owner obviously knew about this, but decided not to say anything. I am utterly disgusted at how dis-honest people can be. I still have the log book....and I have a good mind to go through the M50 toll a few times before transferring the name :mad:

I know, buyer beware and all that, but this is a problem that nobody would have found, at least not until the tupper ware container overflowed. It was hidden on purpose. I found a used matrix on Ebay I might just buy. It'll be around €100 delivered, but I can fit it myself.

mgbgt1978

Try Paul Kelly at Minifix in Santry.....beside the Airport, 087 2597085 (no affiliation, just bought the odd part from him).

Have a look at www.irishminis.ie/forum The for sale section may well have a couple of heaters for sale....or stick up a wanted post. No way would I pay €100 for a heater matrix, never mind a full heater unit.

Or you could just bypass the heater by joining the two heater pipes with a bit of copper pipe.....certainly cheaper than €100 if you just want the car for Advertising work.

goz83

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Try Paul Kelly at Minifix in Santry.....beside the Airport, 087 2597085 (no affiliation, just bought the odd part from him).

Have a look at www.irishminis.ie/forum The for sale section may well have a couple of heaters for sale....or stick up a wanted post. No way would I pay €100 for a heater matrix, never mind a full heater unit.

Or you could just bypass the heater by joining the two heater pipes with a bit of copper pipe.....certainly cheaper than €100 if you just want the car for Advertising work.

Thanks. I was thinking of bypassing it alright for now. I'll give it some thought, but I would like a bit of heat running through the car too. I just can't believe the cheek of the seller. They would have needing to remove the side of the floor console to put the tupper ware container in there. Once the engine got warm and the pressure built, the water was leaking and filling the container. I checked for damp carpets before I buying and it was all grand.

oceanman

bypassing the heater might be the best way to go, heaters were never great in minis anyway.

goz83

update:

Decided to buy a heater unit at minifix in Santry. Took me 10 mins to install. I've spent €100 on worse :pac: