Minis ARE cool and a lot of fun, they are however, the source of my dislike of all things FWD.
My brother owned a hot rod Mini Cooper way back in the day ( Minis were common in Canada) and I had an MG Midget. Anytime I drove his Mini enthusiastically and it was wet, I would under steer into the rhubarb. Yes, I know that it was all my fault, but to this day I prefer RWD cars because of this experience.
NOHOME said:Minis ARE cool and a lot of fun, they are however, the source of my dislike of all things FWD.
My brother owned a hot rod Mini Cooper way back in the day ( Minis were common in Canada) and I had an MG Midget. Anytime I drove his Mini enthusiastically and it was wet, I would under steer into the rhubarb. Yes, I know that it was all my fault, but to this day I prefer RWD cars because of this experience.
HAHA... I've been racing FWD for 23 years now, you should see me in RWD.. donuts for days... strait away? Na donuts in a line!
A real Mini is one of the cars on my shopping list. I was considering the Mexican Menu Mini, but hadn't talked myself into before it sold. I'm still looking if anyone knows of one around WV.
MattTheGrouch said:Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) said:I wasn't really lusting for anything recently until now. Thanks /sarcasm
I can help you find one when/if you're on the hunt.
Are these cheap? I hope these aren't cheap... 
Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) said:Are these cheap? I hope these aren't cheap...
Define cheap... rusty non-runners for 4-5k, ratty runners for 8k, and up to 60k for mk1 cooper S's with history
dextervw said:Define cheap... rusty non-runners for 4-5k, ratty runners for 8k, and up to 60k for mk1 cooper S's with history
Just pricey enough to not go grab one!
dextervw said:Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) said:Are these cheap? I hope these aren't cheap...
Define cheap... rusty non-runners for 4-5k, ratty runners for 8k, and up to 60k for mk1 cooper S's with history
I've seen JDM examples in the $10K to $13K range for 80's and 90's era cars, although they seem to be getting thin. In the past, importers like these guys have some in stock, but currently none are shown.
Unfortunately, the days of finding a ratty Mini that runs and drives for a few hundred are long in the past. Even in the UK a car that can pass MOT will run a few grand in BPS. I would never import a car from the UK sight-unseen. I'm slightly more confident in the JDM importers since those guys seem to have eyes on the cars prior to putting them on the boat.
Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:I've seen JDM examples in the $10K to $13K range for 80's and 90's era cars, although they seem to be getting thin. In the past, importers like these guys have some in stock, but currently none are shown.
Unfortunately, the days of finding a ratty Mini that runs and drives for a few hundred are long in the past. Even in the UK a car that can pass MOT will run a few grand in BPS. I would never import a car from the UK sight-unseen. I'm slightly more confident in the JDM importers since those guys seem to have eyes on the cars prior to putting them on the boat.
It is sad, I got my green one in a sorry state for a lick under 5k spring of 2018 and have only seen prices slowly rise since then.
As for the importing from the UK, it would have to be from a trusted seller for sure. I found myself importing a car (My red rally look mini) I've never seen and it was a little nerve wracking but not terrible.
It's classic, "mini," and even British-ish. 
bigdaddylee82 said:It's classic, "mini," and even British-ish.
Nice try, but no. Though I wonder what the wheel base is on one of those things... some day i will make a period correct RWD mini. Was thinking of a sprite base.
Jet Motors in Portland, Oregon always has at least a dozen minis and project cars for sale. Jeremy imports them regularly.
I was incredibly lucky to get what I feel was the last challenge priced mini starter kit in the PNW. Of course my car needed a full engine build and interior refresh, but I probably would have done that anyway.
We do have a genuine first 6 months of production 59 Morris mini rolling shell available for the right, brave person out there.
Trent said:We do have a genuine first 6 months of production 59 Morris mini rolling shell available for the right, brave person out there.
Any pictures of this unicorn?
Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:
Even in the UK a car that can pass MOT will run a few grand in BPS. I would never import a car from the UK sight-unseen. I'm slightly more confident in the JDM importers since those guys seem to have eyes on the cars prior to putting them on the boat.
The main issue with imports from the UK is that they'll salt the roads at the smallest whiff of snow three counties over, and vehicles there rust as bad as a result as in the Rust Belt over here. In Japan, they generally don't chuck salt on the road, or at least not as much.
Either way, BL/Rover never really figured out how to rust proof these things, so I agree, I wouldn't buy one sight unseen from the UK.
Based on what I've seen (rust damage on suspension components we sell), the two worst places for corrosion are the UK and the Canadian maritime provinces. I don't think we've ever had someone rust through an FM spring in the US but it happened multiple times in the UK and the Maritimes before we went to a high zinc powdercoat.
Add to the fact that Rover Minis were shipped from the factory with transmissions that weren't set up correctly - they stopped setting the shims on the idler gear, so it's a guaranteed rebuild - and I'd definitely be a bit hesitant about one. And this is from someone who owns a UK import Rover Mini :)
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Can't say that the inclusion of the UK in that list surprises me. I lived in the Southeast, and that was bad enough from a corrosion standpoint. The further north you go the worse it gets.
I had an Alfa 75 (Milano) at some point that had spent time in the Scottish Borders, and the underside of it pretty much consisted of postage stamp sized, welded in patched. Even my nice early NA needed a bunch of work underneath that was surprising given its overall condition.
Pretty much all of my friends in the UK run winter beaters to either protect their "nice" cars or motorcycles, because the alternative is to see them corrode to pieces in front of their eyes.
Not mine, not stock, etc, etc. Pretty, though
If it would be a work in progress, but it's not currently in progress, is it then just "a work?"
In reply to Jesse Ransom (FFS) :
That's a "lotsa work"
In reply to dextervw :
I will swing by the storage building and snap some. My phone appears to be devoid of any for some reason
In reply to TurnerX19 :
I believe the appropriate hackneyed phrase is that I should "jack it up and drive a new one underneath," but I don't think the jacking points are that solid.
It's going to be interesting. But it's a Wolseley! I still get happy every time I visit the storage unit and see it.
I dug back through "threads you've posted in" looking for a picture of mine, realized its been over 5 years since the last time I worked on it.
Disgraceful.
In reply to JohnInKansas :
Did you find any pics? How far along is it?
In reply to Jesse Ransom (FFS) :
if you ever wanna find that hornet a new home, hit me up! looks like a worth while project.
Out doing mini stuff!
I added another to my fleet
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