Who here owns a Mini?

I'm currently thinking about what I might get next year. (Don't think I'll like a daily [admittedly short]) commute in my Ka. A JCW Cooper is certainly on the shortlist atm. That said, so is a proper mini. I'd absolutely love a blue Mini Van, or a British Racing Green Cooper.

Problem with the old mini's is fixing them if they break... Mostly because I know absolutely zilch about cars atm from a mechanical perspective (although probably know more than the average person), also I can imagine getting parts would be a right pain. Oh plus, the parents would not be amused from a safety perspective....

kd
 
Housey said:
For being an idiot and something I am ashamed of. I drove the wrong way around a keep left bollard at night on a (I thought) totally empty road only to see a young lass walking out in front of me. I swerved but clipped her leg. It was the act of a ****** and something I feel guilty about to this very day. She is fine, but I cut her leg with the edge of my bumper. I was lucky to get 3 months off, a few mm the other way and my life would be very different today.
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Unlucky! we all do stupid things as young drivers. Someone was looking out for you and her that night :o
 
King Damager said:
I'm currently thinking about what I might get next year. (Don't think I'll like a daily [admittedly short]) commute in my Ka. A JCW Cooper is certainly on the shortlist atm. That said, so is a proper mini. I'd absolutely love a blue Mini Van, or a British Racing Green Cooper.

Problem with the old mini's is fixing them if they break... Mostly because I know absolutely zilch about cars atm from a mechanical perspective (although probably know more than the average person), also I can imagine getting parts would be a right pain. Oh plus, the parents would not be amused from a safety perspective....

kd
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nothing better to learn on - it's as straight forward as they come, the rust monster is your only major worry - get a mini pickup, cool as ****
 
the_r_sole said:
nothing better to learn on - it's as straight forward as they come, the rust monster is your only major worry - get a mini pickup, cool as ****
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Yeah, that was the theory. I've been around them as a lot as a kid (interesting family history, not going to get into it). But I suspect one parent would think it was a great idea, the other ****....

The fact that by then I'll be old enough to basically say sod off is a great idea mind :)

Insurance (doing a quick check) looks great though... Will be about £1-1.5k for a JCW new mini. About £600 for an old one :D

Could always put a roll cage in the mini mind... Would stop any safety complaints xD

But yeah, it plus a solid toolkit would be a great place to start I feel..

kd
 
tweedbean said:
Harnesses were in for show in the end and never used as they werent road legal due to clasp which I didnt realise. I planned to fit road legal ones however sold the car. I would only fit now with a harness bar/cage.

Just out of interest is it the angle that is incorrect?
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I had thought as much but I thought I'd put it up just in case someone else was considering it.

It is indeed the angle that is incorrect - they should be fixed like this:

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In a crash the harness will pull down on your shoulders if you mount it to the floor, which will crush your spine. The rear of the seat is not designed to carry the loads from harnesses either, so in a crash all the energy going through the harness can cause it to collapse and neatly fold you in half, or fold you forward and smash your head into the steering wheel.

Four point harnesses will usually kill you on the road anyway, because you simply slide out of them in a collision. Five- or six-point is what you really want if you insist on using a harness on the street, although for safety purposes a standard three-point inertial reel is usually better.
 
My mini, proper one not like Kosta's girls car. :D

Drove into local village at weekend and this old couple started asking me and my dad if it was a reproduction. My dad didn't take it well...'No it bloody isn't thank you very much' or something along those lines. :p

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Though I would like a passenger ride in the new one some day, only ever been as a passenger once and that was just a normal 1.6 cooper. :)
 
Here's what I'm reppin'

Mini JCW GP #1016/2000

I've had it for just over a year now and has the following done to it:

Janspeed Manifold & de-cat pipe
17% Alta SC Pulley
Uprated coil pack & ignition leads
Eibach Springs (10mm drop over my stock ride height)
JCW gear knob
De-resonated (getting done start of Nov)

I'm also currently looking for some new alloys at the minute and have my eye on some OZ Ultraleggera's and would also like either some Recaro Sporster CS seats or Pole Positions.

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Also that's a shopping bar not a strut bar...
 
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GFs Cooper after getting out of the car park at Silverstone :D

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I love the styling and the features (full leather, climate control, panoramic sunroof), but its just to slow :(
 
King Damager said:
Yeah, that was the theory. I've been around them as a lot as a kid (interesting family history, not going to get into it). But I suspect one parent would think it was a great idea, the other ****....

The fact that by then I'll be old enough to basically say sod off is a great idea mind :)

Insurance (doing a quick check) looks great though... Will be about £1-1.5k for a JCW new mini. About £600 for an old one :D

Could always put a roll cage in the mini mind... Would stop any safety complaints xD

But yeah, it plus a solid toolkit would be a great place to start I feel..

kd
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if you buy a classic, get it insured on a classic policy and sign up to the british mini club - my insurance was 230 quid a year (with an agreed value on the car)
 
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Pic is before mods

R53 owner
Its a late 2004 revised edition.

Mods:

Dave F air box/filter
17% reduced pulley
Uprated intercooler
Coil pack
Remap
Full SS exhaust inc sport cat and manifold (top tip, decats lose power on minis)
Front brakes off the R56


Insurance is £300 full protected on 5K miles
 
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