|
||
|
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
#41
21-05-2008
|
||||
|
||||
Chris .... everything you say there makes sense sir.
As for using the Mini as a daily driver I had no choice, my other car got writen off by a typical London driver (didn't stop) and I couldn't afford to replace it so had to use the Mini as at that time the though of Living in London would have killed me, god how I hate that place! I was getting about 30mpg out of the 1380 (managed sparks, 2.9:1 final drive and sensible driving with one eye glued to the VAC guage). I get about 40mpg out of the MPi but then a have a very gentle riight foot (to make up for the lead left thumb!!) But your right, forget the Mini and go for a Golf or Polo .... avoid french cars they are poo and parts cost a fortune in my experience of working on friends cars. 
|
|
#42
21-05-2008
|
||||
|
||||
|
Was just going to say, you must have a very light right foot! You also must be quite skilled with the spanners and enthusiastic about cars of that age. Mini's are ace, but id hate to recommend one for it to get scrapped.
 Where was your engine from Roger? The last one I built was done to perfection and finished just as I started doing nationals, and so I wasn't using it, just polishing it, so it got sold to upgrade my daily runner from a Fiesta to a Z3. Oh I had a VAC gauge too, but it took the fun out of driving it hard.  Yep and with French cars, you are likely to need parts too.
|
|
#43
21-05-2008
|
|||
|
|||
|
Cheesus major responce!
Wel im handy with the tools as i ride and restore motorbikes, if i get anything vauxhall it will be red topped, voiding my insurance and probably killing me as my driving/bike riding is very stupid! If its ford itl be 2l mondeo zetcd, i will not have a ka as a frinds mum has one and there rearly trearly bad, although she's not! I fancy a metro turbo?? Rot boxes but i fancy a challenge Rc racin gets me alot of stick but the missus likes it, she even works in the shop sometimes, the lads all take the piss but not reli the gals?? Matt
__________________
2 Years off and im back!
|
|
#44
22-05-2008
|
||||
|
||||
|
Metro turbo ..... now I think the Metro is a majorily under rated chassis (when modded it can cut it with the bets hot hatches as anybody whos watched them race will tell you) but the turbo lump, in stock form, is a bit of a dog and in modded form needs lots of TLC to keep the transmission in one piece!
Chris, I build all my own motors and do all my own machining other than crank grinding and the balancing. The key to getting god economy out of an A series is all in the mapped ignition and induction system, LOTS of work to the carb and inlet. The 1380 was built with drivability and torque in mind so was relatively mild (97bhp) compared to what she has now (122bhp) so was easy enough to drive smoothly and on cruise very good on fuel. My current engine build will not be ...... 1380cc, BMW K1200 head, custom cams to my own profile, Gt28rs turbo (the last two combine to give a reasonable power band of between 3000 and 8250 on paper) and 10.2:1 CR. Theoretically it should be 300bhp plus and others with similar specs are achieving that ..... and dead clutches!!! Check out www.specialist-components.co.uk to see what can be done, I use a lot of John's components .... which may explain why I am so skint .... .LOL All I need now is to finish the shell to put it in!
|
|
#45
22-05-2008
|
|||
|
|||
|
I know it was stated you had a £1000 for the car but have you budgeted for the insurance as well?
This is likely to far exceed your car budget, even if you do it in your mum or dads name. By the way don't think you are pulling a swift one on the Insurers by doing this as its been done for years so it is built into the premium-rating structure. It may be cheaper than doing it in your own name but remember (I think Direct Line are the only exception here) that only the policyholder, ie your mum or dad, will earn the No Claims Discount. RogerM, my Mini is ace (1275 Mini 35 is in timewarp nick with 8800 miles) and never gives me any trouble at all. Although it hasn't moved out of the garage for 2 years .
|
|
#46
22-05-2008
|
||||
|
||||
|
I restored a mini for when i was 17, it took me a year to do but it taught me a lot, i had it fully de-seamed, and de-bumpered. The bumpers were re-profiled with body filler, it looked smart too on mini lite wheels 10x6`s
 It started off as a city but i fitted the usual bucket seats, 5 point harnesses, my own carbon dash and centre console. It kept me off the streets  Originally it had a 998 in it but i soon got bored, my dad gave up rallying and i nicked the engine out of the rally car 1430 with webber carbs, fast road cam etc.That thing flew, well it left an unmarked cop car standing from the lights but more of that later It was super unreliable though, i was only doing 40 mile a day but it drank fuel like there was a hole in the tank. And motorway driving was just a chore. I love mini`s but they are not safe anymore, when you look at the other super minis they have all grown and obviously hit a lot harder than a little mini does. (just ask my brother) If you look, at the fiestas/golf`s etc of the 80`s and look at them today you will see that they have grown over the years, is this done to make way for the ford ka`s and polos etc?
|
|
#48
23-05-2008
|
||||
|
||||
|
mazda 121 or a kia pride can be had for penuts go on for ever cheap to insure as noone wants to nick them.
fiat puntos are cheap but will fall to bits anything french will be crap ( fact ) nisan micra no street cred but go on forever and quite frugal. 1.4 mk3 astras can be suprisingly cheap to insure and run
|
|
#49
23-05-2008
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
 built by monkeys pissed up on red wine easily the worst car ive ever owned and ive bought some shite
__________________
who knows who cares
|
|
#50
23-05-2008
|
||||
|
||||
|
As much as it pains me to do it... I have to agree with RogerM...
PROPER Minis are great first cars, because they handle properly and give great driver feedback. They are also really really modifiable, so when the bug bites, you can spend a bit at a time. Unfortunately they are also rot boxes, being a stupidly old design so, as Roger says, take someone who knows PROPERLY what they are looking at with you, as you can be paying thousands for a heap these days Alternatively... having done a tonne of insurance searches for my friend's daughter... Fiat Cinquecentos / Seicentos are about the cheapest insurance on the planet AND they are superb good fun as well as being less rot prone and a bit more modern Ferrari yellow Sporting is cool and fun, goes to the moon and back on a teaspoon on petrol and cheapest insurance you will find...
__________________
The son of Jor-El will be my slave... forever. Team DC Racing www.dcracing.co.uk ZOD Paint www-comingsoon-co.uk
|
|
#51
23-05-2008
|
||||
|
||||
|
Even with all of their advanced technology, when will these dummies ever learn to use a doorknob?
|
 |
| Thread Tools | |
| Display Modes | |
|
|
Linear Mode
