'89 Mini, 205 CTI, Clio 182, VwCamper - Photos
Discussion
Fairly long time member so il contribute my little collection of the last few years.
Started off at 17 with the obvious, a classic mini...998cc of heaven/hell.
Did 12,000 miles a year for four years in this, went through many changes during this time, changing pretty much everything on the car suspension and running gear wise along with subframe sills and all the usual jobs every weekend to keep her going. Heres some random photos
As you can see, she is my first love...but with most good things, it had to come to and end.
Couldn't keep the rust and bay and after a spectacular MOT fail, she was resigned to sit on the drive while I decided what to do with her.
Having just finished university and working in a super market, I figured I best find something cheap and reliable...I decided this was the best choice for the coming winter months.
What a fantastic choice it turned out to be! Managed to get it for just £850 I ran it with little to no trouble at all. Only issue was chasing an overheating problem which ended up being a few slightly split rad pipes. Loved the winter sunshine but come the spring i'd had my fun. It was high mileage (180,000) and I was starting to get frustrated with a few niggly things and decided it was time to move on.
The hunt began again for something more sensible and practical, mainly due as well to me having to attend interviews all over the place and just didn't want that slight worry that was always held in the back of my mind with the 205.
The hunt took me 50m to the end of the road where I saw this sorry looking thing parked with a for sale sign.
Clio 182 that had been sat for 5 months under a tree, covered in moss with some bling OZ wheels and sporting some lovely stickers. Didn't look particularly well looked after but after getting it inspected at my local indy, I took a punt for the pricely sum of £1350...think I did alright, although the original plan was to get a DCI, whoops. Turns out its a little gem.
Managed to source some original wheels for it and sell the others on for a £200 which I am still surprised at.
The 182 really is a fantastic machine, seems perfectly capable in all situations and the luxuries I onced scoffed at such as electric windows, heater mirrors and even not getting a wet backside if its rained overnight, are now part of everyday life.
Been all over it in over the last six months, highlights being holidays down to Cornwall and just Sunday evening hoons into the Welsh borders.
Job wise I am now more fixed up, being in the first few weeks of a position at Jaguar Landrover in Wolverhampton the Clio seems to tick most of the boxes.
During this time i'd managed to save enough to get the Mini booked in for a full restoration and conversion into a hillclimb/track/weekend car, but then this happened...
One of those opportunities that fell into my lap, purchased half and half with my girlfriend off a family member so didn't cost too much.
We had already started putting £20 a month each into a "campervan fund" so couldn't turn this chance down.
It had been sat for almost five years in a garage in Gloucester, and was almost a complete unknown. Never in a million years did I ever see myself following a campervan I owned, down the M5, boucning around on the back of a recovery truck.
Any it was dropped off and the "quick turn around" still isnt complete almost three months later. A major service was done, a start was attempted and it fired into life on the button.
Pretty pleased with our work it was booked in for a pre MOT where it failed fairly badly on rust.
To cut an increasingly long story short, the van is booked in for all the welding to be done and a respray. Things never turn out easily do they with old cars.
Camper will be finished by spring LATEST and will be making an appearance at GoodWood Festival of Speed in the summer so if you see it come and say hi. The mini will be booked in for restoration in February time as a birthday present to myself, not that I really need an excuse.
I've waffled so there you go.
P.s Im soon to be replacing the 182 for a shed, most likely my friends 1.0 yaris so I can plough the money into the Mini.
Just living for my cars at the moment, as I have done since I was 17. Sure il grow up one day but not one day soon.
Started off at 17 with the obvious, a classic mini...998cc of heaven/hell.
Did 12,000 miles a year for four years in this, went through many changes during this time, changing pretty much everything on the car suspension and running gear wise along with subframe sills and all the usual jobs every weekend to keep her going. Heres some random photos
As you can see, she is my first love...but with most good things, it had to come to and end.
Couldn't keep the rust and bay and after a spectacular MOT fail, she was resigned to sit on the drive while I decided what to do with her.
Having just finished university and working in a super market, I figured I best find something cheap and reliable...I decided this was the best choice for the coming winter months.
What a fantastic choice it turned out to be! Managed to get it for just £850 I ran it with little to no trouble at all. Only issue was chasing an overheating problem which ended up being a few slightly split rad pipes. Loved the winter sunshine but come the spring i'd had my fun. It was high mileage (180,000) and I was starting to get frustrated with a few niggly things and decided it was time to move on.
The hunt began again for something more sensible and practical, mainly due as well to me having to attend interviews all over the place and just didn't want that slight worry that was always held in the back of my mind with the 205.
The hunt took me 50m to the end of the road where I saw this sorry looking thing parked with a for sale sign.
Clio 182 that had been sat for 5 months under a tree, covered in moss with some bling OZ wheels and sporting some lovely stickers. Didn't look particularly well looked after but after getting it inspected at my local indy, I took a punt for the pricely sum of £1350...think I did alright, although the original plan was to get a DCI, whoops. Turns out its a little gem.
Managed to source some original wheels for it and sell the others on for a £200 which I am still surprised at.
The 182 really is a fantastic machine, seems perfectly capable in all situations and the luxuries I onced scoffed at such as electric windows, heater mirrors and even not getting a wet backside if its rained overnight, are now part of everyday life.
Been all over it in over the last six months, highlights being holidays down to Cornwall and just Sunday evening hoons into the Welsh borders.
Job wise I am now more fixed up, being in the first few weeks of a position at Jaguar Landrover in Wolverhampton the Clio seems to tick most of the boxes.
During this time i'd managed to save enough to get the Mini booked in for a full restoration and conversion into a hillclimb/track/weekend car, but then this happened...
One of those opportunities that fell into my lap, purchased half and half with my girlfriend off a family member so didn't cost too much.
We had already started putting £20 a month each into a "campervan fund" so couldn't turn this chance down.
It had been sat for almost five years in a garage in Gloucester, and was almost a complete unknown. Never in a million years did I ever see myself following a campervan I owned, down the M5, boucning around on the back of a recovery truck.
Any it was dropped off and the "quick turn around" still isnt complete almost three months later. A major service was done, a start was attempted and it fired into life on the button.
Pretty pleased with our work it was booked in for a pre MOT where it failed fairly badly on rust.
To cut an increasingly long story short, the van is booked in for all the welding to be done and a respray. Things never turn out easily do they with old cars.
Camper will be finished by spring LATEST and will be making an appearance at GoodWood Festival of Speed in the summer so if you see it come and say hi. The mini will be booked in for restoration in February time as a birthday present to myself, not that I really need an excuse.
I've waffled so there you go.
P.s Im soon to be replacing the 182 for a shed, most likely my friends 1.0 yaris so I can plough the money into the Mini.
Just living for my cars at the moment, as I have done since I was 17. Sure il grow up one day but not one day soon.
Blayney said:
What's the spec planned for the mini?
I have an '89 998 as well.
Engine wise its going to be standard bar the exhaust, manifold, inlet, slightly bigger carb which has all been on the car for a while now anyay.I have an '89 998 as well.
All the suspension is already full adjustable in terms of tracking, height and damping and already has a set of race cones in the frames.
Other than that I will just "add lightness" to begin with.
Basic plan is restore the shell, then just run with the two bucket seats, full cage, a speedo and rev counter. Il retain the heater for a bit of comfort and then potentially change the side and rear glass for perspex.
Iv got all the bits already as iv been collecting over the years, just need to sort the shell! All this will be set around a theme of a retro touring car look...but my own take on it, based around some of the photos below.
Edited by GTIAlex on Tuesday 14th October 21:50
Okay well the Clio has been gone for a few weeks and haven't missed it one bit.
Got this beast at its replacement
Not bad for £400!
Really enjoying care free motoring, potter to work and back getting around 50mpg...or less if I'm not in the mood to grandma it everywhere...usually less, but have never seen less than 40mpg out of it yet.
Really is a relaxing drive and lots more fun day to day than the clio was, definitely more smiles to be had.
My new job means my commute is a pure dual carriageway jaunt through sunny Wolverhampton in the very early hours of the morning or very late evening...owned it for four days before I first saw it in the daylight.
Trips up the motorway in the slow lane it just sips the fuel, really reminds me on my earlier years of motoring in the Mini although a lot lot lot more practical. Folding the back seats its like a van, sometimes I drive it and think why anyone would want any other car.
So far its cost me nothing, although it needs an exhaust blow sorting for the MOT and a VERY small hole in the sill patched up, hopefully will see me though to the summer when the van and the mini should be on the road.
Loving parking it up wherever I like, not finding an end space, parking as close to door as possible, doing a bit of off roading, not washing it, no worrying about scraping the sides down the country lanes by me and not worrying about it going missing during the night.
Update on the others:
Mini is still awaiting resto
Van should be back from the bodyshop later this week all being well.
Got this beast at its replacement
Not bad for £400!
Really enjoying care free motoring, potter to work and back getting around 50mpg...or less if I'm not in the mood to grandma it everywhere...usually less, but have never seen less than 40mpg out of it yet.
Really is a relaxing drive and lots more fun day to day than the clio was, definitely more smiles to be had.
My new job means my commute is a pure dual carriageway jaunt through sunny Wolverhampton in the very early hours of the morning or very late evening...owned it for four days before I first saw it in the daylight.
Trips up the motorway in the slow lane it just sips the fuel, really reminds me on my earlier years of motoring in the Mini although a lot lot lot more practical. Folding the back seats its like a van, sometimes I drive it and think why anyone would want any other car.
So far its cost me nothing, although it needs an exhaust blow sorting for the MOT and a VERY small hole in the sill patched up, hopefully will see me though to the summer when the van and the mini should be on the road.
Loving parking it up wherever I like, not finding an end space, parking as close to door as possible, doing a bit of off roading, not washing it, no worrying about scraping the sides down the country lanes by me and not worrying about it going missing during the night.
Update on the others:
Mini is still awaiting resto
Van should be back from the bodyshop later this week all being well.
What a great selection of cars!
My first car was a yaris - if it's a 1.0 then I found the engine (for the size) to be excellent - happy to rev, and economical. Quite a fun to drive car. If you look on autotrader it's notable how many low/mid/high 6 figure cars there are - these are tough little cars, and they drive well unlike previous generation toyotas. £400 is an utter bargain.
My first car was a yaris - if it's a 1.0 then I found the engine (for the size) to be excellent - happy to rev, and economical. Quite a fun to drive car. If you look on autotrader it's notable how many low/mid/high 6 figure cars there are - these are tough little cars, and they drive well unlike previous generation toyotas. £400 is an utter bargain.
0a said:
What a great selection of cars!
My first car was a yaris - if it's a 1.0 then I found the engine (for the size) to be excellent - happy to rev, and economical. Quite a fun to drive car. If you look on autotrader it's notable how many low/mid/high 6 figure cars there are - these are tough little cars, and they drive well unlike previous generation toyotas. £400 is an utter bargain.
Thanks, dont think im doing to badly so far to be honest.My first car was a yaris - if it's a 1.0 then I found the engine (for the size) to be excellent - happy to rev, and economical. Quite a fun to drive car. If you look on autotrader it's notable how many low/mid/high 6 figure cars there are - these are tough little cars, and they drive well unlike previous generation toyotas. £400 is an utter bargain.
Yeah its a 1.0 and the engine really is a little peach.
Tough as old boots hopefully once ive got a few tiny bits sorted. I purchased off a friend who is well into his yariss and hes just upgraded to a T-sport, might have to give one of those a go at some point.
Camper is taking longer than expected, was hoping to have it back before the new year but these things often take longer than expected. Cant wait to get it back.
As I was getting restless not tinkering, today I unwrapped the Mini for the first time in a few months to mind me what lay ahead. Checked the anti/freeze strength and turned her over a few times
[url]
...then quickly came inside to remind myself why I was bothering
|http://thumbsnap.com/v7aYnotF[/url]
All seems a long way away right now!
As I was getting restless not tinkering, today I unwrapped the Mini for the first time in a few months to mind me what lay ahead. Checked the anti/freeze strength and turned her over a few times
[url]...then quickly came inside to remind myself why I was bothering
|http://thumbsnap.com/v7aYnotF[/url]All seems a long way away right now!
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