Does no one tune classic minis anymore?

[Jezza1983]

Hi
I'm thinking to build a track day mini with kad 16v.
Trawling the forums all the posts are from early internet days and very little these days.
Wondering if the humble mini still has a following or the kids have moved on?

[DeejRC]

The humble mini is now the expensive mini. Tuning wise, everyone goes to Swiftune.

[J4CKO]

The kids moved on years ago to BMW Minis and stuff, classic Minis are now expensive. Gone are the days of buying one for a couple of hundred and sticking an MG Metro engine in with a few bits.

They are now either "projects" for stupid money or expensive and nicely done.

Plus, nobody really wants to use one every day, I remember that joy, they can be great fun but usually a lesson in purgatory, especially after modern stuff. When a Metro feels like comparative luxury...

[P5BNij]

It still has a following, the Summer shows are usually well attended with a fair bit of variety amongst the actual cars that turn up, but as said above it's not the bargain hobby it used to be.

I don't know where you live but Stanford Hall Mini Day (near Lutterworth in Leicestershire) is coming up on 11th September, there are usually some decently modified examples on show each year.

[Mr Peel]

I'm rediscovering the classic Mini scene after 15 years away. There's plenty going on, but as others have said the ratio of older/well-off owners feels a lot higher.

Also feels to me that there's more interest in restoration/originality than customisation at the moment. Would others agree?

Price is definitely a factor. Nothing that could fairly be called rust-free is less than £6k, often much more. Rover Coopers carry a hefty premium, despite being not much quicker than the other saloons.

Forums are dead or dying. It's all on Facebook. I've got a Mk6 SPi and there's a Facebook just for them. It's mostly blokes constantly fiddling about with ECUs and emissions levels.

[HomeGrownMechanic]

Mr Peel said:

Also feels to me that there's more interest in restoration/originality than customisation at the moment. Would others agree?

Totally agree, if it used to be a pretty cheap platform to get your feet wet in motorsports, than I'd say cheap RWD BMWs have completely replaced Mini in this niche. A beater E46 Bimmer with 2.5 -3L motor is now dirt cheap, but with some simple mods you can have some fun with it at a track.

[Red9zero]

J4CKO said:

The kids moved on years ago to BMW Minis and stuff, classic Minis are now expensive. Gone are the days of buying one for a couple of hundred and sticking an MG Metro engine in with a few bits.

They are now either "projects" for stupid money or expensive and nicely done.

Plus, nobody really wants to use one every day, I remember that joy, they can be great fun but usually a lesson in purgatory, especially after modern stuff. When a Metro feels like comparative luxury...

Mine had an MG Metro engine, PlayMini exhaust, Hi-Lo`s, Spax - the usual mods. It was my daily for many years before turning into a show tart. I even used to do London - Plymouth every weekend when I was going out with a girl down there. Many happy memories, but also many nights spent fixing it so I could get to work the next day ! When I see them on the motorway now I am amazed (and slightly terrified) at how small they are !

[P5BNij]

I've never really felt that vulnerable driving any of mine in everyday traffic, of the fifteen I've had twelve were my daily transport at the time. They do look small from behind though, this is my mate's Mk2 S as seen from my Mk2 S...



There are still plenty of owners into modifying them but not in any drastic way like there used to be in the '70s and '80s, so it seems anyway. At most Mini shows you'll see rows of late Rover Minis with variations on the same bolt on shiny bits and the odd one or two where the owner has really gone to town on it. With the earlier cars they nearly all tend to be finished in factory colours and mechanical spec, I do like the as built look but as nice as they are, they all look the same. The Mk1s and 2s for sale I'm currently looking at are fairly standard looking but I'm already looking at how I'd customise them if I picked one out to buy. It's not unusual to see a Mk1 or Mk2 Cooper for sale that's had a 1275 engine, S brakes and a R/H fuel tank added and priced accordingly.

[nick1975]

I used to run a 1380cc with a 266 cam and dellorto carbs from a motorbike with a 10 to 1 compression and a different distributor, can't remember the type, something that gets the timing right for the mods

[Jezza1983]

I had a mini neon 998 back in the day of late 1990s.
Was mildly tuned and now I have cash I'm tempted to go back and do it properly.
Sold my 911 so need some new toys...
Thanks for all the replies.

[Jezza1983]

P5BNij said:

It still has a following, the Summer shows are usually well attended with a fair bit of variety amongst the actual cars that turn up, but as said above it's not the bargain hobby it used to be.

I don't know where you live but Stanford Hall Mini Day (near Lutterworth in Leicestershire) is coming up on 11th September, there are usually some decently modified examples on show each year.

Live in Australia now so looking to ship one out.

[Jezza1983]

Mr Peel said:

I'm rediscovering the classic Mini scene after 15 years away. There's plenty going on, but as others have said the ratio of older/well-off owners feels a lot higher.

Also feels to me that there's more interest in restoration/originality than customisation at the moment. Would others agree?

Price is definitely a factor. Nothing that could fairly be called rust-free is less than £6k, often much more. Rover Coopers carry a hefty premium, despite being not much quicker than the other saloons.

Forums are dead or dying. It's all on Facebook. I've got a Mk6 SPi and there's a Facebook just for them. It's mostly blokes constantly fiddling about with ECUs and emissions levels.

I think my 998 cost me £1800 in 2000. Now price isn't an issue for me. Crazy how times change.

[P5BNij]

Jezza1983 said:

Mr Peel said:

I'm rediscovering the classic Mini scene after 15 years away. There's plenty going on, but as others have said the ratio of older/well-off owners feels a lot higher.

Also feels to me that there's more interest in restoration/originality than customisation at the moment. Would others agree?

Price is definitely a factor. Nothing that could fairly be called rust-free is less than £6k, often much more. Rover Coopers carry a hefty premium, despite being not much quicker than the other saloons.

Forums are dead or dying. It's all on Facebook. I've got a Mk6 SPi and there's a Facebook just for them. It's mostly blokes constantly fiddling about with ECUs and emissions levels.

I think my 998 cost me £1800 in 2000. Now price isn't an issue for me. Crazy how times change.

I paid £1500 for my first Mk2 Cooper in July 1999 and just over £5k for my second in 2010, looking back they were both absolute bargains, a decent original one now is hovering around the £20k mark with some going way north of that. They're still viable, usable cars though and have plenty of tuning potential, as I said above quite a few have been upgraded to Cooper S spec, which also happened in period.

[Mr Peel]

I bought a 3-year-old Rover Cooper in 2001. Paid £4,250. Adjusted for inflation that's about £6.5k. You could pay twice that for a good one today.

[P5BNij]

Mr Peel said:

I bought a 3-year-old Rover Cooper in 2001. Paid £4,250. Adjusted for inflation that's about £6.5k. You could pay twice that for a good one today.

In some cases three times as much now, a lot of the Rover Coopers have been restored by now, following the same cycle as the '60s cars.

That second Mk2 Cooper I bought in 2010 was sold to a mate in 2011 who then completely restored it, I don't think he'd let it go for less than £20k now. It was fairly standard when I sold it to him but he's had it breathed on a little and it has an S diff in it which makes a surprising amount of difference to the performance. I wish I'd kept it now!

[EVOTECH3BELL]

Mines been off the road for twice as long as its been on the road during my ownership.
First cay and daily transport for 5 years. Il get round to it one day....

Edited by EVOTECH3BELL on Friday 22 July 16:06

[P5BNij]

Jezza1983 said:

P5BNij said:

It still has a following, the Summer shows are usually well attended with a fair bit of variety amongst the actual cars that turn up, but as said above it's not the bargain hobby it used to be.

I don't know where you live but Stanford Hall Mini Day (near Lutterworth in Leicestershire) is coming up on 11th September, there are usually some decently modified examples on show each year.

Live in Australia now so looking to ship one out.

Sorry, I missed this reply earlier - a mate of mine emigrated to Australia in 2000 and took his '71 Clubman with him, since then he's bought at least three Auz built Minis and restored them. What's the market like for them over there at the moment, are there plenty about and for sale...?

Any Auz built Mini that turns up for sale in the UK usually gets snapped up, they're similar to Innocentis in some ways which makes them very attractive, especially the Mk1s.

I've got my eye on a couple of Mk1s at the moment, both started out as 850s but have been modified, one has a 1275 and the other has a 1380, quite tempted by them.

Edited by P5BNij on Friday 22 July 16:31

[Jezza1983]

EVOTECH3BELL said:

Mines been off the road for twice as long as its been on the road during my ownership.
First cay and daily transport for 5 years. Il get round to it one day....

Edited by EVOTECH3BELL on Friday 22 July 16:06

At least it's not taking up much space

[Jezza1983]

P5BNij said:

Sorry, I missed this reply earlier - a mate of mine emigrated to Australia in 2000 and took his '71 Clubman with him, since then he's bought at least three Auz built Minis and restored them. What's the market like for them over there at the moment, are there plenty about and for sale...?

Any Auz built Mini that turns up for sale in the UK usually gets snapped up, they're similar to Innocentis in some ways which makes them very attractive, especially the Mk1s.

I've got my eye on a couple of Mk1s at the moment, both started out as 850s but have been modified, one has a 1275 and the other has a 1380, quite tempted by them.

Edited by P5BNij on Friday 22 July 16:31

Very few for sale. 1990s coopers for £29k! But shipping them is expensive now and you have to do a lot of work to bring them in when not a personal import. A lot of Japanese imports as they had air con and that's a must here.

[P5BNij]

Jezza1983 said:

P5BNij said:

Sorry, I missed this reply earlier - a mate of mine emigrated to Australia in 2000 and took his '71 Clubman with him, since then he's bought at least three Auz built Minis and restored them. What's the market like for them over there at the moment, are there plenty about and for sale...?

Any Auz built Mini that turns up for sale in the UK usually gets snapped up, they're similar to Innocentis in some ways which makes them very attractive, especially the Mk1s.

I've got my eye on a couple of Mk1s at the moment, both started out as 850s but have been modified, one has a 1275 and the other has a 1380, quite tempted by them.

Edited by P5BNij on Friday 22 July 16:31

Very few for sale. 1990s coopers for £29k! But shipping them is expensive now and you have to do a lot of work to bring them in when not a personal import. A lot of Japanese imports as they had air con and that's a must here.

I had a '93 Jap 1275 auto a few years ago, bought from the guy who imported it into the UK, it had a perfect shell and I had big plans for it (fitting a 1380 and a manual box etc) but another car came along in the meantime and I let it go. Their equivalent of the MOT is very strict which is why they're sought after here and elsewhere.