Discussion
Just bought a black Mini 30 just out of MOT with rotten sills and rear subframe. Not sure why I did, but just could not resist!
Engine is sweet, will probably need A panels too, and some localised repairs in the usual places. Floorpans etc are good suprisingly.
So now I have 2 Minis that need a bit of bodywork, and a restored Pickup. I must be mad!
Will be popping in to see Chris Spennywyn to see how much it will cost to tidy up my Rover Cooper on Sat as he is just down the road, this should give me an idea on how much the 30 will cost, and if its worth doing or selling on.
Engine is sweet, will probably need A panels too, and some localised repairs in the usual places. Floorpans etc are good suprisingly.
So now I have 2 Minis that need a bit of bodywork, and a restored Pickup. I must be mad!
Will be popping in to see Chris Spennywyn to see how much it will cost to tidy up my Rover Cooper on Sat as he is just down the road, this should give me an idea on how much the 30 will cost, and if its worth doing or selling on.
Minie is black, so one of 1000 built, so quite rare, and has all the original features, all old MOTs etc.
Plan A is to do a rolling resto and respray, and give it to my dad for his 70th next yr, as he is always driving my pickup.
Plan B is to maybe lightly mod the 998, upgrade the head, twin SUs like the Cooper conversion at the time, and keep it looking standard and use it.
Definately too good to scrap!
Plan A is to do a rolling resto and respray, and give it to my dad for his 70th next yr, as he is always driving my pickup.
Plan B is to maybe lightly mod the 998, upgrade the head, twin SUs like the Cooper conversion at the time, and keep it looking standard and use it.
Definately too good to scrap!
Thanks Peter, I know where there is a 295 head, although its on my brothers Mk2 Cooper, so I wont be getting that one!
May just get a stage 1 kit initially, with some 165 tyres, and renew shock absorbers and all the mountings etc.
Engine is at 83K, and seems good.
Need to get the welding done first, I think it needs the rear subframe replacing too.
May just get a stage 1 kit initially, with some 165 tyres, and renew shock absorbers and all the mountings etc.
Engine is at 83K, and seems good.
Need to get the welding done first, I think it needs the rear subframe replacing too.
With the 998 you don't need to do much to the engine to get a really noticeable improvement.
A 295 head with bigger inlet valves and some opening out in the chambers, a bigger carb, a decent inlet manifold, a small-bore lcb exhaust manifold and a better exhaust system will give a very significant increase, especially if you clean out and open up the inlet throat area and cut away the valve guide boss 'lumps'.
Put the comp ratio up to about 10:1 and with all that you'll get about 55 - 60 bhp.
The main cause of poor power is the basic 998 head which is, to put it bluntly, b****y dreadful. The valves are 'masked' by the chamber walls and if you really open it right out to a sort-of 295 profile you can't always machine sufficient off the head to get the c.r. correct without risking breaking through the oil way in the head.
Good luck with this project, it will be a super little car when it's done and the black ones are very rare. Values of these will increase quite quickly I reckon.
Peter
A 295 head with bigger inlet valves and some opening out in the chambers, a bigger carb, a decent inlet manifold, a small-bore lcb exhaust manifold and a better exhaust system will give a very significant increase, especially if you clean out and open up the inlet throat area and cut away the valve guide boss 'lumps'.
Put the comp ratio up to about 10:1 and with all that you'll get about 55 - 60 bhp.
The main cause of poor power is the basic 998 head which is, to put it bluntly, b****y dreadful. The valves are 'masked' by the chamber walls and if you really open it right out to a sort-of 295 profile you can't always machine sufficient off the head to get the c.r. correct without risking breaking through the oil way in the head.
Good luck with this project, it will be a super little car when it's done and the black ones are very rare. Values of these will increase quite quickly I reckon.
Peter
skyedriver said:
Always assuming the rest of the motor is ok, and at 83k miles I would be a bit doubtful.
The 66k 998 in mine had so little compression I could spin it over by hand with the plugs in.
Depends on how well it's been looked after. My old '79 850 saloon would still quite easily get the speedo around the the fuel gauge with 89,000 miles under it's belt, and it hardly used a drop of oil (after replacing valve stem seals).
Yes, it was made in 1989, 1000 in black, 2000 in cherry red metallic. Basically a standard 998 Mayfair with colour coded arches, mirrors, half leather seats (carried over to the RSP Cooper) and minilite style wheels (first of the 12in minilite wheels).
Peter - Saw Chris on Saturday regarding the bodywork etc, there is a chance I may just sell it on as I already have 2 Minis and may not take on the 30, as I cannot do much of the work myself, it may prove to expensive. Email me if you are interested, I will give you more info on what I think is needed.
Peter - Saw Chris on Saturday regarding the bodywork etc, there is a chance I may just sell it on as I already have 2 Minis and may not take on the 30, as I cannot do much of the work myself, it may prove to expensive. Email me if you are interested, I will give you more info on what I think is needed.
Update - I have decided that the 30 needs another home, due to unforseen circumstances, I am selling and putting the money towards work on the Cooper.
Its a shame, as although its rusty and needs some work, its all original, and would have been nice with a slightly modded 998 and maniflow exhaust with 165 Yokos.
Cooperman - Have sent you a mail, as you said you maybe interested in the car, I think its too rare to break for spares.
Its a shame, as although its rusty and needs some work, its all original, and would have been nice with a slightly modded 998 and maniflow exhaust with 165 Yokos.
Cooperman - Have sent you a mail, as you said you maybe interested in the car, I think its too rare to break for spares.
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