How fast do austin minis go

And this means that when looking for a project car, a Mini is a great place to start. Whatever your reason for buying a project, a Mini is a car you should consider. Of course, a vast aftermarket parts and enthusiast network can only do so much. So with that in mind, here are five things you need to look out for when viewing what could be your dream Mini.

The rust protection applied to a Mini consisted of paint and hope, that was about it. As such, you need to be thorough when it comes to looking around any potential purchase.

Main areas that succumb to corrosion are the A-pillars, the bulkhead, the front scuttle, the front and rear valances, the boot floor especially the battery box , door bottoms, sills and floors. So, all of it really. In extreme cases, the roof can literally rust itself free of the body!

The other thing to look for on a car of this age is poor historical repairs. A Mini that looks good can still be hiding a multitude of sins, so get in there with a magnet, lift up the carpets, take your time to really look at panel gaps and the condition of key areas like the sills and the A-pillars.

The best thing about a Mini is the way it drives, and this comes care of the front and rear subframes and clever rubber suspension, which not only saved space but also made for firm and direct handling. However, all of that is moot if the subframes have been abused.

He only refers to it as Morris, never "the car" or anything normal, and generally treats it like his grandchild. These days dad is doing well. He responded really well to treatment and the initially grim prognosis has since reversed and he's on the mend.

I love so many things about Minis. I was a small kid growing up, so small cars immediately appealed to me. It's hard to be in a bad mood and drive the Mini. Everyone you see smiles and waves, and kids absolutely love it. It's like driving around in a big puppy. I still live in Vancouver so I don't drive a ton, but the car is great for bombing around town, and it's been really great on road trips to the island, the interior and the States—but ear plugs are a must.

Have I mentioned how patient my girlfriend is? We just got a bike rack for it, so I'm excited to look even more ridiculous ripping down the highway. There are dozens and dozens of stories like these. Local shops like the Steveston Motor Co. They've recently moved into a shared space with Adam Trinder, a machinist whose mid-engine Kawasaki-powered build remains one of the wildest Mini projects we've ever seen. Clubs like Matchbox Mini , championed by owners like Felix Yuen , help keep old Minis invigorated with young blood, with new owners drawn into the Mini lifestyle.

It's a scrapper, a terrier and a terror, half garden-gnome and half Braveheart. Thanks to a shot in the arm from young enthusiasts, it's as beloved as ever. Some cars get one chance to shine. Some bask in faded glory. Love for the Mini is as strong as it has ever been.

This little car's moment is still right now. Join Now. New Cars. Car Culture. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. R for Krys Le Rover Mini. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. The original classless car, the BMC Mini changed the automotive landscape forever.

Brilliantly packaged, the Issigonis-designed marvel is brilliant to drive, cheap to run and so well supported by specialists that you could build a new one from off-the-shelf parts; even entire bodyshells are available. Produced from until , the Mini came in saloon, estate, pick-up and van forms and towards the end of production there was even a convertible.

A whole industry sprang up to service the needs of millions of owners keen to personalise their Minis, whether the focus was on performance or cosmetic enhancements. All Minis were fitted with an A-series engine in cc, cc or cc form. The cc engine suffers from a rattly timing chain, but switching to a duplex assembly fixes things cheaply.

The only manual gearbox was a four-speed unit, but a three-speed auto was available from May These last well but the front sprag clutch can break, leaving you unable to set off in Drive but with the other gears working. Few early Minis still have their original gearbox as they had weak synchromesh. Because the gearbox shares its oil with the engine the lubricant should be replaced regularly; at least every 6, miles, but every 3, miles is even better.

Once a gearbox is on its way out the synchro cones will fail, necessitating a full rebuild. One of the many things that makes the Mini such a delight to drive is the steering, which should be light and responsive. All Minis had rubber cone suspension until , when a Hydrolastic set-up was adopted on all models except estates. From things reverted to rubber cone once more, to cut costs.

A sagging Hydrolastic car probably just needs its suspension pumped up but it could be that a displacer has rusted badly, and parts are hard to find. Converting to rubber cone is possible, but time consuming and costly as the subframe has to be replaced with lots of other parts.

If the front wheels are kerbed the tie rods can be damaged, throwing the tracking out. Be wary of any rims over six inches wide. The quality of rustproofing improved over time, but all Minis tend to corrode.