Ken Neff <kneff@osf.org> (02/23/90)
So, what can anyone tell me about Minis? Alternately, can anyone recommend any good books on Minis? There's a Mini 850 (1960-1963, the owner's not sure) with an 1100 engine and a Cooper head for sale here, and I and a friend are more than vaguely interested in its value as an SCCA racer. The car's been modified enough by past owners that I wouldn't mind hacking it further. I haven't seen the car yet, so I have no details, and the owner was less than knowledgeable, but it sparked my already budding interest in Minis (I have a warm place in my heart for both tiny cars and A-series engines). Thanks, Ken Neff ---- ---- Ken Neff kneff@osf.org -or- kneff@osf.osf.org Open Software Foundation ...!uunet!osf!kneff
sfisher@abingdon.wpd.sgi.com (Scott Fisher) (02/24/90)
So, what can anyone tell me about Minis? Quite a bit... Alternately, can anyone recommend any good books on Minis? Lindsay Porter's Guide To Purchas & DIY Restoration is a good place to start, as is the Practical Classics Mini Restoration book (can't remember the exact title, but PC is a British mag that rebuilds wretched heaps of iron oxide into show cars and publishes stories to pay the cost.) These are both excellent sources of information on the Mini. There's a Mini 850 (1960-1963, the owner's not sure) with an 1100 engine and a Cooper head for sale here, Sounds like the 12G295 head and 1098cc block out of an MG 1100. A common retrofit into one of the small-bore Minis (my Traveler had just such a combination). The 295 head is the best-flowing head of the small-bore engines (1100cc and lower). Check under the valve cover for a casting number. and I and a friend are more than vaguely interested in its value as an SCCA racer. The car's been modified enough by past owners that I wouldn't mind hacking it further. I haven't seen the car yet, so I have no details, and the owner was less than knowledgeable, but it sparked my already budding interest in Minis (I have a warm place in my heart for both tiny cars and A-series engines). Good choice! Minis are great cars in GT5, where the SCCA has them classed right now; the class records at both Sears Point and Laguna Seca are held by a Mini. They require only a tiny amount of re-engineering (mainly additional chassis stiffness and disc brakes, which were used on the Cooper S cars and are therefore available fairly easily), and they are very much an understood quantity in the racing world. The A Series engine is also a good base for a racing car, as it has been hacked a bit over the last 30 years. Prices vary, but nun-rusted, running Minis seem to be selling for about $2500 in only moderately ratty condition. They can sell for as much as $10,000 in impeccable condition, or if it is a historically important car for more than that, but $5000 plus or minus a grand or so seems to be the average price for most Minis in very good condition.
George.Emery@p42.f4.n105.z1.fidonet.org (George Emery) (02/24/90)
> So, what can anyone tell me about Minis? Probably more than you really want to know... > Alternately, can anyone recommend any good books on Minis? Any of David Vizard's books (How to Modify Your Mini and the one on A-series engines and the one on nitrous oxide) and the DIY Restoration series. > There's a Mini 850 (1960-1963, the owner's not sure) with an 1100 engine > and a Cooper head for sale here, and I and a friend are more than > vaguely interested in its value as an SCCA racer. The 1100 engine is the worst for road racing, but it's an excellent autocrosser because of its long stroke/high torque. Would probably also do okay in hillclimb. The important thing with Minis is that you need to strip weight out of it if you're going to race it, particularly with the smallbores. Suspension mods and engine mods are pretty standard. -- George Emery - via FidoNet node 1:105/14 UUCP: ...!{uunet!oresoft, tektronix!reed}!busker!4.42!George.Emery ARPA: George.Emery@p42.f4.n105.z1.FIDONET.ORG