All The Cars I’ve Ever Bought

Mini 1000

Keith looks back at his best – and worst – classic buys. This week, a Mini that really shouldn’t have found its way into his garage WHY DID YOU WANT ONE?

It was 1992 and my partner at the time needed a car to get to work in, and neither of us had much in the way of spare money. As was the case back then, the obvious solution was to find a cheap old Mini, which were easily bought for banger money. I noticed that the smalltime trader and car fixer-upper who lived over the road from the mother-in-law had a Mini in his garage, so I idly went over and had a chat. ‘It needs some work, and a bit of paint,’ he said. ‘But I can let you have it for £350 with a new MoT’. As a mid-1970s Mini, and this being the early 1990s, it did look a bit scruffy and about as fashionable as a pair of Wrangler flares, but it looked tidy with a lick of 1980s Caribbean Blue paint and a later grille screwed to the front and got a nod of approval from the other half. Not bad for a slightly-haggled £300.

WAS IT A JOY – OR A NIGHTMARE – TO LIVE WITH?

It was an education, that’s for sure. I learned that there is lots of room in a Mini to fit a stereo and speakers and also – with the help of my friend over the road – how to change the cylinder head gasket on an A-series engine. I also discovered that there really isn’t enough room under the bonnet. How many times did I crack the back of my head on the inside of the bonnet while working on it? Too many. I decided to change it when it started burning as much oil as petrol, and so it was back over to my long-suffering friend over the road to sort me out with a replacement engine, no questions asked.

WHAT’S YOUR ABIDING MEMORY OF THE CAR?

Being on the M55 early one morning, with Austin Metro A-plus engine installed (yes, I was that guy, sorry), flying along way too quickly. The new engine was a 1275cc, and boy, was this Mini quick! It was also a bit skittish, and under-braked, so I found myself rather scared, and keen to slow it down when the heavens suddenly opened. That I managed to do so with marginal wipers, narrow tyres on ten-inch wheels and minimal driving skills, was down to luck, not judgement. I think I was still shaking four days later. A little later, when tidying up the interior, I pulled up the carpet and found repairs to the inner sill that featured liberal use of newspaper.

Ouch. As much as I loved driving that car, it was time for it to go – so I swapped it for a 1983 Triumph Acclaim, and never looked back. To this day, it’s the only classic Mini I’ve ever had.

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR BUYING ONE TODAY?

It’s a different world now, and Minis have long since stopped being cheap and cheerful bangers. Rough ones are now ‘projects’ and nice ones are seriously expensive. So, much of the buying advice should be around what you’re prepared to pay, and how much fettling you’re prepared to do. Make sure that the engine numbers match, that any exchanges are properly documented and that the rear subframe is in good order. Ensure that it doesn’t burn oil or leak too much, and that the gearbox is in good order. Any modifications should have been done properly, and most are easily reversible. Minis are gilt-edged rust traps, but if you’re spending £5000 or more on one, you should expect it to be reasonably solid throughout.

ENGINE 998cc/4-cyl/OHV POWER 39bhp@4750rpm TORQUE 51.5lb ft@2000rpm MAXIMUM SPEED 82mph 0-60MPH 18.7sec FUEL CONSUMPTION 30-40mpg TRANSMISSION FWD, four-speed manual