5 WAYS TO MAKE IT BETTER

1 MAKE IT QUIETER AND COMFIER

A sound-proofing kit will work wonders if you’re looking to take your Mini over long distances. More supportive bucket seats can also be had in all manner of price points. Lowering the steering column, if it suits your sitting position, can also revolutionise your Mini posture. The required bracket is cheap but you do need to adjust the rack-retaining clamps, too.

2 GIVE YOUR MINI A SWEETER SOUND

Making a Mini sound fruitier isn’t expensive; a good manifold and system can be around the £400 mark. A free-flowing air filter will give a nice induction rasp, too. Better air-flow also means better power delivery.

3 PEP UP THE CAR’S PERFORMANCE

BL offered a ‘special tuning’ pack in period. Nowadays, you can spend £1400 on a kit that’ll give you a larger valve cylinder head plus uprated air filters and exhaust elements. Somewhere north of £700 buys a pair of new 1½-inch SU carburettors or – if you want to really push the boat out for induction noise – consider independent throttle bodies.

4 KEEP IT COOL

Additional cooling is a great measure to ensure that you can carry on enjoying your Mini, especially if you’re releasing more power. A dual core radiator is a great bit of kit, plus an additional electric cooling fan and silicone hoses mean that you’ll have a well set-up cooling system.

5 FIT FRESH WHEELS AND NEW TYRES

Twelve-inch Minilites are popular but a well-painted Rostyle looks just at home on a Clubbie. This comes down to personal choice as well as what brakes you need them to fit over. When it comes to tyres, Vintage Tyres offer a good range of high-quality tyres that handle well and look at home on the classic Mini shape. Dunlop SP Aquajets stand out for us.