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I'd avoid the automatic (CVT) ones, as they are reknowned for problems. Beware the clutches on manual ones also; you have to take the whole front of the car apart and partially drop the subframe to get the gearbox out. I chickened out when mine failed at about 97,000 miles (with my mum test-driving it! ), and got my local Mr Clutch to do the job - even they said it was a real mission! That is great “REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE” and feedback. Thank you Waxoyling Lyrical I started this thread as a way of looking at these as a side project, third fun car, type thing, not a daily or university car for your kid that stresses you silly because it is all you had to rely on. Looking at cars like the Micras and other small cars that are real fun to modify, and throw a small amount of money at, or for that matter, ZERO CASH and just a some quality time, that was the idea. If you chopped and turned one into a crazy impractical pickup or Bosozuku build, AFTER it’s MOT and then “trailered it to the RR’s Gathering for the jobsworths” and made an impact, like scaryoldcortina built years ago....... TAKE A LOOK> forum.retro-rides.org/thread/39982/mayday-thread-carThat would be fun. Not sure how many of them have been turned into silly builds, rather than refrigerators and roof sheets. Please post up any of your pics of interesting builds, mods etc. All are invited. .
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Last Edit: Jun 10, 2021 6:19:03 GMT by grizz
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brachunky
Scotland
Posts: 1,314
Club RR Member Number: 72
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So if we were to summarize things so far, which years are the ones to go for when it comes to reliability taking it as a given it's a manual (Not worried about spec level)?
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Jun 10, 2021 11:56:54 GMT
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So if we were to summarize things so far, which years are the ones to go for when it comes to reliability taking it as a given it's a manual (Not worried about spec level)? For me, I only like the MinI One shape. Most basic and smallest possible, Pre Fat Farm. I think they kinda keep the original idea alive, a small (albeit enlarged) Mini profiled modern car, build by BMW with parts from everywhere. It will never be a Mini as designed by Sir Alec Issigonis and developed over time, but in the modern idiom, I guess it is kinda between Golf/Polo/Corsa/Astra and the rest. Time for a question for the MOT/BIVA/Jobsworth and others seen as MoanyGroanies who do give this sort of thing more than a passing thought, to give us some real world input as well. As per the VW New Beetle thread, where the question of conversions to pickup and van/campers have been raised, can this be done. forum.retro-rides.org/thread/195962/cheap-new-beetles-option-makeI quite like the idea of either a serious bit of surgery by cutting one in half, ahead of the rear wheels (Unless a Clubman in early form would work, or the quirky 3 door wagon thing) and then adding 18-24 inches in, creating a functional rear load bed that can work as a pickup truck, or chopping the roof, behind the long doors and then creating a new rear end a bit longer than what is there, leaving you with a Mini-truck with a profile reminiscent of a Ford Sierra P100 where the rear overhang is a touch awkward. So, can this be done legally, and would a perimeter frame and strong, lightweight bracing leave you with a fully functional 350-500kg payload. Loads of questions I know. Lets see what comes out.
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Last Edit: Jun 10, 2021 11:57:49 GMT by grizz
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Jun 10, 2021 12:03:12 GMT
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Can't cut the monocoque unless you IVA...
...although there are a surprising number of homemade, car-derived pick how out there that seem to get away with it
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Jun 10, 2021 12:10:57 GMT
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Can't cut the monocoque unless you IVA... ...although there are a surprising number of homemade, car-derived pick how out there that seem to get away with it Cool. What about the roof and side glass ?
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Jun 10, 2021 12:19:04 GMT
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I have searched and here are a random collection of pics. MOST OF THE CONVERSIONS ARE A PIGS EAR. NO APOLOGIES Simple. It will take a bit of clever sheet metal or plastic work to get it looking right, unique and make people want it. And this is where a £200-£500 donor makes sense. .No idea which may be photoshops etc. This one seems to have the longer length I mentioned. To me, the B-Pillar is wrong, and I expect the rear glass which is where so many conversions fail, to be wrong as well. Still, I could see this being made right at the outset, with the length available, Another failure imho And this one actually looks great in colour, graphics and perspective, but clearly not practical for much more than weekly food shopping. .
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Jun 10, 2021 12:20:11 GMT
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Can't cut the monocoque unless you IVA... ...although there are a surprising number of homemade, car-derived pick how out there that seem to get away with it Cool. What about the roof and side glass ? Can't cut the roof either, unless it's removable from the factory.
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Jun 10, 2021 12:24:05 GMT
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Cool. What about the roof and side glass ? Can't cut the roof either, unless it's removable from the factory. Thats good to know, Thank you. So unless on a trailer to a private bit of land, this is actually really a Non-Starter. So back to regular Lowering, Loudening, Laughing.
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Jun 10, 2021 12:24:10 GMT
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Having looked at some of the old Red Bull mini's, they all become pickups when the massive can is removed. They all start life as convertables and have a hardtop fitted. Therefore no chopping of the monocoque.
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Jun 10, 2021 12:29:06 GMT
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Having looked at some of the old Red Bull mini's, they all become pickups when the massive can is removed. They all start life as convertables and have a hardtop fitted. Therefore no chopping of the monocoque. So one needs to find a silly cheap one. Not the “Rare Barnfind” type and then work from there.
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Jun 10, 2021 14:06:54 GMT
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The top one with "Frank's" signwritten on the door is a later R55, just with the rear windows either panelled in or wrapped
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craig1010cc
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,993
Club RR Member Number: 35
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Jun 11, 2021 12:33:49 GMT
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The top one with "Frank's" signwritten on the door is a later R55, just with the rear windows either panelled in or wrapped Or a factory clubvan I picked up a 52 plate one a few months back, and it’s cracking fun. Could do with a re-chip to get it up from 90-120ish bhp, but on its skinny 15’s it’s a giggle on the B roads. With r50’s, late 2004 onwards facelifts have the better gearboxes, thermostats can crack leading to coolant loss and blown head gaskets other than that they suffer the same as most cars. Damaged panels are easily swapped with 2nd hand ones and the colour match is really good (mines silver and isn’t on its original bonnet and a door, but you’d never know) R55/56, main issue is the timing chains. If they are allowed to run low on oil, they really suffer and rarely seem to make it to 100k without changing. Easy to spot though, they sound like diesels when they are getting slack.
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It might have been mentioned already earlier in the thread, so apologies if it was, but the Mini pickups were mostly Red Bull promotional cars, with a big can on top and the blue and silver graphics. They had a fridge inside to hold giveaway cans of the stuff as it drove around, went to events or whatever. Red Bull branding and the can had to be removed before they were sold on, not sure about the fridge
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It might have been mentioned already earlier in the thread, so apologies if it was, but the Mini pickups were mostly Red Bull promotional cars, with a big can on top and the blue and silver graphics. They had a fridge inside to hold giveaway cans of the stuff as it drove around, went to events or whatever. Red Bull branding and the can had to be removed before they were sold on, not sure about the fridge Wondering if any are out there currently. Or if a wagon/Clubman with rear damage could legally be turned into a pickup.
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If you want a pickup then start with an R52, the cab.
Tailgate drops down instead of going up so nothing to fab there at all, just a section of roof and a bulkhead to sort.
Would it even need a biva/whatever? Monocoque not modified...
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Longer bodied clubman/clubvan variants are R55 2007 onwards, slighly larger body and prince engined
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If you want a pickup then start with an R52, the cab. Tailgate drops down instead of going up so nothing to fab there at all, just a section of roof and a bulkhead to sort. Would it even need a biva/whatever? Monocoque not modified... Longer bodied clubman/clubvan variants are R55 2007 onwards, slighly larger body and prince engined Great answers, Thank you. I guess some serious metal fabrication would be needed, because it needs to loadbed area to be stretched in order to get the cap proportions better. So a stretch from behind the rear wheel arches, 10-18 inches and then sacrifice 6-8 of those inches to get the rear of the cab right to get proportions and also interior size better. Rear glass and bulkhead needs to be right. But the important thing will be no BIVA etc until someone tells us it is needed, like with a specific reference ro rules.
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,886
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Useful info in this thread Mrs BC keeps looking at MINI's and saying we should get one...........
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Useful info in this thread Mrs BC keeps looking at MINI's and saying we should get one........... Paul Y has a Cooper convertible IIRC that could be for sale. Knowing him, I would expect it to be covered in Essex road grime, but mechanically spot on. I still have that Nissan Micra itch that was not quite scratched when it left my drive unmodified and the company car stayed…… However, the first generation of these, whichever is the reliable version is (he says praying it exists) absolutely gets my attention when I see them. And to me, a silly modified one is the way to go. A lot of show, and license protecting go would be good.
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,886
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Useful info in this thread Mrs BC keeps looking at MINI's and saying we should get one........... Paul Y has a Cooper convertible IIRC that could be for sale. Knowing him, I would expect it to be covered in Essex road grime, but mechanically spot on. Unfortunately we have a vehicle already that covers the roof open duties It's stupidly fast, silly loud (my own fault there as it very quickly got secondary cats, resonator delete and X pipe) and generally a riot to drive and is probably going to break me financially with it's thirst for fuel and appetite for rear tyres which really don't like application of the loud pedal I still have that Nissan Micra itch that was not quite scratched when it left my drive unmodified and the company car stayed…… However, the first generation of these, whichever is the reliable version is (he says praying it exists) absolutely gets my attention when I see them. And to me, a silly modified one is the way to go. A lot of show, and license protecting go would be good. I'd be looking at an early supercharged one - mkI eyeballs can look after the licence
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