Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Hmm, a quick look at classic policies shows that the vehicle has to be either unmodified, or they want to know what the power increase over stock is.

I mentioned that I had a SS exhaust, and the lady wanted the precise bhp increase that that would provide.

I would either buy a completely original car or return whatever I bought back to orig.

It would unfortunately be parked on the road, but it would be outside my house

You've got nothing to lose by phoning around, these guys are used to dealing with old boys who haven't quite worked out what a "double click" is yet so are best accessed by phone.

Yes, most classic policies will want exact BHP figure increases, but you can "blag" those. I think the magic number is 50% of the original power. Once you breach that, it's not suitable for a classic policy.

"It was considerably faster from 70 to 120 than a new Porsche Boxster"?

Modern classic policies are good value for money (15-20 years old).

Lancaster Insurance insured me on modern classic as I have "access to other vehicles", I don't necessarily have to own them, but it has to be parked off the road (mine is on a driveway) and I have got limited mileage.

Sparky, it's common knowledge the newer the Mini, the more likely it is to fall apart. The Sportspacks were the worst out of all of them! The good thing is when they've been refurbed, they've usually been rustproofed much better than when out of the factory. You will probably still need to do minor things every 15 years, but then that's classic cars...

That's interesting, thanks. How practical and reliable would it be if I had a 60s one? Could I take it over to Wales for mountain biking trips? I know it'd be a squeeze, size-wise, but where there's a will...

You could fit a towbar, and then a towbar mounted bike rack.

Did some potato on Bluebird.

Spot the mistake. :oP

We have a winner, also dude in the white overalls arm is not masked.

Sky temp similar to VL's pic ? :-B

That's interesting, thanks. How practical and reliable would it be if I had a 60s one? Could I take it over to Wales for mountain biking trips? I know it'd be a squeeze, size-wise, but where there's a will...

Not very practical or reliable, being small and slow, designed to use the cheapest possible parts, thrown together by militant BL employees in between strikes, and then ragged to within an inch of its life for several decades.

However, what it would be is fun, fun, fun, and fucking awesome.

"It was considerably faster from 70 to 120 than a new Porsche Boxster, so I am told, because of course I have never exceeded the speed limit, officer"

ftfy.

We have a winner, also dude in the white overalls arm is not masked.

Sky temp similar to VL's pic ? :-B

Now I look closer:

(not really being critcal... see my shoddy PS with damits bike...)

Had to be red.

Cheers for edit. B-)

That's interesting, thanks. How practical and reliable would it be if I had a 60s one? Could I take it over to Wales for mountain biking trips? I know it'd be a squeeze, size-wise, but where there's a will...

I made the mistake of thinking that if I got a "refurbed" 1993 Mini, it would be totally reliable. Make no mistake, it's still a near enough 60 year old design. Shit will happen when you least expect it, the only way it won't is if you buy a completely restored car. They start at £20k+ because they really are like new cars.

Simple things like driving in the rain become cumbersome, frustrating activities due to classic ignition not liking the damp, and archaic windscreen wipers that require gravity to return to the "down" position.

Windscreens that freeze on the inside.

Heaters that provide heat everywhere you don't want, and nowhere that you do want.

Your carbs will need tuning every 6 months just to keep the engine running smoothly, not to mention the almost random fuel consumption, and the requirement for leaded additive unless the engine has been updated.

THINGS WILL BREAK. The parts are old, they're weak. You could do a 500 mile journey and nothing breaks, you could do a 2 mile journey and snap a wheel stud. Bushes, bearings, suspension components, everything.

It's easy to think your love for the car will overcome anything, but when it's 22:00, you're on your way back from Wales after a long weekend of mountain biking, you're tired, it's pissing it down with rain, and it conks out on the side of the M4, 100 miles from London, it's really easy to start rueing the day you ever bought a Mini.

So many cool cars at FOS on the weekend, even the car park was great. This Lotus was ace, even just for the badge typography

Whilst taking time off work due to RSI in the right wrist I thought it would be sensible to start my summer refurb of BBS Style 5s...

34 bolts per rim are pain staking when trying to only exert with my left hand but the plan was to polish up the rims and replace with new stainless bolts that I had purchased a while back. Wheel centres are still fine. Haven't quite managed the mirror finish that I manually achieved about 5 years ago but the fresh bolts certainly do freshen up no end!

1 down, 3 to go...

Did any of you watch the Lauda/Hunt documentary on BBC2 on Sunday?
If you didn't I suggest you do:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0377tb1/Hunt_vs_Lauda_F1s_Greatest_Racing_Rivals/

Recorded it for when I have two spare seconds to watch it. Can't wait.

So many cool cars at FOS on the weekend, even the car park was great. This Lotus was ace, even just for the badge typography

Lots
Of
Trouble
Usually
Serious.

And for that reason, I'll NEVER own one.

Did any of you watch the Lauda/Hunt documentary on BBC2 on Sunday?
If you didn't I suggest you do:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0377tb1/Hunt_vs_Lauda_F1s_Greatest_Racing_Rivals/

Very good docu.

One day, one day...

It was the absolute nuts...
If I ever have a lotto win I'll find an old one and get someone who knows what they're doing to bring it up to scratch. Lot of love for those old cars.

I see. Should've bought it, then, rather than the Cherry, which was pants. I really like the late 70s Honda Accord too.

I am soon moving to New Zealand where these almost-classic Japanese cars are much more common, so perhaps I will own one.

Look for one of these:

http://youtu.be/8u9lGPSrNt0

Evolution of the M3

I made the mistake of thinking that if I got a "refurbed" 1993 Mini, it would be totally reliable. Make no mistake, it's still a near enough 60 year old design. Shit will happen when you least expect it, the only way it won't is if you buy a completely restored car. They start at £20k+ because they really are like new cars.

Simple things like driving in the rain become cumbersome, frustrating activities due to classic ignition not liking the damp, and archaic windscreen wipers that require gravity to return to the "down" position.

Windscreens that freeze on the inside.

Heaters that provide heat everywhere you don't want, and nowhere that you do want.

Your carbs will need tuning every 6 months just to keep the engine running smoothly, not to mention the almost random fuel consumption, and the requirement for leaded additive unless the engine has been updated.

THINGS WILL BREAK. The parts are old, they're weak. You could do a 500 mile journey and nothing breaks, you could do a 2 mile journey and snap a wheel stud. Bushes, bearings, suspension components, everything.

It's easy to think your love for the car will overcome anything, but when it's 22:00, you're on your way back from Wales after a long weekend of mountain biking, you're tired, it's pissing it down with rain, and it conks out on the side of the M4, 100 miles from London, it's really easy to start rueing the day you ever bought a Mini.

I'll just butt in with the buying an old mini, remember it will have had lots of owners and those owners would have little clue of what they are doing. New cills welled over rusty sills, subframes welded to the body. Mini's rust, the days of blowing up your mini engine and going to a scrappy on a saturday and buying another cheap engine to replace it are long gone. They are fun little cars and I liked mine as they were cheap and kept me from walking. Was at the point I could replace a pair of cills an repair the inner cill and floor over a weekend. A respray from poo brown to red upped the value and the sellability.

Still prefered fiat 500, 600, 850 and 126's cos they had the engine in the back and were cheaper than the mini as MOT failures.

Lots
Of
Trouble
Usually
Serious.

And for that reason, I'll NEVER own one.

You have no soul.