Finally I got a 1964 Mk1 ^^

[Carpeta]

Earlier this week the time had finally come, after years I finally fulfilled one of my greatest wishes and bought myself a Morris Mini Mk1.
Unfortunately, it turned out in retrospect that I have overlooked some ugly spots and quirks.

As it seems, the car got hit at the B-pillar at some point, at least that's what the body builder of a local workshop say to me after the inspection.
I had seen the spot when I already stood at home with the car and almost 400km away from the seller.
An accidental damage it should probably not have been, but something must have hit the place probably, maybe a Rhino or Elefant.
To the credit of the seller I must say that he had not seen the damage himself and the car was already some years in his possession.
In the documents that I received for the car were also some original photos from South Africa and in one picture you can also see the B-pillar was already dented there.

Well, love makes blind!

Maybe one or the other can provide me some information, it is probably a model from South Africa, which was imported to Germany 7 years ago. I have never seen such seat covers on a Mini Cooper S for example. According to the frame number the body is from a 1071 Cooper S, the engine is from a 1275 Cooper S.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AkIIShBi8-Bwg15cFss ... t?e=soE9NM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHBS7zwMiHE

P.S.: It's got the wrong heater, I need to get an old one

[WesleyB]

Congratulations with the MK1 !!!!
Nice car in a nice green colour !

Have fun with the car, enjoy the times

Cheers

[Carpeta]

Congratulations with the MK1 !!!!
Nice car in a nice green colour !

Have fun with the car, enjoy the times

Cheers

Thank you very much, Wesley!
I did not know the colour before, but I like it quite well. ^^
It is not almond green, but also has something special to it.

[InnoCooperExport]

That looks really great! That B-pillar dent is most peculiar but I'm sure it will get sorted at some time.

[Lone Star Mini]

Awesome... congrats!!!

[daytonaRS]

I think she is beautiful, including dings. Can I ask what wheels are fitted please. I'm new to the Mini world & forum.
Kind regards,
Paul.

[Carpeta]

That looks really great! That B-pillar dent is most peculiar but I'm sure it will get sorted at some time.

I suspect that the sheet metal above the B-pillar has been pulled at some point, at least you can see a small kink in the drainage channel of the roof in one of the pictures, it's strange that nothing has been done to the B-pillar itself. I might take the headliner off at the weekend and take a closer look.
Cheers mate

Awesome... congrats!!!

Thank you very much and cheers mate!

I think she is beautiful, including dings. Can I ask what wheels are fitted please. I'm new to the Mini world & forum.
Kind regards,
Paul.

You're right mate, the Mini isn't the youngest anymore, but when I saw the B-pillar my heart dropped in my pants!
After all, the little one cost me a lot of my hard-earned money!

The rims are original Dunlop LP883 rims. Like the Dunlop LP918 reverse rims, the centre section has been cut out once and then welded back in on the inside, but instead of being 4.5 inches wide, they have been widened to 6 inches. Yokohama A008 are fitted, the A032R offer a better grip, but have a very high wear compared to the A008 due to their soft rubber compound. I think these are a good compromise compared to the A032R, they are very low wearing and still offer enough grip and comfort!
The previous owner also gave me original and unused hubcaps which I can't fit at the moment because longer wheel nuts are fitted. I would have to get some shorter wheel nuts and then I could fit the nice hubcaps, but I'm not sure yet....

I actually like the Mk1 Minis better without wheel flares and with chrome piping, I think there are currently group 2 wheel flares fitted (please correct me if I'm wrong), but as the Mini probably came from Africa with Innocenti flares, the previous owner thought that other flares wouldn't look any worse, the holes were already there.

Btw., hello and welcome to the mini world!

What do you guys think, with or without hubcaps?

[AndyPen]

I am keeping a little damage in my 1071 as I like the link back to its history

[Carpeta]

I am keeping a little damage in my 1071 as I like the link back to its history

It's not a bad idea, but I'm too much of a perfectionist for that.
A classic car is allowed to have patina, but in the long run the spot would catch my eye every time I saw it!
Where does your Cooper S have a quirk, if you don't mind me asking?

[daytonaRS]

I often think that "Patina" on other's cars & bikes looks great but I do struggle to follow the same rules of preservation myself. It would probably bug me as well if she was mine. Thanks for info on wheels, that's the look I'm after for my not so genuine car.
Kind regards,
Paul.

[mk1]

That looks absolutely brilliant!

[AndyPen]

I am keeping a little damage in my 1071 as I like the link back to its history

It's not a bad idea, but I'm too much of a perfectionist for that.
A classic car is allowed to have patina, but in the long run the spot would catch my eye every time I saw it!
Where does your Cooper S have a quirk, if you don't mind me asking?

I have left a dent in the rear of the inner wing - a result of a crash the night before its last ever rally - where it won its class. You can see it when you look under the bonnet. Also under the rear subframe - so you have to look, but to have put it back to perfect just didn't seem right.

[Carpeta]

That looks absolutely brilliant!

Thank you very much Mark!
I am pleased that my Mini is so well received by all of you! I will definitely have to invest some more work to maintain or even improve the condition.

The underbody and some sheet metal definitely need some love and attention from me.
Also the gear lever is not as precise as I would have thought, but I have no real comparison as I only drove a Mini Mk IV and Mk V before buying my Mini but never a Mk1. According to existing invoices, the gearshift unit and the linkage have been overhauled, I can't imagine what it was like before the overhaul.....
I have also never seen a brake booster like this on a Mk1 Mini. If you guys notice things that are not as they should be then please let me know, I am grateful for any information.

I am keeping a little damage in my 1071 as I like the link back to its history

It's not a bad idea, but I'm too much of a perfectionist for that.
A classic car is allowed to have patina, but in the long run the spot would catch my eye every time I saw it!
Where does your Cooper S have a quirk, if you don't mind me asking?

I have left a dent in the rear of the inner wing - a result of a crash the night before its last ever rally - where it won its class. You can see it when you look under the bonnet. Also under the rear subframe - so you have to look, but to have put it back to perfect just didn't seem right.

Good attitude, it would probably drive me crazy if it was my Mini!

[mk1]

Re the gear change. I'm sorry to say that even the very, very best remote gearchange in the world is nowhere near as precise as a horrible old, baggy rod change. They can be made "ok" but they are never perfect.

[Carpeta]

Not that I didn't already suspect it!
Damn it!

[Dr S]

Love this. I wouldn’t do anything to it. Keep it rock solid and roll it.

[Carpeta]

Love this. I wouldn’t do anything to it. Keep it rock solid and roll it.

Cheers mate!
I will have to do a few things to the Mini, after all, I want to have the little one by my side for as long as possible! ^^