Tempted by a highly modded Mini

[Bitsilly]

Hi all,
feel bad still being here as I no longer have a mini! But I'd still rather air this here rather than on the other web site!
Basically I am tempted to buy a KAD transformed mini:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126245400279
but for the money I could buy a myriad of interesting iron! I could get a GR Yaris, a nice jag mk2, a 'project' cooper s, or a SA Clubman GTS etc.
That said, we here all understand the appeal of a mini!
So if anyone has ever owned something like it, could you please reflect loudly?
And as I want to retire in the next couple of years, what is the depreciation/demand for something like that?
Please note that in my personal opinion Minis ceased being like go-karts once they went for rubber subframe mounts and put on weight with stuff like injection.
All opinions welcomed!
Many thanks!

[Lakeland997]

I would say think carefully about how and when you would use it. My experience is that highly modified classic cars are less reliable and less refined than you might expect. If you want something for track days, or you have the space to keep it just for short, summer blasts then go for it.
As I’ve said in another thread, I think this would make a nice competition car if you stripped out the trim or swap out the engine to a competition car as Richspec suggests.
However, the price is indeed a fraction of the build cost so I too can understand the temptation…. I think it has suffered the majority of its depreciation. It’s being sold for something like the value of its separate parts.

[Nathan1293]

This car was a raffle prize from ukminis. This isn’t a negative.

A car like this will be extreme, personally I’d love it. But it definitely isn’t for everyone. It will be loud, induction, exhaust, gearbox. Probably will be fairly uncomfortable, even for a mini as it will have some tweaks, either poly bushes or rose joints.

If you were going to build one this car is probably good value compared to the cost.

[Catmint]

You can always back track on some of the mods to make it more drivable, but to be honest if it floats y'boat go for it especially after the f**k on you have had earlier this year. If you don't like it flog it on, but at least you tried

['S'-type]

Does it come with a pair of brown cords and bicycle clips? Asking for a friend.

[Polarsilver]

Bits.. in your last paragraph you described what you want .. so why buy anything other ?

[wantafaster1]

Gorgeous, but is it for sale because it's not very nice to use?
Everything you'd ever want is there already, I'm sure it could be tamed

[Richspec]

i imagine it'll be fairly anti social to drive, which is fine if you like the sort of thing, it'll be noisy, potentially VERY noisy, and you'll struggle to often use all that horsepower on tap. Will it be fun? hell yeah, and as a occasional sunny day blast and show car its perfect.
Just dont expect a nice refined, relaxed thing, its a proper pocket rocket with all that entails.

And I do have experience of, and friends with similiar high spec stuff.

[Exminiman]

When I saw it in the other thread, I wondered what point there was in the stereo and speakers…….

Unless its been really well soundproofed, its really a track car.

Nicely done, lovely car, but to drive on the road on a regular basis, I cant see it.

[mab01uk]

As many have said I love the look of this Mini but some of the extreme spec needs to be tamed down for more refined road use as a nicely modded classic car, any unwanted parts sold off should help fund the new 'toned down' work needed to do that.

[Peter Laidler]

It's a 'what is it type of car....' as others have suggested. I feel that the shell needs a good, close hard looking at. Is is an indistinct mini with a clubman front end tacked on or did it start its life as a clubman - as opposed to a mini

['S'-type]

It's a 'what is it type of car....' as others have suggested. I feel that the shell needs a good, close hard looking at. Is is an indistinct mini with a clubman front end tacked on or did it start its life as a clubman - as opposed to a mini

In the blurb it says it started out as a Mini 40 limited edition but converted to Clubman front end.
I'm sure it's been done properly. I guess it was done for engine bay room. That's where some of the 60k went.

[larrysimon]

Hi all,
feel bad still being here as I no longer have a mini! But I'd still rather air this here rather than on the other web site!
Basically I am tempted to buy a KAD transformed mini:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126245400279
but for the money I could buy a myriad of interesting iron! I could get a GR Yaris, a nice jag mk2, a 'project' cooper s, or a SA Clubman GTS etc.
That said, we here all understand the appeal of a mini!
So if anyone has ever owned something like it, could you please reflect loudly?
And as I want to retire in the next couple of years, what is the depreciation/demand for something like that?
Please note that in my personal opinion Minis ceased being like go-karts once they went for rubber subframe mounts and put on weight with stuff like injection.
All opinions welcomed!
Many thanks!

Get it Bought ! This life is short and your only here the once, if it "Tickles your Pickle" then have it. Only negotiate a bit better price.

Hope you enjoy it.

[bryan]

For years I was only ever interested in keeping classic cars absolutely correct, with all the anal discipline that that entails.
I still do that with my cars generally.
A couple of years ago though, I bought a highly modified car - admission coming up - a '62 Ford Consul Classic with a 4.5 litre V8, and I have really enjoyed the creative freedom of faffing about with that car, making it pleasant and safe to drive on the road.
I think you might really enjoy fiddling with this mini, getting it how you want it.
I think also there is a market for really really well modified cars like the one you're considering.

[Bitsilly]

Well thanks everyone!
There are some excellent points all of which bring me no closer to any kind of decision
Bugger but I wish I had less sense and more money!

[Polarsilver]

"& More Money ".. Snap

[and.rs1800]

It’s already dropped from 35 grand to 27.5 I bet a cheeky offer would see it being yours-especially as it was a raffle prize..

[mk1coopers]

With cars that are a little more highly modified, when you drive them can also add or subtract from the experience, early in the morning with the right clear roads and they can be a joy, middle of the day in a traffic jam with hot weather and a heavy clutch, not so much, so you need to work out how much of each, plus everything in between, you are likely to do.

Personally I’d say put in a cheeky offer and enjoy it.

[Herbert]

I've owned my S since 1971 and it gives me a thrill to thrash the living doo dahs every time I drive it, however, I am tempted to buy a standard sports pack mini, just for its quietness and reliability, but that's what a classic mini is all about, moan and groan when it plays up, smile when it gives you FUN. Buy an SP and have fun without breaking down

[nic]

I have what might be classed as a highly modified mini, stripped out and with far too much power to be sensible.
When you are in the right mood it’s fantastic to break out and blow the cob webs away.
An uncharacteristic smile appears on my face for the rest of the day after putting in my ear plugs for a spirited sensible drive of taking ‘racing lines’ without crossing the white line in the middle of the road, overtaking things that shouldn’t be possible in a mini, enjoying the sounds of the gearbox.

If your not in the right mood it’s still good, just the roughness of the road gets a bit tedious.

From your description it sounds like you want a mini of some description to enjoy.
Do you want something fast and unforgiving?
Or something that you can drive without losing your licence and looking like a rogue?

We also have a 1990 cooper, and that is fantastic fun on 145 tyres.
You can drive it flat out almost everywhere without going to jail.

In my opinion, the worst thing about the green car you linked to, would be trying to understand how it was modified when it needs maintenance.
God I bet it’s something else to drive…


One last ramble.
I convinced a friend into buying a GR Yaris, it said it was fantastic, but when you are driving it normally or in traffic, you are just sat in a very expensive Toyota Yaris. He sold it a few months later.
I think you would find that with anything modern.