classic mini

First of all ,my apologies for bringing up a non T F subject on here but I cant remember my password for the mini forum and it wont send me an email to reset or rejoin and I need some thoughts from petrol heads and I was hoping you could help me out.
I have the chance to buy, 1989 mini 30 rose, special edition for £5000,and would like to hear any thoughts on its value .
I have not seen the car yet I am going probably Monday.
I am buying the car to sell so I need a bit of profit after the bits and pieces that may need doing, scuffed wheels etc but I am not in a hurry to sell and will probably wait while early summer.

Details as far as I know :- 1989, Mini 30 Rose in Cherry Red.
18000 miles, full service history
been in the same family since new the husband signed it over to his wife some years ago.
been garaged all its life, no rust and is as standard as the day it was born, alloys ,arches half leather.
currant MOT and serviced 2017 so not in barn find condition
If I was buying this to keep i wouldn't hesitate,so thoughts please,ladies and gentlemen and thanks for your time and once again have my apologies for raising a non TF subject. Andy

A quick scoot around the net reveals a couple that sold recently: 4K at auction, private at a tad under 6k, both with higher mileage than 18k.

Limited edition of 500, with roof colour of interest to Boy George.

Ande wrote: First of all ,my apologies for bringing up a non T F subject on here but I cant remember my password for the mini forum and it wont send me an email to reset or rejoin and I need some thoughts from petrol heads and I was hoping you could help me out.

No problem with asking the question but unfortunately most of us here of limited knowledge of the Mini market.

Good luck with your Wheeler Dealer project.

Hi Andy .
My wife and I own a classic Mini. It replaced a Pearlescent Cherry Red Mini 30 1990 model year and was my favourite Mini of all the ones we have owned . It was probably the most luxurious LTD edition production Mini produced and was available in black and cherry red. Mini's produced by Rover were no better rust-wise than ones built in the 60's. Ours was terrible for rust even though I did all that was available to stop it. The area that is most expensive to repair is the windscreen scuttle panel. The windscreen sealing rubber was supposed to be of an improved design in that it was wider but it didn't help with ours as we had to have a very involved repair that was extremely costly.
I would hope that a price tag of £5k means it has been well looked after but as most folk will tell you, all that glitters......! Don't be afraid of having a good look at the area I have mentioned. To a well trained eye it is easy to spot a Mini that has had attention to the scuttle panel as the gap between the wing and scuttle should be visible and not sealed with panel sealer.
Mini's have rust built into them was a quote that a body shop said to me. Our current Mini has had numerous trips to the body shop and the windscreen scuttle has had to have attention ....twice ! To repair correctly involves the removal of the screen ( I had to remove the dash to avoid damage ) add to that , if the closure panel beneath the scuttle has rotted , that involves a whole heap of work .
Make sure on a road test that you check that second gear syncromesh allows a clean down change from 3rd ( 2 nd gear syncro's are weak ) if not the engine will have to come out and the gear box split to repair .
I could go on but I might depress you :bat: . Have a good look round it and if possible put it on a ramp and have a good poke about . Buying a car is a mine field . Buying a Mini can be worse ! !
Good luck , let us ( me ) know how you get on .

John
Ist photo is our Mini in 2013 having surgery which took me 6 months to get it to look like the 2nd photo.



Ps One good point . Replacement panels are fairly reasonable pricewise .

Ande wrote: I am buying the car to sell so I need a bit of profit after the bits and pieces that may need doing,

As a "dealer" not sure an enthusiast forum is best place to request such information, unless we all get a share in the profit :broon:

Unlike many of my age I never owned a Mini when young: loads of my mates had 'em though. I had to wait until our son Robert was coming up to 17 and I bought a Mini Flame: red with white roof. Basically sound but needed a little fettling. Father/son tinkering. We were living in Norfolk at the time and as luck would have it, a major supplier of Mini and Moggie Minor spares was but a few miles away. Sworkscooper may know of it, if it's still in business. I soon got carried away, and after sorting the mechanicals: brakes, radius arms, rockers etc I set about cosmetics: stainless bumpers, replica minilites, stainless flange and roof trims etc. It looked the business if I say so myself.

The Son soon tired of getting oily and so Sue sort of adopted it as an antidote to her new Eurobox Pug 205.

The front scuttle developed leprosy and the local garage replaced and resprayed in return for me wiring their new office extension: paying attention in my electrical classes as an apprentice finally paid off.

As a finale to this tale.... We met a guy called Jeremy in the local pub, a real eccentric, commonly known as Bunny. During a conversation he asked if we owned the smart red mini. It turned out that he was a major designer of Mini graphics and exported around the world. I know, sounds like bull crap but true I swear. He asked if our car could be a model: the agreement was that he'd apply the vinyl, photo for his website, let us run round in it until removal/replacement for the next shoot. Who would refuse that?

We ended up with the world-first Union Flag roof triple-jack and white checker 'ghost' stripes on the bonnet edges: clever design that only showed in a certain light and direction. All free. And pro applied.

Parts were dead cheap: I went to get some rocker shaft adjusting screws (if young, ask yer uncle) and ended up paying 8 quid for a new complete built-up shaft. Because I was a regular he threw in 8 pushrods for nowt. And a choke cable as well.

What became of Darling Belle, as Sue christened her? (Incredible String Band song.. We're old hippies... Go listen!)
As we were imminently moving back oop North to yet another power station and Son was joining the Army we sold her to an American family based at Lakenheath. At a heeeowge profit. Interesting test drive as none had driven a 'stick-shift, Buddy. Can you teach ma Wi-afe how it goes?'

Would we have another? It would be the only thing that may replace the TF in Sue's affections. Me: I'd rather replace a bypass hose than a HG..... Watch this space.:whistle:

If you're still here, thanks for reading the ramblings of an old man.

PS: Son was amazed that Aged Parent could strip, overhaul and rebuild an SU carb with no instructions. Been there, done that with HS 6 big brother carbs.

John and sue ,Sworkscooper ,Gorsq,talkingcars and mgbluestreak thanks for your help,interest and thoughts thanks for your reply's and interest,the mini in question has been garaged and pampered all its life and is in good order.
I just want to make it clear that I am not a dealer but was asked if I was interested in buying the mini as a friend of the couple know I have a soft spot for old cars and they want it to go to a good home and i have assured them that I would do my best to pass it on to a enthusiast or collector
unfortunately,or fortunately I already have a midget,spitfire, TF and a mini as well as our family car so another one and I will be in the divorce courts.

John and sue I also bought my son the mini mentioned for a father son restoration for his first car, a proper basket case a really, really bad 1980 mini city the Son part of the agreement soon got forgotten about the first winter.
I did a nut and bolt restoration and a bit of modification and miles and miles of welding as he wanted it to look as much like a Mk 1 as possible.
Eight years and many adventures later, Like the time he lost a distributor cap clip, the cap dislodged the rotor arm chewed a hole in the cap and it still got him home and he moaned that it had a misfire !
That is how I know cars have souls especially British ones
I've got it back again for a upgrade,new paint a 1275 engine better brakes with a servo,getting rid of the bucket seats and getting some proper ones now hes all growed up. been decided that "Molly" will never be sold there was talk of selling her to help fund a deposit for a flat with his girlfriend but she said if Molly goes She goes .so there both staying.
Look at me rattling along anyway thanks for looking and I've put a couple of pics up thanks Andy
PS somehow I have got this repeated over and over again how do I get rid of the unwanted stuff ?

John and Sue.great looking mini nice blue.

I've removed the multiple posts for you.

The mini...a interesting car...spent a lot of my mid teens being driven around town like a maniac in one.....taking the hump bridge at speed like those scalextric cars on the advert...wheel spacers and spats...with a grey primer paint job...spoiler and bonnet scoop....these were the days when we read street machine magazine....the mini had no carpets or headrests....it was a 850cc and was a h reg 1970?....it was thrashed day in day out...watching the speedo has we went down a local hill..hoping that the needle on the speedo would bend has it went to its max...but that never happened...that oval dash was great has the passenger could monitor the speed more easily has you attempted the land speed record on yarlet bank..and when my mate at the time got rid of it and bought a estate car...it never had that sense of fun. Or the character that the mini had.

mgtfbluestreak wrote: The mini...a interesting car...spent a lot of my mid teens being driven around town like a maniac in one.....taking the hump bridge at speed like those scalextric cars on the advert...wheel spacers and spats...with a grey primer paint job...spoiler and bonnet scoop....these were the days when we read street machine magazine....the mini had no carpets or headrests....it was a 850cc and was a h reg 1970?....it was thrashed day in day out...watching the speedo has we went down a local hill..hoping that the needle on the speedo would bend has it went to its max...but that never happened...that oval dash was great has the passenger could monitor the speed more easily has you attempted the land speed record on yarlet bank..and when my mate at the time got rid of it and bought a estate car...it never had that sense of fun. Or the character that the mini had.

Blimey,great pics I know our little mini has been airborne on more than one occasion .
Wonder if that's how he met his girlfriend ?