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1970 Classic Mini Turbo 1275cc Manual Rhd on 2040-cars

US $14,000.00
Year:1970 Mileage:0 Color: /interior
Location:

Advertising:

I bought this car in 2008 with 93,500 miles on the odometer, it currently reads 103,000 miles.  We recently had our first child and mini is the least practical vehicle to drive for many reasons.

What you need to know:
1.  The engine/transmission had been replaced and upgraded to the MG Metro A+ Turbo engine by the previous owner at a significant cost.  Mileage on the engine is unknown.
2.  Inspections and test drives are available and encouraged to avoid any surprises.
3.  I am a hobbyist and enthusiast. This car has been carefully maintained and used very sparingly and infrequently.  
4.  I am 5'8", 150lbs and fit in the car with plenty of room to spare. I have met 6'1" mini owners that are able to fit as well. I would say the general guideline is if you are above the 220lb range, you're may not be comfortable in this car.
5.  You don't need to have any mechanical interest or ability. New parts are cheap and easily available from the many online retailers in the US and the UK.
6.  Insurance will be ridiculously cheap. My classic car insurance is approximately $400 per year with full coverage.

The good:
1. Starts every time, has never left me on the side of the road.
2. Surprisingly fast, quirky and a great conversation starter.
3. Carefully maintained with pride over the past 6 years.  Strong engine, no grinds or surprises with the transmission.

The bad:
1. Drips oil from the transmission seal due to the synthetic oil. I use synthetic oil for the superior engine protection.
2. There is an exhaust leak at the turbo down pipe.
3. Rust is starting to come up through the paint in the rear bumper/valence. No holes in the floors or rust in the trunk though!
4. 2 noticeable dents. One on the driver's door, the other on the roof.
5. Sagging driver's door.  Will need a new door hinge.

Key specs:
1275cc T3 turbo, 10psi with water/meth injection.
93whp and 115 ft-lb tq at 3900rpm. 4 speed transmission.
The car weighs approximately 1300lbs
Right hand drive, 2 door, can seat 5

Mechanics (Performance):
1275cc A+ series MG Metro Turbo engine swapped into the mini.
Stock metro T3 turbo, .25 AR.
Mallory Hyfire 6AL - Multiple spark unit with rev limiter
MSD Boost Timing Master (BTM) - More precise ignition control under boost with in-cabin adjustment
AEM water/meth progressive water/meth injection kit. 50/50 methanol water mix.
2" turbo downpipe, 2" mid-pipe, 2" cherry bomb resonator and stainless dual tip center DTM (Down The Middle) exhaust.
Turbo blanket, ceramic coated turbo "elbow" and ceramic coated downpipe
Electric fan conversion and 4 core radiator for hot climates
Oil pressure adjuster
Short shifter
Modified intake plenum with Forge blow off valve

Suspension & Brakes:
Recently rebuilt Metro turbo 4 piston brake calipers
Upgraded KYB sport shocks
S-racer adjustable rear sway bar
13" minilite wheels with polished lip

Electronics:
AEM wideband O2 sensor
Sunpro boost, oil pressure and tachometer
Turbo timer
Polk 8" subwoofer, rockford 6x9 rear deck and 6.5" door speakers
Alpine 4channel amplifier and dedicated Rockford 2 channel amplifier for subwoofer
Clarion bluetooth receiver with USB and Aux input
Custom converted generator to alternator

Exterior/interior:
Repainted in the last 15 years.
De-seamed body (no roof, trunk or front end body seams)
Fiberglass front end (deletes front fenders, bumpers, hood and sub-structure)
Deleted bumpers
Molded wheel arches and sideskirts
HID projector headlights
Custom tinted LED rear lights (turn signal, running light and brake light)
Upgraded leakproof front and rear windshield rubber moldings
Recently (in the last 15 years) refinished interior with matching front and rear seats.
12" steering wheel with a drop down bracket.

Major Maintenance:
4,000 miles ago:
Head, Intake and exhaust manifold gaskets replaced 
brake master and slave cylinders replaced 
Clutch (along with main seal) replaced
Heater core fixed (this car does not have AC)

8,000 miles ago:
Radiator, shocks, brake pistons, door locks, battery.

Buying & Shipping:
The buyer is responsible for all fees associated with shipping and delivery of the car.  Although there is some flexibility, the car should be picked up within 14 days of the auction end.  I will do my best to work with you, your shipping company and customs.

Auto blog

Mini recalls 30K Hardtops to improve side-impact protection

Wed, Jul 29 2015

Mini is recalling 30,456 units of its two-door models because they don't conform to federal side-impact requirements for the rear seat passengers. According to the documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (here as a PDF), this includes 15,653 examples of the 2014-2015 Mini Cooper Hardtop, 14,782 units of the 2014-2015 Mini Cooper S Hardtop, and 21 of the 2015 Mini John Cooper Works Hardtop (pictured above). Those with production dates between December 2013 and March 2015 are affected, the automaker reports in a statement to Autoblog. According to NHTSA, the agency tested a 2015 Cooper and Cooper S Hardtop on July 1 and 2, but the S didn't meet one of the impact requirements. The analysis showed that rear passengers in these vehicles were potentially in greater danger in a crash. Upon further research, the government and Mini found more models potentially affected. The automaker isn't aware of any reports of accidents or injures from this problem. To rectify the situation, dealers will add more energy-absorbing material in the space between the rear interior panels and the exterior of the hatchbacks, which will take around four hours. The campaign to fix them will begin on Sept. 12. RECALL Subject : Side Impact Crash Worthiness/FMVSS 214 Report Receipt Date: JUL 17, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V450000 Component(s): STRUCTURE Potential Number of Units Affected: 30,456 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) MINI COOPER 2014-2015 MINI COOPER S 2014-2015 MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS 2015 Details Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC SUMMARY: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door vehicles and 2015 MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door vehicles. The affected vehicles do not meet the side impact performance requirements for the rear seat passengers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection." CONSEQUENCE: If the side impact performance requirements are not met, rear seat passengers may be at a higher risk of injury during a crash. REMEDY: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will install additional energy absorption material between the rear interior side panels and the exterior vehicle body, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 12, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

Car designer Frank Stephenson wants to show you something ... smaller

Sat, Dec 17 2022

Influential car designer Frank Stephenson has often thought small. Now he’s thinking smaller. Throughout the past three decades, he has shaped — literally — some of the most indelible designs in automotive history: the modern Mini, the Ferrari FXX track star, the Maserati Gran Sport, a range of stunning McLarens and down to the funky 21st-century version of the Fiat 500. Now heÂ’s turned his pen to fashioning watches. His Cosmos analog piece, made to mirror “a black hole in space” and detailed “with an orange pinstripe which simulates the supernova glow of a neutron star,” features a Japan-built quartz movement and was created in concert with the Time Concepts company. “ItÂ’s the age-old adage ‘car people are watch people,Â’ so it was a natural step for me to get creative with timepieces too,” Stephenson said in a statement. “The collection showcases the love I have for exceptional and emotionally charged design, just like what is required in designing world class cars.” While Stephenson, who is 64, may be best known publicly for his vision of “affordable style” with the Mini and the Fiat, his ethos also translated to the utilitarian. In the case of BMW in the mid-1990s, the company was hustling to market an SUV, and turned to him for inspiration. His team had six months to complete the project. The result was the high-end X5, which Stephenson sketched during a two-hour flight. In 2018, Stephenson established the independent design company, Frank Stephenson Design, based in London. Related video: Design/Style BMW Ferrari Fiat Maserati McLaren MINI Gadgets watch frank stephenson

2017 Mini John Cooper Works Clubman ALL4 | Pint-size performer with a premium price

Fri, Jul 14 2017

Last September, Mini revealed the Clubman John Cooper Works (JCW). It applied the same general JCW formula used on the regular three-doors to the longest Mini by giving it even sportier suspension and the potent 228-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. But from there, Mini gave the Clubman JCW even more torque than other JCW models, and the most of any Mini model, with a total of 258 pound-feet. It also fitted standard all-wheel drive. On paper, it sounds like the ultimate performance Mini, and it doesn't hurt that it's about the most practical model. So how did it hold up in practice? First of all, this Mini has a serious weight problem. You might be tired of alarmist auto journalists whining about the increasing size of vehicles, but it's a major issue with this Mini. It actually weighs more than a V6 Chevrolet Camaro. The Camaro weighs 3,435 pounds, and the Mini weighs 3,450. That's for the manual transmission version, too. Our automatic-equipped test car weighed more than that. As a result, it feels noticeably slower than the competition, despite making 228 horsepower and the aforementioned torque. There's an area in which the Clubman JCW could easily lose some weight, and that's in the all-wheel-drive system. It's a Haldex-style system that only kicks in when the front wheels start to slip, so it's only beneficial for traction in bad weather, not for improving the driving experience by, say, reducing the car's understeer. That's fine for more mainstream Minis, but the JCW line is all about performance and speed, so if the all-wheel-drive system doesn't improve the driving experience, it should simply be dropped to make the car lighter. Despite the Mini's prodigious portliness, there are good points. The engine is very smooth, and power comes on almost instantly. In more aggressive driving modes, the exhaust pops and burbles almost every time you lift off the gas pedal. T he eight-speed automatic paired with this engine was equally up to the task. Shifts were fast and smooth. And it even worked well leaving it in automatic mode. It held gears smartly, and it would downshift while braking to ensure you had the right gear when taking off again. The Clubman JCW also has the brand's trademark corner-carving skills. Body roll is nearly absent in the normal driving mode, and what little was evident is removed when switching to Sport mode. The car responds immediately to each steering input, and it has tenacious grip through corners.