help needed for first purchase

[movistar600]

hello , I am going to view a 1968 minor next week that has been part restored , was hoping someone could list some things to keep a special eye out for as I have never owned one before.
I am a trained mechanic so know the obvious things and already own a classic mini , just need some specialist advice....

many thanks in advance


AJ

[ian.mcdougall]

hi and welcome. If you put up your location someone may be able to go with you and look at car with you.
regards Ian

[bmcecosse]

Welcome to the forum! If you have a Mini - then you will know that RUST is the enemy. Look under the carpets, under the front seats to see if the suspension is coming up through the floor...., under the rear seat squab to see if the rear spring mounts are coming through...., boot floor - sills and crossmembers -and front suspension legs where the lower arms bolt through. As with the Mini - the mechanical condition is not important - it can all easily be fixed. Rust is 10 times more difficult and expensive to deal with. If you tell us where you are - where the car is - someone local may be willing to go along with you and point out the known trouble areas. Good luck with it! Post up some pictures.....

[moggalot]

Our website (Dorset Branch) has some buyers guides which might be useful;
http://dorsetmmoc.co.uk/wordpress/technical/

[movistar600]

thanks a lot for your welcome and advice , I am in reading , Berkshire , is there a branch of the owners club anywhere close ?

the seller has replaced the front subframe along with all panels , seals and even resprayed altho not a great job , he has a nice red interior and spare set of window glass , and is even throwing in a marina engine.

it is half way through a brake disc upgrade but has no mot - can get for £500 - sounds like a good deal to me ?

[samuria]

sounds a good deal....
marina engines seem to fetch a good price..
so you could sell it and end up with a bargain
what ever you do good luck

[bmcecosse]

Minors don't HAVE a front subframe (nor a rear) - so take anything he tells you with a huge pinch of salt.......

[Chipper]

It sounds on the face of it, a good buy, but as said, check carefully for the full extent of the amount of work that needs doing.

There are numerous MMOC branches up and down the country:

http://www.mmoc.org.uk/index.php?page=531

[alexmcguffie]

so take anything he tells you with a huge pinch of salt.......[/quote]

Take ANYTHING that ANYONE tells you with a pinch of salt!

As you're a mechanic, you should know good welding when you see it. If all the metalwork repairs are of a good quality and look 'right' then you're off to a good start. Hopefully none of the welding is out of allignment which could set you back further down the line if you have to rectify it.

For the price, just make sure everything is there and you should have a good project to work on. If its in the middle of a disc brake conversion, ask when the front suspension was last rebuilt/inspected. King pins and trunions do wear and can fail.

[movistar600]

yeah point taken , I think he actually said cross member not subframe !!

is the chassis plate easily viewed and located to check numbers tally ?

is there anything to look out for regarding the electrical system ?

all help and advice is greatly received

AJ

[qwerty165]

is the chassis plate easily viewed and located to check numbers tally ?

For identification locations see:
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=55165

[movistar600]

thanks for the info qwerty165 , I went to view and all chassis and engine number match.

it is a bit tatty but floor and cross member looks solid.
slight corrosion in boot floor

it also has had a rear suspension conversion , with a clamp fitted around the leaf spring - whats your thoughts on that ?


there is oil from the gearbox area - is this common ?