Budget

[radioactiveman]

Hello

I've been wanting a Minor for years, but I've only really found myself in the position to realistically be able to offer one a home after a recent house (and more importantly, garage) purchase.

I was just wondering what your thoughts on what a budget of *around* £4k should get you these days? Ideally, I'd be after a 2/4 saloon as that seems most realistic in my budget.

I did go and see a, what looked from pictures to be, rather a nice one recently. However, it was extremely rusty in pretty much every place the buyer's guides tell you to be wary of, so I walked away from that There is of course the possibility that my expectations/budget will have to shift.

Thanks
J

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

4,000 should buy you an excellent saloon car with no faults, which is ready for daily use and only requiring the proper upkeep. Be wary of cars that have been considerably modified with alternators and brake servos and disc brakes and the like. A garage having done these ‘upgrades’ is no guarantee of a good job. Then again you might want such refinements.

[jagnut66]

It's the old adage about kissing allot of frogs before you find your prince(ss).
You will sometimes need to look at quite a few Minors before you find 'the one'.
But that's part of the fun of classic cars, road trips!
Here are some within or close to your stated budget:
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1357248
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1366270
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1357533
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1356890
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1352689
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1351398
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1344521
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124836336253 ... SwxRxhCRMZ
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133837830383 ... SwbhthCYaY
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284378631279 ... SwkzVg9wnW
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174871226447 ... SwS1Fg7IDr
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164982965420 ... SwtGphAGNZ
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144136947065 ... SwGu5hCGT-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294307389967 ... SwQINg~YxA
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184915400214 ... SwA01g3aFM
Have a browse and a sift, disregard the ones you don't think are for you, choose the ones you like the look of and plan some time out to view them.
Hopefully one of them.................
Happy hunting,
Mike.

[irmscher]

Advertise in the wanted section in Minor matters or contact your local branch of MMOC

[ManyMinors]

You just have to be in the right place at the right time. I'm not sure that many cars are ever for sale within the club but a wanted ad would do no harm. Don't forget that a lot of people will attempt to dispose of a car which requires a good deal of work and will often paint a rather rosy picture of it when composing an advertisement I'm doubtful that £4000 is sufficient to purchase a genuinely excellent Minor with no faults now - unless you are particularly fortunate - but it should be enough to buy a decent runner in sound condition. Good luck with the searching. As you have found, you probably will need to look at a few. The condition of the structure is by far the most important thing.

[Chief]

will often paint a rather rosy picture of it when composing an advertisement

Sometimes with real paint to cover over the defects.

I'm doubtful that £4000 is sufficient to purchase a genuinely excellent Minor with no faults now - unless you are particularly fortunate / The condition of the structure is by far the most important thing.

If you don't find an excellent one in that price range, try for mechanically and bodily sound since a grotty interior can be easily replaced, compared to the price of welding etc.

[myoldjalopy]

The days of finding a decent Minor in the local papers are sadly gone. Know what type/model you want - there were a lot of variations over the years - and how much work you are willing/able to do. Be prepared to travel for the right one and ask lots of questions and get lots of photo's before you do.

[radioactiveman]

Thanks for your replies. That's certainly encouraging!

I guess I don't want perfect, as I'd like to get my hands dirty; I've serviced my own cars in the past, and I enjoy reading/watching everyone's mechanical endeavors (cut to my OH walking in on me watching youtube and asking what exactly trunnions are and why I'm on the internet watching a man grease them), but a complete engine rebuild or welding is something I'd have to call in the pros for.

J

[Myrtles Man]

I'm probably trying to embark on egg-sucking tuition here but one of the most useful facilities nowadays in checking a car's true condition is https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history where you can have a look at the MoT history going back to 2006. A real give-away is where MoT failure as a result of structural corrosion is followed up by a pass within a couple of days (even on the same day in some instances) which is probably an indication of either a quickly-bodged weld-up or even the mere application of a good thick coat of underseal over the offending area. Or am I just an old cynic?

[radioactiveman]

I'm probably trying to embark on egg-sucking tuition here but one of the most useful facilities nowadays in checking a car's true condition is https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history where you can have a look at the MoT history going back to 2006. A real give-away is where MoT failure as a result of structural corrosion is followed up by a pass within a couple of days (even on the same day in some instances) which is probably an indication of either a quickly-bodged weld-up or even the mere application of a good thick coat of underseal over the offending area. Or am I just an old cynic?

That was one of the concerns I had about the one I went to see. It had had multiple such failures on the MOTs proceeding the point at which they weren't required any longer.

[ManyMinors]

I would suggest that anybody selling a Minor for £4000 should be quite prepared to get a new MOT for it prior to selling it
I wouldn't wish to purchase OR sell a car which was less than roadworthy. An MOT is only a fairly basic check after all.

[Chief]

I wouldn't wish to purchase OR sell a car which was less than roadworthy.

At the time I got mine, MOT and tax exemptions didn't exist (let alone handy to use .gov history sites).

The car had a full MOT (in fact it came with a full MOT history).
The seller stated that there were some holes in the floor and that the fan belt needed replacing.
Well, says I - that's okay - I mean it's only the floor it isn't like its the chassis has holes - after all cars have wheels attached to the chassis, and then everything else is just for the look of the thing.

- side note: I knew nothing about cars, can you tell? -

On collection he admitted it was a part exchange vehicle and he'd only owned it for a few weeks, and his position while opening the drivers door for us (as it was raining hard and we were keen to get inside it) conveniently covered the hole in said door

Now in fairness it did the 340~ mile journey home with only one occasion of misfire and one fan belt breaking.
It then did the 480 or so mile journey to the restorers when the next MOT came up and all our local garages refused to touch it.

Turns out among a lot of sill rust, floor rust, rusty-rust and so on, the brakes were also falling off and we were advised it shouldn't have a valid MOT

So.... sometimes an MOT doesn't mean much, but it's nice to have one for at least the illusion of the car being roadworthy.

End of next year and I'll have owned it for 20 years

[radioactiveman]

I really appreciate everyone's replies.

I was also wondering in the hierarchy of potential problems, where does bodywork rust factor? I get the impression mechanical stuff is reasonably simple and structural chassis work is more complex (read: expensive )... but bodywork I'm not so sure.

J

[ManyMinors]

It depends where the rust is. Bolt on panels are relatively easy to repair/replace but rust in door pillars, inner wings (particularly the rear ones) and roof gutters for example are less simple. New wings are readily available, good secondhand doors and bootlids are now harder to obtain. It is always much cheaper to buy a good car in the first place than to buy one with rust and get somebody to repair it

[Monty-4]

In order of severity/expense, although I will surely be corrected, I'd roughly say...

1. Sills (£1500+ each).
2. Crossmember (<£1000)
3. Chassis legs.
4. Inner wings.
5. Windscreen and rear window surround.
6. Front and rear leaf spring hangars.
7. Floor.
8. Doors.
9. Rear wings.
10. Front wings.
11. Everything else.
12. Mechanics.

Of course the sills are the one thing you can't really see when viewing a car!

I've not seen too many rusty gutters, although perhaps I've been lucky.

[Chief]

12. Mechanics.

Wow! I wish I'd known years ago I could buy myself a mechanic

I've not seen too many rusty gutters, although perhaps I've been lucky.

This is one regret I have that I didn't get mine replaced by the workmanship of the last restoration mine had. They were done by a garage whose work had to be undone at restoration due to the poor job done and now the gutters are in a terrible state.

good secondhand doors and bootlids are now harder to obtain

If the doors are rusty down the bottoms, repair panels are good. However we were told at restoration my doors were really shot because of the rust higher up. So just something to take note of.
£474 for a new bootlid ! I hadn't realised panel prices had gone so high.

[myoldjalopy]

I agree with 'ManyMinors' that, unless you really want to spend a lot of time (and money) restoring a car and have the skills to do so, it is better to buy one in the best condition you can afford. Even then you will have to service/maintain it and carry out the inevitable repairs that are periodically required on these now ancient vehicles. It is very frequently the case that tackling bodywork rust involves a lot more work than originally envisaged. But it is great that some people enjoy restoring a poor condition car, have the skills to do so and can save a few more of these relics from the scrapper............

[Dogsdad]

It is not unusual to see cars advertised for sale for half the money spent on “ restoration “.
No one knows how good the “restoration” is either.
Buy the best you can afford and have it checked out by someone who knows these cars before parting
with your cash.
R.M.

[jagnut66]

£474 for a new bootlid ! I hadn't realised panel prices had gone so high.

That is why I shop around. Decent secondhand parts are usually cheaper and fit better.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184975618269 ... Swz6dhBqPL
Best wishes,
Mike.

[kevin s]

If you want see where they rot look at some of the restoration threads, I think ours for instance had rot in every known minor rust spot.

If you can weld the strutural repair panels are well catered for and relatively cheap, ours cost less than £500 in panels but I did probably spend 250 hours on the body so paying a pro is going to be very expensive.

If you can' t weld then go for the best body you can, mechanicals and trim are fairly cheap and easy to work on and improve..

4k should find you something solid that needs a few mechanical / trim jobs.