Got Mini!

[sjbrophy]

So yesterday... hoo boy what a day. Gather round and I shell tell you a tale.

A very groggy me was chased from my bed at 4am, and into my girlfriend's Clio. 1 hour later and I'm in the queue at Dublin Airport, wondering how come it's ok to wear shoes at security again...

mMre grogginess and dozing, punctuated by Michael O'Leary's cronies trying to sell us stuff followed, until we escaped the bluie-and-yellow hell-tube (or 737-800) at East Midland's airport.

Bus to Loughborough and then to Leicester, where our taxi driver took us to the Mini. Said driver thought I was nuts for buying sight unseen, but hey, if taxi drivers were running the country...

Anyway, got to the house. No Mini. 'hmmmm' I said.

Siraj, the Mini's (apparently ineffective) custodian came rather groggily to the door. Turns out my last email to him had said sunday, and my phone call from the bus had woken him. My bad.

Anyway, after tea and biccies (chocolate chip, thanks for asking), the Mini burbled into view. It had been for a valet. Gorgeous light blue Sprite - the ebay pics don't do it justice. N reg, 68,900 miles and a brand new MOT. Also a new starter motor.

Then we were shown around the car and its 4 keys , Shown the rust on the door and a-frame, and the welds on the sills. Shown how everything works, and shown the V5 and asked to sign. Happy days as everything was spot on - solid poking of undertray and filler-checking yielded nothing significant.

Then... 200 metres down the road, the fuel gauge dropped to empty. A trip to Shell, and £10 brimmed it, so guage is playing silly buggers. Also quickly noticed that the steering wheel is not quite straight, and spotted some broken glass in the cabin. The latter two made me worry that it had been crashed; but the chassis is definitely a-ok and a good poke around for weld marks revealed nothing.

The 200 miles to the ferry was grand - thanks to the AA route planner for plotting a course free of motorways. A parking ticket was picked up in Chester, but I'll call the bods behind it and weasel out
Drum brakes required some mental readjustment, but all things considered, cracking fun on the trip. 1.3 is plenty pokey and the 4 speed is not a bother. Miss my cluch-footrest and the radio, but nothing else.

made the ferry with hours to spare, and got it home, after going via Dublin Airport to retreive the Clio. This trip made us realise that the M50 is far shoddier than British A roads. bounce bounce.

So, delighted with the car so far. Will make contact with a local mini specialist in the morning. Also to the VRO on tuesday.

Am budgeting a couple of hundred to sort the rust and steering. any thoughts on that welcome - should I buy the a-panels myself? what about the doors? can it be sanded, filled and bonded?

No radio fittings at all, but I've just bought a stereo. I'll need speakers, wiring loom and an aerial, so anyone who has thoughts about that, please let me know too.

Pics to follow as soon as I get my hands on the girlfriend's camera again.

So far, cost of mini adventure: Eur1800 (including VRT). Road tax and repairs to follow.
Someone sell me some 12'' alloys?

[just_st3v3n]

U R BRAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I always wanted to take a chance like that but after several months of searching i picked my mini up in my county in ex cond. n at bargain price!

could b well tempted some day 2 do wat u did............
:-)
best of luck wit it.

ps. i just took out my original speakers if u wanna buy em??? 30 watt philips
wiring 2