Irish Mini Owners Club

Hi, Im planning on turboing my mini in the next couple of months and im wondering whats the story with getting it insured after, I assume alot of people just insure it as a standard engine but id like things to be legit. Alot of components will be changes in the engine itself like head, cam, pistons etc. so it will be far from standard and should give a noticable improvment in power so this will obviously effect insurance.
Has anyone else been in the same situation and how did ye go about getting an engineers cert and things.
Im 22 so cant get classic insurance so im thinking the price of insurance could be seriously expensive.

Also im changing the wheels to 13" and have upgraded the front brake disks and other bits, would these also effect insurance.
Any help would be great,
JP

I would say any modifications to the mini especially at your age is going to seriously effect the rate of insurance and possibly even to the point where they may refuse to insure it. I would ring your insurance company (or others) and find out before you start the work.

As for wheels I think these are ok insurance wise but brake and suspension upgrades, whilst improving the cars stopping/handling are not seen in the same way by insurance companies who again just hike the premiums.

cheers for the reply,
I have rang quinn direct before but amnt much wiser regarding premiunms. i was told that i would have to get an emgineers report saying that the work was carried out correctly and also to find the new bhp of the engine so i assume that means a rolling road session.
But only when i have all this done can they tell me wheither or not they will insure me so its not much good to me.
So i wondering if anyone else is driving a mini with simular modifications and age and what have they done and where can i get an engineers report if im doing all the work myself.

Anyone else in a simular situation?

carole nash will give you classic insurance if youv a full licence, you jus tell them what the car is, and what it is on log book they will insure it, but if you want to do it legit, change it to a turbo on the book and tell them,,, i was payin 490 for 3 cars on my classic policy, so hopefully you have a full licence, give them a ring mate

http://ireland.carolenash.com/other-products/
website


1800800843
number

hope this helps mate

Both my modified minis (inc. turbo) are insured on a classic policy with AXA. I print out an A4 sheet with all mods and a couple of photos and hand them in with the proposal. They glance at the list ,write modified on the application and never had a problem.

Cheers for the replies,
But I think my age is going to catch me, I dont know of any insurance company that will offer classic car insurance for people under 25, Are ye both on classic policies. But lets say i insure it under a normal policy, would i need to get an engineers cert or anything like Quinn direct wanted. And how would i declare the mods on a log book,
I might give axa and carole nash a buzz and see what they say.

When I originaly insured the car it was standard and I just informed the insurers as I changed parts with no problems. But as they are the actual underwriters rather than brokers they have more room to accept 'modernisations'. I have tried other insurers but have found it hard to find one that will accept my 'modernising' and as the car is only a 99 I can't get classic insurance. I'd be happy to get anyones opinions on alternative insurers so I can shop around a bit more.

Aviva do classic insurance from 23,

carole nash insure over 21s with full licence for classic, , , they dont ask alot of questions and there premiums aint bad hope you get sorted dude

The only change you have to note on the log book is the engine cc , engine number and if you were switching to diesel or electric.

Cheers for the help guys,
I didnt get a chance to ring around yet but will move on it during the week and see whats the story and ill report back but another thing, how should a turbo engine get on with an nct, i assume the emmisions threshold is fairly high for an 86 car so should i be alright,
I havent even gone near the engine yet, still at the derusting , but would be nice to know where im at with insurance.

No emissions test for pre 92

So i wont have to worry about emmisions, but other than that is there anything i should watch out for, like upgrading suspension or brakes. Also what about flip fronts, im not fitting one myself but just wondered whats the story with them.
I just rang carole nash and they said id have to be over 23 to get classic insurance with them so not sure where that leaves me, but i supose ill plough on with the project and see what i can do when the time comes. The chances are ill be more like 30 by time its done anyway,

Ye turbo projects do tend to drag out a bit