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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 Cooper E Classic adds a less expensive trim, at least in Europe

Fri, Feb 16 2024

One forgets how many variations there are on the Mini Cooper until Mini rolls out a new generation and they all come quickly. With this fifth-generation Cooper forking into an EV lineup, and Mini introducing ICE and EV ranges separately, every other month it's, "Oh look, another one!" This time it's details on a new trim of the Cooper E that Mini debuted in Munich last September. We also have photos of the Euro-spec version now, which were missing from the debut. Called Classic, it's the entry-level version of the battery-electric two-door hardtop hatchback that, in the UK, comes below the Exclusive and Sport trims. Our trim step for the previous-gen electric Cooper is Classic, Signature, and Iconic. A commenter chided us on a previous post for waiting until the end to mention U.S. availability, so let's get this out of the way now: We don't know if the Cooper E is coming to America. We know we'll get the SE, same as before. We'd support the decision to bring the E here; with the right color combo and wheels, here's your Alec Issigonis special — on the outside, at least — for maybe a couple grand less than the Cooper SE. However, based on the European configurators, we don't see much point.      Every Cooper E gets a 40.7-kWh battery powering an e-motor on the front axle making 181 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque, able to go an estimated 190 WLTP miles on a charge. That's 34 horses and 29 pound-feet down on the SE, which isn't so bad. Driving distance is the attention-getter, the E losing 60 miles of estimated range from the SE's 250 WLTP miles.        We all know "Classic" means pared spec, but the Classic is so close to the trim above that it's hard to tell what's been changed beyond the standard wheel and a few options. In the UK, saving GBP2,200 ($2,769 U.S.) to get the Classic instead of the Exclusive trim above means getting a 16-inch standard wheel and a cloth interior trimmed in synthetic leather. The Exclusive starts with a 17-inch wheel and offers two 18-inchers, the Classic is a 16- or 17-inch wheel only. And the Exclusive interior fits mainly synthetic leather seats with cloth uppers. Either cabin comes in a choice of two colors, either black or gray, the Classic with a perforated houndstooth pattern on the seats. On the other hand, the Sunny Side Yellow paint on the hero car above is only available on the Classic. The list of standard features between the two is identical.

Judge to approve settlement of Mini CVT lawsuits

Sun, 25 Aug 2013

BMW has agreed to settle a number of class-action lawsuits out of court. The suits stem from drivetrain issues on the 2001 to 2006 R50 Mini Cooper - in particular, its continuously variable transmission. The transmission was known to fail, often without warning on otherwise healthy and well-maintained vehicles. This wasn't the only major issue to afflict the original BMW-era Mini models.
According to legal site Topclassactions.com, the suits alleged that BMW knowingly hid the defects in the CVT from customers while informing dealers of the issue. The first suit was filed in 2011, while four additional suits have followed. Now, BMW has reportedly settled, offering to reimburse 1,200 owners that needed repairs within eight years or 150,000 miles of their purchase. Repair prices for the transmission range from $6,000 to $9,000.
Under the agreement, BMW will also offer up to $4,100 to members of the suit that had fixes performed at a third-party shop, while owners who sold their cars at a loss due to the issues are slated to receive up to $2,000. Finally, owners who are part of the suit will be warrantied for a further eight years and 150,000 miles.

New Zealand SPCA teaches rescue dogs how to drive a Mini

Wed, 12 Dec 2012

No, this isn't an April Fool's joke or some sort of wacky car commercial. It's the SPCA Auckland (located in New Zealand) coming up with an innovative way of proving that it's possible to teach a rescue animal new tricks. Monty, Porter and Ginny are all dogs rescued by the SPCA Auckland, and each was taught the ability to drive a Mini Countryman around a track.
After being strapped into the driver's seat, the dogs are able to use their paws to start the car, steer it and work the gas and brake, which have been modified similar to a car setup for a special-needs driver. These dogs aren't being trained to drive on the street as any sort of driving-eye dogs, rather it is just a demonstration of how smart and docile rescue dogs can be regardless of how they ended up there. Porter was found wandering the streets, Ginny was abused by her owners and seized by the SPCA and Monty was surrendered by his owners to the rescue. Ironically, Porter and Ginny initially got carsick during the exercises, but have since gotten over this.
Think it's a joke? Scroll down to watch four videos showing the dogs in action and another to see what mods were made to get the Mini ready for canine duty. In the first video, you can also see that Porter does a better parking job than most humans!