1988 Rover Classic Mini, Bmc, on 2040-cars

Up for auction is my right hand drive 1988 Rover Mini Mayfair. It sports the venerable A series 1000cc engine and a 4 speed manual transmission. I've owned it for about 4 years now. I purchased it while stationed in Japan with the Navy. It's been a fun car but I just have too many projects and not enough time to drive them all! This Mini is not perfect but it's in pretty good shape. I started to restore it while stationed in Japan. Off the top of my head, I've replaced/updated the following since I've owned it (4 years) :

• New 7.5 Gal fuel tank
  
• New carpet & mats
  
• Updated seats
• Matching door panels
• Wood dashboard
• Black dash pads
• Chrome grille
• Chrome fog/spot lamps (on 2 sep switches)
  
• Chrome F/R bumpers
• Chrome headlight trim rings
• Chrome door handles
• Chrome fuel lid
• Chrome number plate lamp housing
• Chrome wipers/new blades
  
• New KYB shocks
• New front rotors/pads
• New clutch slave cylinder
• New 70 amp alternator
• New battery
  
• New fuel pump
  
• 11 Blade "export" fan (to aid in cooling)
• New fuse box
  
• New fuel sender
• New heater valve
  
• Adjuster for steering column (a necessity!!)
• Points ignition replaced with maintenance free electronic ignition (The only time the Mini left me stranded was a faulty set of points)
• Exhaust replaced with a S/S center exit catback
  

Those are the big items. There are some misc seals, bushings and other small parts I have receipts for. I will gladly provide the buyer with copies of all my receipts.

Classic Minis' are not speed demons. However, you'll find they are able to merge with traffic just fine. I've done a full tune up to include a valve adjustment. The carburetor has also been rebuilt and I fitted a fuel filter (they never had one out of the factory!). On brisk days, she'll require you to pull the manual choke knob. She has always fired right up and once warmed up, acceleration is smooth without any stumbling. Compression is a solid 175-180 PSI across all four cylinders. The transmission shifts smoothly without any grinding or drama. Clutch is light without any slipping or chattering.

So now that I've told you the good news, how about the bad news? In the interest of full disclosure, there are a few small spots of rust here and there. The only cancerous section is at the bottom of the passenger door. A new (OEM) door skin can be sourced from Mini Spares for $95. The blue paint is a little faded but keep in mind that it's a 25 year old Rover. The spot and fog lamps (Wipac) that I added are already starting to get some surface rust on the backs of them. There's no radio, I'm hoping that's not a deal breaker. The steering wheel in the car is a POS "knockoff" Nardi but I am including a quality replacement. The tires are well past their prime but I'm sure they'll get you to where you're going. Just as long as when you get there, you order some tires :). Last but not least, this particular Mini was not optioned with Air Conditioning. Yes, indeed that does suck, but there are some kits out there to retrofit A/C if you gotta have it.

Unlike many of the other "Gray Market" cars you see for sale; my Mini is a 100% "legal citizen" of the US. I followed the rules and my vehicle was imported the way it's supposed to be done. In order for a vehicle to be legally imported, NHTSA HS-7 and EPA 3520-1 forms have to be filed UPON ENTRY. This is no clause that "grandfathers" older vehicles, this paperwork MUST follow the car. The Department of Homeland Security or US Customs office can request the owner provide proof that the vehicle was legally imported at any time. If you can't produce the documentation within a reasonable amount of time, an illegally imported vehicle can/will be seized. The Feds can be ridiculous about this and they've already crushed a few Skylines and Range Rovers that were not imported properly. The documentation that accompanies my Mini will keep the Feds happy and the car in your possession. Along with the aforementioned paperwork, I have a clear assignable Maryland title. It's currently registered in MD and emissions exempt. I don't daily drive it but I do take it to work on sunny days. It turns a lot of heads, especially when you're spotted driving from the "wrong" side of the car. :)

Included in the sale is an almost new leather Motolita steering wheel. A hub boss would need to be acquired from Motolita in order to fit it. I also have a set of brand new Rover "Sport Pack" wheel flares (front/rear). These are not the cheap fiberglass ones but the real urethane flares. They would look great with a set of 13x7 Panasport/Minilite wheels. I've also got a bunch of smaller spare parts (chrome window trim, etc) that I will include with the sale. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.