Peter Cross
Western Thunderer
I do believe the bottom of the doors were different shapes too. Early were rounded both corners at bottom and later ones only the rear bottom corners.
Yorky D's Küchentisch - Purists look away now.....
- Thread starter Yorkshire Dave
- Start date
adrian
Flying Squad
They were - as I understand it the MkI and MkII with the external hinges were rounded at the front corner. On the MkIII when they swapped to the internal hinges the front lower corner of the door became square.
paulc
Western Thunderer
Hi Dave , i can see the three guys at the back talking " lets see him get it back in without taking it to pieces ".
I used to stadium race mini's in the late 60s , cant tell you how many we threw away .
Cheers Paul
simond
Western Thunderer
I had a half-timbered version of 1967 vintage, which my mum bought new to replace a somewhat dodgy A35.
Definitely central binnacle - elliptical to include a temperature gauge and oil pressure gauge, earlier ones had a round binnacle with the same speedo incorporating the fuel gauge. From memory the speedo and gauge faces were black. I think the binnacle was too.
Shelf across the car under the binnacle.
No “centre console” below the shelf (unless you bought an aftermarket one)
Single stalk on the steering column. Earlier ones had the indicator warning light in the end of the stalk, mine did not.
Floor mounted gear lever, in a relatively normal place, rather than the long-reach-porridge-stirrer.
No wing mounted indicator repeaters
Wing mounted mirrors, about 4” diameter (not door mirrors).
Streamlined external hinges, sliding windows, and deep door pockets. Inside door handles were a plastic-covered wire. Sliding windows had a vertical overlap.
Lots of body-colour metalwork visible inside.
El Paso Beige... KNF764F. There’s still a registration plate hanging up in the garage at the parents’ house.
Hope it’s helpful
Simon
Definitely central binnacle - elliptical to include a temperature gauge and oil pressure gauge, earlier ones had a round binnacle with the same speedo incorporating the fuel gauge. From memory the speedo and gauge faces were black. I think the binnacle was too.
Shelf across the car under the binnacle.
No “centre console” below the shelf (unless you bought an aftermarket one)
Single stalk on the steering column. Earlier ones had the indicator warning light in the end of the stalk, mine did not.
Floor mounted gear lever, in a relatively normal place, rather than the long-reach-porridge-stirrer.
No wing mounted indicator repeaters
Wing mounted mirrors, about 4” diameter (not door mirrors).
Streamlined external hinges, sliding windows, and deep door pockets. Inside door handles were a plastic-covered wire. Sliding windows had a vertical overlap.
Lots of body-colour metalwork visible inside.
El Paso Beige... KNF764F. There’s still a registration plate hanging up in the garage at the parents’ house.
Hope it’s helpful
Simon
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Very useful Simon, this has confirmed my decision - the model is being backdated to a 1967 Mk II version....
Osgood
Western Thunderer
Brian McKenzie
Western Thunderer
I am SO glad my first vehicle was a pedigree ex Gas Board Minivan .........
Not that it matters modelling wise, but Minivans had rubber cone suspension, unlike the [edit: later cars - thanks Simon] - and a special tool was needed to compress the rubber to replace suspension parts - and did we have one in India ?
Also, the front grill was part of the body pressing and not removable.
Other expedition issues included poor braking - as the underfloor brakelines got flattened, a flaming fire from a frayed battery cable (then relocated internally), cracked front sub-frame not fixed by bird sh
t welding in Turkey, and avoiding demands for the payment of 10 or more gallons of petrol, whenever its 6.25 gallon capacity tank was topped up !
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simond
Western Thunderer
Brian,
Many of the cars had cone & trumpet suspension. My Traveller certainly did, as did a pal’s rather older Riley Elf, and a couple of contemporary saloons that we played with. I think the “hydrospension” was fitted to Minis but Clubman era, I believe.
Changing the suspension without a compressor would have been challenging!
Best
Simon
Many of the cars had cone & trumpet suspension. My Traveller certainly did, as did a pal’s rather older Riley Elf, and a couple of contemporary saloons that we played with. I think the “hydrospension” was fitted to Minis but Clubman era, I believe.
Changing the suspension without a compressor would have been challenging!
Best
Simon
Mini
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Done a bit more work tonight...... backdating the Mk III to a Mk II.
Mainly lowering the body on the floor pan to reduce the gaps in the wheel arches which involved a lot of sanding of the inner floor, and the top of the dashboard to reduce it's height.
In addition the side repeater indicator lights were removed and a curve cut into the bottom of the square corner of the door.
The door is a bit flimsy at the moment.
The bottom of the door has now been curved to match the Mk II door and a fillet installed in the frame corner on the body.
A new steering column was made up from brass wire with the single stalk.
The inner door panels cut out and the wire door handles.... and yes I did take a 0.5mm drill to the exhaust pipe.
Still yet to make the door hinges, speedo binnacle, foot pedals, wing mirrors and alter the seat pattern design.....
Mainly lowering the body on the floor pan to reduce the gaps in the wheel arches which involved a lot of sanding of the inner floor, and the top of the dashboard to reduce it's height.
In addition the side repeater indicator lights were removed and a curve cut into the bottom of the square corner of the door.
The door is a bit flimsy at the moment.
The bottom of the door has now been curved to match the Mk II door and a fillet installed in the frame corner on the body.
A new steering column was made up from brass wire with the single stalk.
The inner door panels cut out and the wire door handles.... and yes I did take a 0.5mm drill to the exhaust pipe.
Still yet to make the door hinges, speedo binnacle, foot pedals, wing mirrors and alter the seat pattern design.....
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Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Liking a lot. Very nice indeed. Watch the rear light clusters, though. Early cars had rounded clusters. I think this kit has the facelift squared clusters.
*runs for the door*
*runs for the door*
Ian@StEnochs
Western Thunderer
We still have an original mini in the family. A Morris Mini super deluxe no less! Bought new in 1963 by my father in law for his daughters to learn to drive in. His own car was a Rover, which lived in the garage, but the Mini had to brave the West of Scotland weather until 1990 when it got to live inside. Needless to say there was a bit of rust on it but we did a bit of restoration, including a few new panels, and a respray. The photo shows it tucked onto the Cumbrae ferry coming back from the Millport classic car show in May this year.
Original colour, fiesta yellow with blue upholstery, porridge stirrer gear lever and floor mounted starter button. Being a super deluxe it has an oval centre mounted speedo with temperature gauge and ammeter either side but only has an 850 engine.
Ian.
Original colour, fiesta yellow with blue upholstery, porridge stirrer gear lever and floor mounted starter button. Being a super deluxe it has an oval centre mounted speedo with temperature gauge and ammeter either side but only has an 850 engine.
Ian.
Overseer
Western Thunderer
I am no Mini expert but it looks like the kit has later 12" wheels instead of 10" which the earlier Minis had. Ian's wheels look like they might be wider than the originals. I think the 12" wheels were first developed for the Moke then later used on the Mini.
The kit is already looking better than a diecast one.
The kit is already looking better than a diecast one.
Ian@StEnochs
Western Thunderer
Our car is as original as we could make it. The 10” wheels are the originals but fitted with radial tyres instead of crossplys.
adrian
Flying Squad
Just to clear up a few details for the MkII Mini
Other details for the MKII - as mentioned earlier then sliding windows in the doors, also on the boot lid I think the number plate light is fitted below the number plate, on the MKIII onwards it's above the number plate.
The MKI mini's have the round clusters. The MkII and MKIII have a square rear cluster but just 3 elements indicators, rear light combined with brake and red reflector i.e. no reversing light which I don't think was a legal requirement at the time. The MKIV rear light cluster is 4 element as it now has a clear lens for the reversing light.
Not sure when wing mounted mirrors were fitted but if fitted (not always the case) on MKII's then many on the doors in various locations.
The "hydrospension" a.k.a. wet suspension was fitted to the MkI from 1964 onwards and the MKII. The MKIII onwards reverted back to the dry rubber cone suspension.
Other details for the MKII - as mentioned earlier then sliding windows in the doors, also on the boot lid I think the number plate light is fitted below the number plate, on the MKIII onwards it's above the number plate.
simond
Western Thunderer
An ammeter... there’s posh!
Probably a great deal more use than an oil pressure gauge.
simond
Western Thunderer
Dave,
I’m unconvinced by the “machine gun ports” in the front & rear bumpers. There were holes in the front valence under the bumper to access the drag links or front subframe fixings iirc, but not in the bumper itself. I do not recall any holes in the rear valence (well, apart from rust...)
My mini had overriders on the front bumper, but did not have the thin bar from the overriders to the end of the bumper as shown on Ian’s photo.
The grille on your kit is very similar to the grille my mini had. It was chromed, and included a trim along the lower front edge of the bonnet. There was a small round badge on the bonnet, but no “wings” like Ian’s& Adrian’s have. This might be because it was a Morris, or because it was a Traveller, not sure.
Atb
Simon
I’m unconvinced by the “machine gun ports” in the front & rear bumpers. There were holes in the front valence under the bumper to access the drag links or front subframe fixings iirc, but not in the bumper itself. I do not recall any holes in the rear valence (well, apart from rust...)
My mini had overriders on the front bumper, but did not have the thin bar from the overriders to the end of the bumper as shown on Ian’s photo.
The grille on your kit is very similar to the grille my mini had. It was chromed, and included a trim along the lower front edge of the bonnet. There was a small round badge on the bonnet, but no “wings” like Ian’s& Adrian’s have. This might be because it was a Morris, or because it was a Traveller, not sure.
Atb
Simon
Peter Cross
Western Thunderer
I think the early ones were badged Austin or Morris. But just round badge after BMC.
Are the holes supposed to be a chromed bolt head?
Overriders and top chrome bar were extras for the posh people.
Where has the fun gone from driving. The mini like my '68 Triumph Daytona, were fun to drive and ride. No it was not sophisticated but pure fun. Most cars and bikes I've driven/ridden since have not been. Today you have to or it seems that way you need to get out and look at the badge to check what you're driving.
Are the holes supposed to be a chromed bolt head?
Overriders and top chrome bar were extras for the posh people.
Where has the fun gone from driving. The mini like my '68 Triumph Daytona, were fun to drive and ride. No it was not sophisticated but pure fun. Most cars and bikes I've driven/ridden since have not been. Today you have to or it seems that way you need to get out and look at the badge to check what you're driving.
JimG
Western Thunderer
Yes. My father-in-law had a very early Mk1 - YAB 372 - and that was a Morris. My wife-to-be had a circa 1960 Austin version - 871 FNP. I think the radiator grills were also different between the two types.
Jim.
Ian@StEnochs
Western Thunderer
The differences between Austin and Morris versions were mostly cosmetic with different grill patterns and badging. The basic models had simple bumpers without over riders and the super deluxe got the extra ‘handles’ on the ends. Handy for pulling the car out of the hedge!
Fun cars to drive and easy to service requiring very few special tools and no electronic diagnostic equipment.
Ian.
Fun cars to drive and easy to service requiring very few special tools and no electronic diagnostic equipment.
Ian.
Mini
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
I've often thought of getting an earlier car with little or no electronics. Less to go wrong and fault finding done by listening and feel.
Onwards with the model..... I have added the bumpers; headlight surrounds; rear light clusters; door hinges from styrene and shaped; fuel tank cap from a filed pinhead and the boot handle from a Laurie Griffin BR carriage door handle filed down a bit.
As Overseer has alluded to earlier this kit captures the look of a Mini better than the die cast models on offer.
