| Author | Message | ||
     ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 631 Registered: 11-2015 |
I am hoping someone in the UK could help me out with a little problem. I need seats or seat frames for my mini. They are available here in the US but at crazy prices and or unusable condition. What would help me out is someone finding a couple decent seats or seat frames and shipping them over. I would pay of course. Mine are beyond practical restoration. | ||
| michael vass Grand Master Username: mikebentleyturbo2 Post Number: 402 Registered: 7-2015 |
Hi Ross Are we talking mk1 mini? Mike | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 634 Registered: 11-2015 |
Michael, it's a mkIII I think. I don't really know what fits what where mini's are concerned but the seat has two pivots up front and a hook that catches a lug in the floor in the rear. | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Prolific User Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 111 Registered: 5-2016 |
There's a pair of mini seat sub frames on eBay at the moment. £70 is the buy it now price. They look good in the photo. I've no idea what the postage to the USA would cost. | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 635 Registered: 11-2015 |
Larry, Do you have a link? I noticed a lot of the items on ebay.co.uk are collection in person where in the USA that is quite rare. In the states finding a set of good seats at a fair price is far more of a trick. Even if shipping were $250 USD, it would still be a good deal. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1737 Registered: 4-2016 |
Gents, Love a good Mini. I just bought this for the wife to run around in for the summer.  | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Prolific User Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 112 Registered: 5-2016 |
HI Ross, If you google J & K Supplies Ltd you may find what you're looking for. They're in the UK but will post anywhere. I've never had any dealings with them but they have a 99.9% positive rating on eBay. They have a selection of seat frames and some bucket seats for a classic mini and their prices look cheaper than many other places. | ||
| Jim Walters Prolific User Username: jim_walters Post Number: 135 Registered: 1-2014 |
Hi Ross, found a set for you locally. It will be a week or ten days before I can pick them up and box them and ship. They have grey velour on the seat faces but looks like the original black vinyl on the sides.Do you need the slides also? Jim.   SRH8505 SRC18015 SRE22493 NAC-05370 www.bristolmotors.com | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 2732 Registered: 4-2003 |
Confession time Patrick Ryan....... What did you do wrong or what new acquisition do you have in mind that required "softening up" of SWMBO???  | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 636 Registered: 11-2015 |
Larry, Great source, but the seats they have are the bucket kind, I would like something more OEM looking. Jim thanks, Those look great. Can you get a picture of the underside just to be sure they are the kind I need? When you say "slides", mine have what I would call a pivot with latch arrangement so I don't actually know what I need. | ||
| Jim Walters Prolific User Username: jim_walters Post Number: 136 Registered: 1-2014 |
Duh, I forgot Mini's don't have slides. So you have the hinge part that bolts to the crossmember? SRH8505 SRC18015 SRE22493 NAC-05370 www.bristolmotors.com | ||
| Jim Walters Prolific User Username: jim_walters Post Number: 137 Registered: 1-2014 |
I've asked for pictures of the bottom and the vendor says he will get them to me tomorrow sometime. SRH8505 SRC18015 SRE22493 NAC-05370 www.bristolmotors.com | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1739 Registered: 4-2016 |
David, I’ll confess over that coffee we still need to catch up on.  Next week? | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 2733 Registered: 4-2003 |
Sounds good - will call you Monday and we can arrange a day. | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1643 Registered: 9-2004 |
Patrick R nice motor you have for the wife, and the weather to go with it! Ross are your seats bolted to the top of the cross member like these type of Riley Austin GT ones.  The catch arrangement n/s   | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 640 Registered: 11-2015 |
Patrick, I'll take a pic later but they are pinned to a bracket on the front of that cross member. | ||
| Jim Walters Prolific User Username: jim_walters Post Number: 138 Registered: 1-2014 |
Hi Ross, here are the pics of the underside. The vendor said he might have some brackets if you need them too.   SRH8505 SRC18015 SRE22493 NAC-05370 www.bristolmotors.com | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 641 Registered: 11-2015 |
Jim, That's the kind I need. PM me and we can work out the shipping. Thanks! | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 642 Registered: 11-2015 |
Patrick R, A drop top, nice. I forgot you are starting summer right now. We are just getting down to 29F in the morning. I just put in a heater in the mini to take the edge off. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1740 Registered: 4-2016 |
Hi Ross, Just giving the Mini a once over on the weekend, service and a full detail, then a good drive. Yep, getting nice and warm here now it reached 34C (93F) yesterday, and it was a great drive but as I am follicly challenged, a hat is a must. wow 29F (-1.6C) is pretty darn cold mate. The Mini book states not to even operate the roof in temps lower than -3C (26.6F) Nice little car, the 1.6 5 speed, gets along really nicely, handles like a slot car, nice weighty steering, 4 wheel disc brakes. A fun little ride. Anyone interested in a full review, I can post that as well in case anyone has been thinking about a new age Mini. | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 643 Registered: 11-2015 |
Patrick, Here's the 10' mini next to the 20' 63 Cadillac limo.   | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 644 Registered: 11-2015 |
Patrick L, By the way, the limo is kind of an anti mini. The 6.4L 4 speed auto, gets along really nicely, handles like a cruise ship, absolutely numb steering, 4 wheel drum brakes. A very plush ride. Maybe it will be better when I chop the roof to make it a ute and add the 7.4L motor. | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 645 Registered: 11-2015 |
Patrick L, Looking more closely at you pictures, those are exactly what I have. The mounting bracket on yours is just different. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1742 Registered: 4-2016 |
That is MAD Ross! The original mini had so much room, the Caddy must be like a ball room inside. I have carpet squares under the tyres of the 25 Chev and the Shadow when parked. The mini sits completely within the 4 carpet squares when I put it in the garage when we took the Shadow out for a photo shoot on the weekend. Quite funny seeing such a little footprint wholly inside the other cars footprint. | ||
| Mark Herbstreit Prolific User Username: mark_herbstreit Post Number: 171 Registered: 5-2005 |
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| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 876 Registered: 4-2012 |
Great Photos Mark I have a mini neon 1992 with 23000 miles they are great little cars. Richard. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1743 Registered: 4-2016 |
Love the pics Mark. | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 646 Registered: 11-2015 |
Mark, Too Funny. Patrick R, The boot on the caddy is gigantic. I don't know the volume, but the mini would probably fit in there. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1744 Registered: 4-2016 |
For sure Ross, probably with room to spare. | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1647 Registered: 9-2004 |
Sold the Cooper S 1071cc a few years ago but still have an old hand book, also some handbooks for the mark ones. Forgot that the early Austin ones were known as Austin seven and the Morris ones were called Mini Minors. Always remember that there was more room in the driving area of a mini than a Rover 2000 that I once owned.  | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1745 Registered: 4-2016 |
Good keepsake there Patrick L. Look after those. My brother & 2 sisters all had Mini's as their first cars. They were all early models with the sliding front windows. Patrick L, you are spot on, they were huge inside and more room than the comparable Holden my dad had in the front for sure. I remember helping my brother get blue kitchen contact on a roll, and with scissors quickly made twin 6 inch blue stripes (on a white car) that went from the front grill to the back bumper bar. There were bubbles and crap under the contact, the long roof stripes were crooked, but as a young kid helping my brother "modify" his first car it was heaven for me. it was the first car I had ever been in where the driver (my brother) flogged the crap out of it and went around corners quicker than we could go in a straight line. My dad (the only other driver in the house at the time) never went over the speed limit and was very sedate. I remember my eyeballs nearly popping out of my head due to the G forces of late braking into a corner being chased by one of his mates in a Cortina. I'm pleased to say I learned the real meaning of being a "hoon" from my brother  | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 649 Registered: 11-2015 |
Patrick R, Doing my part to keep the crap flogged. It would be heresy not to in a Mini. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1748 Registered: 4-2016 |
Funny you say that Ross. I heard funny words like God or Oh God emanating from the brothers Mini when he was parked out front with his girl friend and the windows were fogged up. at 11 years of age I had no idea what was happening??? Was that heresy? | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 650 Registered: 11-2015 |
Patrick R, In a mini,... I would call the gymnastics! | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1651 Registered: 9-2004 |
And I had a Mini van with good cone and trumpet suspension to stabilise the ride in the rear! Front seats would just tip forward. Those were the days. Got caught out going home with a flood, the distributor was subject to a bow wave. Van floated on into the deep water with the engine weight holding the front down ..... Never had much fuel in the tank so the rear end floated. Remember seating on top of the seat with water filling and thinking what to do. Ah first gear selected and pushing the floor operated starter the van cranked its way out through the flood, yes the starter worked under water! Once distributor coil etc dried the engine burst into life but had condensation in the cap giving misfires for ages. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1750 Registered: 4-2016 |
GREAT story there Patrick L. Some pics from that event would have been fantastic. Yes, Now you mention it, I think my brother did say he used to just tip the seats forward, and then had heaps of "working" space | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1653 Registered: 9-2004 |
Patrick R, yes they were a hard working vehicle back in those nights. It amazes me how the transmission with 10" wheels spinning at 70mph could cope, now common 20" is the norm. I do remember doing repair replacement to idler gear and bearings if the wrong oil or oil and filter not changed at the required intervals by some individuals that thought better. Engine and gearbox running same oil. The drive shaft rubber doughnuts did have a short life if an oil leak developed. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1751 Registered: 4-2016 |
The Mini's were so revolutionary Patrick L, a real game changer for sure. Like the Shadow, the Mini was probably responsible for saving the parent company from collapse in those bad years. That type of engine & transmission configuration to my knowledge had never been done before, especially running the engine & transmission together in the same oil. | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 651 Registered: 11-2015 |
Patrick L, Great story. The Hilux needed a button to allow cranking the starter in gear, but for very similar reasons. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1792 Registered: 4-2016 |
Gents, While doing some research into old V new Mini’s I came across these 2 images of the latest 2.0L 4 cylinder BMW B48A20 twin turbo engine which develops 170kW or 228hp. What amazes me is the sheer compactness of this engine.  What amazes me more is the alternator in the below image. Never seen anything like it.  For a power hungry modern car, how does something so small meet these power demands. Must be some new whitchcraft at work here  Here is the engine in a 2017 JCW Mini.  | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 2782 Registered: 4-2003 |
Patrick, Like trucks, 24V and 48V alternators are being introduced to meet the power requirements of the electronic devices installed in modern cars. Doubling the voltage halves the amperage meaning smaller wiring can be used and heat generation in use is reduced by 75% [Ohms Law at work]. A win all round plus the heat generation in the alternator is reduced so a lighter construction can be used and I suspect this is the reason for the "odd-lookng" alternator. . | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 677 Registered: 11-2015 |
I don't think that's an alternator. I think it's a bearing idler to allow better viewing the demonstration motor. David, I think 24/48v is illegal in USA per DOT. You are very right on ohms law. Ever wonder why military gensets are three phase...more power less weight. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1793 Registered: 4-2016 |
Good points on both counts gents. I will need to research a bit deeper. Great power from a pretty small 3 cylinder don’t you think? | ||
| Paul Marshall New User Username: welshbentleyboy Post Number: 9 Registered: 4-2017 |
My first car was a 1964 Riley Elf with a 998cc engine fitted with a Downton conversion and a free flow exhaust. There was a huge aftermarket for accessories and adaptations. For the seat you could by brackets that simply bolted on and gave about 2" of extra leg room. There was wonderful letter in one of the mini magazines which said " I have bought tyres which give 25% less consumption, I have fitted carburettors that give 25% less consumption, I have fitted an exhaust blower which gives 25% less consumption and am using a petrol additive that gives 30% less consumption. Why doesn't my petrol tank overflow every 15 miles" Paul | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 681 Registered: 11-2015 |
Paul, If the riley gets the same mileage as a mini, the real joke is that no one would actually bother trying to up the numbers. I don't have a speedometer cable so I don't know my actual number but it's plenty high. |
