New member

Hi guys,
I was introduced to the Forum last weekend by Basil, who lives down the street.
I'm a self employed aircraft mechanic who just always has to have something to do, even while not at work. Our family (wife and one 8 year old son) started messing around with foreign cars about a year and a half ago. So far we only have one (aus Deutschland) which was built up of parts from at least 6 cars.
One of my sisters old boyfriends introduced me to the Mini at the SCCA Nationals at Nelson Ledges, Ohio way too many years ago, and I've always been kind of partial to the Mini. While the price of a new one is currently out of reach for us, one of these days maybe I'll locate a project Mini to work on.
I usually don't have too much to say, especially about myself, but I hope to learn some good stuff from the forum and have a good time. It's good to (virtually) meet you.
Tom Brenza Edgewood, NM

Hi Tom, welcome aboard! Glad to have you on here. I love the Mini, used to own one in my younger days.

Welcome to my humble forum Tom! (But I thought you were an MG guy?) Anyway, I think youll find BCF a fun place with lots of hellpful folks who love to chat about our little British cars!

Cheers,
Basil, your neighbor (sort of)

hey Basil, sorry to break in but i'm trying to get my brother signed up and none of the logon ID'S we are trying will go... Screen always says that the name is being used..

Some of the names we tried are pretty obscure..

Any suggestions? Is there a list of user names for members?

HELP!

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by TypeRboy:
hey Basil, sorry to break in but i'm trying to get my brother signed up and none of the logon ID'S we are trying will go... Screen always says that the name is being used..

Some of the names we tried are pretty obscure..

Any suggestions? Is there a list of user names for members?

HELP!<hr></blockquote>

Sent you a Private Message. Basil

I'm not at my home computer..

Oh and welcome Tom.. We had a mini as well..

Her name was Kate. ( guess who picked the name )

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by TypeRboy:
I'm not at my home computer..

Oh and welcome Tom.. We had a mini as well..

Her name was Kate. ( guess who picked the name )<hr></blockquote>

Doesn't matter what computer your on - Private Messages can be access in "My profile" section (Look for My Profile link near the upper right part of the page on the main forums list page).

Welcome Tom...you picked the best there is. "And that is all I have to say about that"
Although I am a native New Mexican, I currently reside in Texas (Texas is a suburb of Clovis or Jal) and I miss home. I lived in Colorado for 14 years and Los angeles for 14 before Dallas area for the last 12. Believe me; Basil is the best there is out there and this forum is the most fun. I started at 15 with a Bugeye and now at 55 have a small collection of small cars and enjoy them all (I don't believe in "paper weight").
Cheers and welcome, Steven

Thanks for the welcomes. I got a bit too tied up with work and hadn't had time to respond.
Basil, I probably prefer the mini over MG as the mini is less commonly seen out and about. As with my first foreign car, I tend to lean toward the more unique (in my opinion or observation anyhow). Besides, if I could get a mini, and had a roadside problem with it, I could load it easily into the back of my dually to bring it home. Always an ulterior motive.
StevenA, I tried the DFW area a few years ago. I never felt at home there so after a year and a half away from here, I came back to NM and resumed business. Funny how that works sometimes.
Anybody know of a Mini project car somewhere in the southwest that's not in too bad a mess?
Have a good weekend.
Tom Brenza

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Tom Brenza:

Anybody know of a Mini project car somewhere in the southwest that's not in too bad a mess?
Have a good weekend.
Tom Brenza<hr></blockquote>

I don't know of any Mini's but my neighbor (An Albuquerque PD Officer) has a little Metro for sale that I'd love to get hold of if only I didn't have too many projects already
Check it out:
60 Metro For Sale

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr> Tom Brenza said: Anybody know of a Mini project car somewhere in the southwest that's not in too bad a mess?
<hr></blockquote>

One website I would reccomend checking out is the Mini Mania site, https://www.minimania.com

They have an excellent classifieds listing.

How many Minis made it to North America? Was it more than two?

In many ways a better car than the Mini was its bigger brother, the BMC1100 probably better known as the Austin America, or MG1100 in the US.

It had much the same "chuckability" as the Mini, but BMC thought it would be a good idea if the larger car had something in the way of ride comfort. This was achieved by courtesy of Dr Moulton's interesting, if leaky, Hydrolastic suspension.

Indeed, Minis also used Hydrolastic suspension frm 1964 to 1968 (only the Cooper S used Hydro' after that and that bit the bullet in 1971.) Sadly, hydro' wasn't too much of a success on the Mini, but the system wasn't really developed properly for the little 'un.

Perhaps better still was the Mini's biggest brother, the 1800. But that's another story - nobody ever liked this cars because of its challenging looks: probably the reason it was never exported to North America.

---------
1971 Mini
1998 MGF

PS More fun than anything on earth was the Mini Moke.

Tried one of these in Barbados years back, and I want one desperately. Sadly, As I live in the rainiest part of the UK, a totally open car isn't really a viable option.

If only they'd been equipped with the Cooper S engine. They might have sold it a kind of latter day MG TC for four people.

I think they were exported in healthyish numbers to the US, though, by BMC Australia.

Cinema goers may remember I owned a Moke when I attempted world domination from my volcano in Japan that time.

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr> Ernest Blofeld said: Perhaps better still was the Mini's biggest brother, the 1800. But that's another story - nobody ever liked this cars because of its challenging looks: probably the reason it was never exported to North America. <hr></blockquote>


This isn't quite true, they sold the 1800 "Land Crab" up here in Canada from 1965 all the way into (I think) 1971. There are a number of them that still come up for sale here, and a surprising number of them are still kicking around Canada.

There are a number of British saloons that were sold here in Canada for a much longer time than in the United States, mainly because Canada is a member of the British Commonwealth and British cars didn't have to pay duty. Whereas any other European country had to pay it. For example it's fairly common knowledge that the Mini 1000 was sold here right to 1980, but sales ended in the States in 1967ish. And there are still piles of 1970's Mini 1000's all over Canada.

British Saloon Car Club of Canada
https://www.geocities.com/motorcity/7967

Hmmm, Canada. How easy would it be to import one of these cars to the USA? The "land crab" was a fine car, I drove several in the UK, and the Mini was/is so much fun it should be illegal.

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr> Steve said: Hmmm, Canada. How easy would it be to import one of these cars to the USA? The "land crab" was a fine car, I drove several in the UK, and the Mini was/is so much fun it should be illegal.<hr></blockquote>

I don't imagine it would be difficult at all, other than the obvious duties at the border. From what I understand, any vehicle 25 years or older is allowed into the States, and the "land crab" is at least 25 years old. The only thing to check into is emissions rules for various states, but being basic BMC mechanicals I imagine that likely wouldn't be a problem.

Second take here,

Steve... I know of some project car 1800's in the Winnipeg area if that interests you -
Winnipeg shouldn't be too far from Wisconsin, I think? If you're serious enough about it, get in touch with me.

I'll have to check out that mini mania website when I have a few extra minutes (HA). This work and family thing take up entirely too much time, or maybe I take it all too seriously. I don't think there's such a thing as too many projects. In my case it's not enough green stuff to go around to finance them all!