Does anyone know where I can order up a pair of Mark 3/4 rubber tail lights seals and head light seals?
I've tried all of the usual suspects and they only sell one side or the other or send me down a twenty-five page rabbit hole with everything that I DON'T want and nothing that I entered in the search engine .
Rear light seals: https://www.minispares.com/shop/classic/Electrics/Lamps/Rear.aspx?090906
Note that they are symmetrical in some cases, and Mini Mania has the MkIV variant.
headlight seals: https://www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Electrics/Lamps/Headlamps/9403.aspx?090904&ReturnUrl=/shop/classic/Electrics/Lamps/Headlamps.aspx|Back%20to%20shop
or https://www.minimania.com/part/57H5456/Classic-Mini-Headlamp-Rubber-Sealing-Ring-With-Lugs
or http://www.gbcarparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=LT-9403&cat=22
Thanks ! Ordered up the seals, along with the ones that go between the lens and the bulb holder. While I was in a spending mood I took some of the money that I got for the C3 Vette and ordered up a rear valance, some body corners, a grill, and the lip that supports the bumper in the front. Enough to get me started at least. Today I pulled the tail lights, head lights, front blinkers, and gas tank. Rather than re-skin the rotted out driver's door, I found a decent used one semi-locally. Even if that one needs a skin, its bound to be a better candidate than what's on the car now. Sort of rushing things to get stuff in and the car sorted before Winter gets a grip on us.
Honestly, I've totally got teeny car fever ! I pulled my old '68 Fiat 600 shell out of the back yard bushes and into the tent, now desperately looking for a VW sand rail frame for it. Again, want to get a jump on Winter if possible . . .
I have an '07 Mustang as my "daily driver" although it has such low mileage that I'm thinking of picking up a beater, for the Winter at least. The Mini is going to be mostly my around town car, although I live on the Southern Coast and there are tons of lovely roads and towns and such between here and the tip of Cape Cod to enjoy for an afternoon drive. Very much a low stress relaxation sort of car. It runs great and is mechanically very sound, just need to take care of the rust and cosmetics and paint over the Winter. The tail lights came out terrific, almost better than new. A good beginning ! Headlights and front blinkers next, then finish up the bumpers.
Just got in all of the necessary sheet metal parts to repair the rust/rot but couldn't stop myself from picking up a little jewelry as well. The car came with an 11 slat black grill, but . . . well . . . who could possibly resist ? ! ? !
Would anyone know if there is a way to check the year of my car based on the VIN? I was going to order up a British Heritage certificate, but I really know nothing about it other then the VIN, seemed like a waste of time and money. but not sure . . .
All of the on-line VIN decoders are for new cars with a 17 number VIN. worthless for this car.
So far, the sheet metal and bright work that I've bought were for a Mark 3/Mark 4 and seem to fit OK, but this doesn't help me out all that much.
Thanks !
Even better, there are a bunch of articles on how to ID what your car is now.
https://www.minimania.com/articlelist/MINI/General%20Articles/Identification
Thanks for the links to finding out the year of the car: difficult and contradictory as expected with ANY internet source. I now know as little as I did when I started.
According to the letters in the VIN the car is a Mark II Austin Super Deluxe sedan with an 848 engine. According to the sheet metal and grill that I bought, it's a Mark III Mini. The number on the rear lid latch plate indicates that the car was built during week 16 of 1985. It's a right hand drive model for sure.
And there was no explanation at all of the final 1111741 numbers of the VIN.
Any additional or more conclusive help at all would REALLY be appreciated ! ! !
Sounds like a few put together.
I'm beginning to suspect that this was someone's abandon "re-shell" project, hence the VIN tag that seems to be for an older car and a body shell that is from a newer car. Probably got the old engine and trans installed, the prior VIN tag attached, wheels and suspension sorted ont and then lost momentum or interest or ran out of money and it eventually found it's way to me.
Since the rear deck lid is rotted trash anyway and the keys don't fit the latch, I'll replace both with pieces from an early car. Probably pick up one of those nifty license plate holders with the shine-up plate light as well.
IF anyone can tell me what the final numbers of thw VIN, 1111741 as they relate to the year of the car, I'd very much appreciate it, other wise . . . a classic internet search: waste of time and energy, and a typically disappointing Mini Mania endeavor. They promise SO much, "Click here to decipher the year or the car based on the VIN." and then lead you down a damned rabbit hole that just fails to deliver. It would be SO much better if they just shut up . . .
Jeremy at Jet motors has made an educated guess that about 60% off all minis in the US have been reVINed.
There are just so many 70's, 80's and 90's cars with 60's VINs and titles.
I have personally seen many MPI cars and even full sportspack versions titled as say a 1965 Austin. At the GRM kickoff show in Monterey last year there was a red final year Rover production car with a 1963 title and VIN. The original Austin VIN tag looked hilariously out of place near the fuel injection ECU
Have you posted any pics of the car yet? That would sure help with identifying it
The link I posted includes articles on figuring out just what you actually have.
OK . . . new tack.
Would anyone know EXACTLY where the VIN would be located on a 1985 Mini ? ! ? !
I read that the VIN should be located on the scuttle edge and behind the wiper motor, no luck at all, nothing there at all. Would anyone know exactly where the VIN might be located on a Mark IV Mini? Hopefully someone who has actually LOOKED at it rather than just read about it? My frustration level is only exceeded by the number of cuts that I've received from this car due to such TERRIBLY finished edges and lips ! Would it have KILLED them to hire someone with a right angle grinder to finish things off just a bit? Damn ! ! ! !
In reply to Trent (Generally supportive dude) :
"Have you posted any pics of the car yet? That would sure help with identifying it"
No it wouldn't as it's a re-body.
notsafeforwork said:OK . . . new tack.
Would anyone know EXACTLY where the VIN would be located on a 1985 Mini ? ! ? !
I read that the VIN should be located on the scuttle edge and behind the wiper motor, no luck at all, nothing there at all. Would anyone know exactly where the VIN might be located on a Mark IV Mini? Hopefully someone who has actually LOOKED at it rather than just read about it? My frustration level is only exceeded by the number of cuts that I've received from this car due to such TERRIBLY finished edges and lips ! Would it have KILLED them to hire someone with a right angle grinder to finish things off just a bit? Damn ! ! ! !
It's got a riveted plate under the hood on one of the fenders. Near the front, it's pretty darn visible. I can get you a photo later today. I don't know if there's one stamped on the body anywhere - why they're so easy to re-vin for import.
Keith Tanner said:Even better, there are a bunch of articles on how to ID what your car is now.
https://www.minimania.com/articlelist/MINI/General%20Articles/Identification
I'm interested in this thread for obvious reasons and I'll be following along. This, however, is most interesting to me at this point. Queso is titled as a '71 but almost certainly is from the 80's.
As comments below along with my experience with other old Brit cars would indicate, I'm sure it's cobbled together with parts from many cars.
I had an original Cooper S 1275 down to an empty shell recently for some floor welding and battery box replacement. There is no number stamped into the shell itself anywhere, only the riveted tags.
"I'm sure it's cobbled together with parts from many cars. "
It certainly IS ! I've been having a HELL of a time buying replacement and repair parts for the car as almost every part needing replacing is from a different year than the year on the VIN plate and year of the body shell.
"It's got a riveted plate under the hood on one of the fenders. Near the front, it's pretty darn visible."
I know, but it doesn't match up with the year of the body shell, I'm most interested in finding the original stamped VIN for the shell if possible but nobody anywhere seems to be able to tell me where to look for it. There have been suggestions that I look under the seal on the scuttle or behind the wiper motor but there isn't anything there. I think that there HAS to be a number stamped SOMEWHERE or possibly it's a "body-in-white" and was re-shelled at some point in the past. The car is a right hand drive, brought in from the UK and into the US through Canada, I have the original Canadian dealer's badge, could be that the original Mini was too bad to pass safety inspection and a re-body was the only option and a later shell was the only one available from the dealer at the time.
If anyone know for REAL where the stamped VIN on a Mark III/IV/V would be located (other then the simple aluminum plate} PLEASE let me know, there HAS to be one somewhere . . . or not. In this instance, possibly not.
In reply to TurnerX19 :
What year is your Cooper S 1275?
I have a 1985 Mini shell in my garage. I have yet to find a VIN stamped into the body. I haven't stripped it down, though.
I was simply suggesting it was more likely that the car was retitled than it was reshelled. It is exceedingly common in north America for this to happen. Heck, everyone I know that has been playing with minis for more than a few years has an envelope with at least one spare VIN tag and matching title.
Mini "mutts" are quite common, cobbled together from any number of models. Given how cars tend to rebuilt with only passing care towards originality and how difficult it is to verify, I have some suspicions when it comes to Heritage certificates. Personally, it adds no value but collectors seem to like them.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
If you ever DO strip it down and find a stamped VIN or stumble over a stamped VIN in the mean time, PLEASE post the location here ! PLEASE ! ! !
Thanks—
Trent (Generally supportive dude) said:Heck, everyone I know that has been playing with minis for more than a few years has an envelope with at least one spare VIN tag and matching title.
I don't know what you mean...
You'll need to log in to post.
