Idle funds and the want of a small peppy petrol hatchback back in my life has brought me to the somewhat questionable decision to buy this…
A 2002 Mini Cooper S in Chili red.
120k miles, and plenty of stories and former owners, 12 at the last count! I’ll await to get a final total once the new tax book arrives. (EDIT- Tax book arrived… 15 owners!)
I spotted the car for sale on Facebook Marketplace on August 14th, and with the wife informed, I sent the seller a message. Details were sparse but the price was right.
Having wanted a supercharged Mini for about 10 years, no better time I thought and with the help of a good friend and the hire of a low loader from Balloo hire, we ventured across the country to go and collect the car.
Having arrived it was clear that the car was very well presented… For the pictures in the advert.
What stood before me was in essence a 22 year old Mini that had passed through the hands of many an owner, some loving some not so much. Yet, the bones were good and it’s not to be a daily, just a bit of fun.
So onto the trailer it went and we began the next leg of the journey to collect some MK4 Golf GTI interior bits for my chauffeurs Golf Project.
With the car home, it was time to install a fresh battery as the old one was destroyed and a new negative terminal due to the compression clip having given way and being replaced with a galvanically corroded bolt a small self tappers and a tech screw.
The battery strap is MIA so something will be needing sorted for that, but I have a plan.
Various detritus lives in the battery hole, so that will need cleaned and treated at a later stage too.
The car came without the original exhaust tips, and instead some, what were once, pleasant slash cut chrome tips.
Still, they had shifted over the years and somewhat resembled this guy, with one top going to the shops and the other coming home with the change.
Having failed at taking them off with spanners, sockets, penetrating fluid and a multi tool failed, out came the angle grinder.
Much better, now it looks like the end of two small scaffolding poles, at least they’re straight now.
It was time for the car to meet the offspring and wife at this stage, red being his favourite colour I kept it as a bit of a surprise for him and he immediately named her Sadie, which I loved. So, welcome home Sadie!
Next up was trying to dechrome it a little, less of a dechrome, and more un-tackyafying.
Off came the chrome surrounds on the spotlights and that god awful bonnet scoop in favour of a used genuine item in, apparently chili red… Ah well, colour matching red was never going to be a walk in the park.
Next up was a small mod for under the bonnet, I noticed that the cover for the positive jumping point was missing, so I jumped onto Thingiverse and found that some clever sod had created a replacement.
So for now, that’s all. So, let’s make a list of what’s next.
- Register it in Northern Ireland ✅
- Tax it ✅
- Insure it ✅
- Book MOT ✅
- Clean and detail it inside and out
- Pass MOT
- 3D Print double din adapter
- Install double din Radio, DAB, Bluetooth, Android Auto.
- Source some parts
- Head liner – Sagging
- Bonnet lining – tired and tatty looking
- 3 spoke steering wheel
- Ultra gauge to monitor temps
- Paint wiper arms
- Locate and reconnect or replace the ambient temp sensor.
