New here with a question on how to ID the model year of my Mini
 

I just purchased a classic Mini. It was "rebodied" as a 1971 and imported from Great Britain around 2001 by Barn Hill Minis. The previous US owner tells me that the wiper motor is dated 1986 and that's a good indication of the actual year of the chassis. Does this sound correct and are there any other ways to narrow down the year? I was hoping the engine number might be helpful only to discover the engine was replaced with a MG Metro Turbo engine. The number is 12HF01, which from what I've been able to find is a mid 1989 engine. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I do know this much about the car. The engine pulls like a freight train. The last owner installed a Longman GT6 head, roller rockers, fuel pressure regulator, header with a RC40 stainless exhaust and Koni shocks. It has very little rust, just some surface rust along the the bottom of the sills in a few places.

Congrats on your purchase. I'm new to the Mini scene as well, so allow me to pass along a couple clues that I've picked up. Open the boot, and check for a 4 digit number stamped on the latch mechanism. The first two digits refer to the week that the car was manufactured and the last digits mark the year.

Also, there is no such thing as "surface rust" in these cars. Beware of bubbling paint - it's usually much worse than it appears.

I purchased a 98' for my wife only 3 weeks ago and we are loving it.

Good luck and welcome to the "club"!


Ciao,

Jeff

The year the car is made is also stamped on the wiper motor.

The actual Vin should be stamp in water channel on the passenger side near the windscreen in the boot.

Thanks for the information. So far here's what I've found:

The numbers on the boot latch are 21 90, wiper motor is 19 86. This all had me befuddled until this morning. I knew that the car was imported by Barn Hill Minis, the car had thier decal on the back windscreen. I went to thier website and there are 2 pictures of the car wearing it's back number plate on the previously sold cars page! I emailed Barn Hill Minis about the car and he replied this morning:


Hello,
I remember that car, I bought it as it was sold, All I did was give it a service, added some Koni Shocks and I think I changed the Exhaust.

The car was built from a 1995 Mini Rio limited Edition that was purchased by the previous owner as a Stolen Recovered car just missing the front subframe and engine. He then built it to as it was when sold and I purchased from him at a Mini Show in the Midlands area of the UK.

Who did you buy it from? I hope you are enjoying it.

David


I think he might be wrong as to the year, from what I can find the Rio Edition was only produced in 1993, but the car does have the black and green Rio interior. That would explain the engine number,12HF01, which is a mid 1989 MG Metro Turbo engine. As to the boot latch and wiper motor, I have no idea unless they were replaced with spares. I'm still trying to find the number in the boot.

It can be difficult to remember vehicle years, it's true, seeing as how many are parted out and/or rebuilt like this... Weird how the latch ID and the wiper motor don't match - someone very well might have cannibalized the part off a junker - they do that a LOT in the UK, as there are tons of wrecker vehicles sitting in salvage yards over there as well as parts suppliers that specialize in used/refurbished Mini parts...

Sorry mate the VIN is in the water channel in the bonnet, not to boot. It will be pressed into the base on the passenger side. Most reVIN Minis miss this ID.

Apparently they did not miss this one.