I found and am in the process of purchasing a Leyland Mini. I think it is a rebadged MKIV for registration purposes.

How can I tell the year of the car?

Any specific things to look for? (i.e. rust, clutch, etc)

What would you look for in a quality car?

How is the maintenance?

Any concerns on purchasing a classic mini?

How about pricing? around 39,000 Kilometers

 

http://www.minimania.com/web/id/6156/ClassDetail.cfm

 

Look at the starter motor, you might need a mirror to see the back side of the motor. There should be a nomenclature plate or sticker. On it there will be a production date like 4/89. Some people say to look at the wiper motor or the trunk latch for production dates. You can also approximate the year of your Mini by the speedometer cable. Go to www.minispares.com. Log in and look under Downloads for their Classic Tuning & Accessories catalog. Find the page on speedometer cables and look for the difference in them and you should be able to get a good idea of what year the Mini is.
What to look for? Rust, rust ,rust. How bad is the rust? Look for patch jobs. Check rocker panels, door skin, around windshield, trunk. Look it over good.
You might want to visit www.minimania.com and post your questions there. You'll get more response there.

 

What Exactly are you looking for? a show car? a Race car? a restoration Project?