I posted this on my local forum and wanted to see what you guys think.

I'm restoring a 68 Mini Pick up. This PU is in great shape already but if I customized it there is so much I would do.

What I was thinking of doing is a full back to spec restoration but would like to modify it a bit too.

So here is what I want to know from the Mini purests here on NAM.

What is concidered to much for stock?

What mods (if any) through me out of the Restored to spec class?

Is there even such a thing as "restored to spec" for a Pick Up

I don't want it to be cocidered a "Modified PickUp" when I enter it in shows.

 

IMO, if you are restoring to stock, then anything out side of stock is not stock. i would suggest keeping this project completely stock and then make your next project beyond modified.

 

i agree.

 

Nice original pickups are rare. I wouldn't put anything on it that could not be easily removed. But then, its your truck-> make yourself happy....

 

make sure you keep those drum brakes at the front....they are a lot of fun to adjust every few hundred meters of pure stock driving experience.

 

You mention being concerned about the mods in show judging....

Unless you plan to participate in national level shows I doubt you'll find a quality of judging that will know the difference unless you go realy radical. I sure haven't.

I've taken my 79 to local shows for 2 years and despite a glass front end with MK1 grill and tail lites, Cobra seats, a roll cage, 10 inch wheels and more not a single local show has considered it "modified" and despite being a Saloon I have multiple awards for 'best in class Mini Cooper'

duh

make it what you want .... only a few purists will ever know!

4 me the line is drawn engine wise at VTEC or Weber carbs....

got to be a legit block and SU .... don't like to see electronic ignition either

but my 1.15 cents only there.

 

We attend car shows with a classic Volvo 1800ES. Most are oriented towards American cars so they generally have no idea what is modified and what is stock on the car. The Volvo shows we atted generally have a "3-mod" rule. Basically saying that if the car has three or fewer mods, it can still be considered stock.

In our case, those are 1) an cast aluminum valve cover, 2) wood/chrome Nardi steering wheel, and 3) upgraded front sway bar. It also helps that these are all "period" modifications that have been available since the car was new in 1973.

IMHO, as long as the overall spirit of the car is maintained, go for it and have fun. I see no problem with adding engine, suspension and braking upgrades as well as minor interior (better seats) and body mods (flares for Minilites).

I've driven a stock 850 Mini and while it was a lot of fun, I wouldn't hesitate to do all of the above to it in order to get performance closer to the '69 S I've also driven.

 

Show car stuff is nice, but, build it for yourself, not someone else and if show judges and audiences like it then great, if not (and they will) then you still have the satisfaction of knowing you did it the way you wanted.
--Dan

 

I love the commercial vehicle look. If I had it, I would restore it but with reverse S wheels and an A+ 1275 engine, paint it a monotone color, then sign-paint your logo on the doors for a vintage look. And if you can find one, get an original canvas cover for the back!

 

Mike, I have to agree with what's been said before. You're building it for yourself (and the wife) to enjoy. Unless it's at a classic Mini show, most US car enthusiasts couldn't tell a 1959 from a 2000 unless they had a reference manual. As long as you make it what you want, and the work is done well, there's no reason you wouldn't still win awards, if only for the scarcity value.

 

What Rick said.....

 

Thanks. You guys had a lot of good points. When I mentioned car shows I don't care about the local or even nation car shows. I'm talking about MMW and MME. That is where they get criticle about stock vs. modified.

I do think the canvas set look cool and the only thing I would need for that is the brackets. I also like the hand painted logo idea that would rock.

But those are merly cosmetic additions and don't realy change it from stock. What I would like to do is a 1275 and disc breaks. I wonder if the purests would even know I did that with out telling them.

Anyway you all have good points. "Make it my own"

I guess it will boil down to what I deside when the PU comes in. (Awaiting transport)

I love all the comments so keep them coming.

What would you do if you had all $$ and a cool Mini Pick Up?

 

I want to see pictures!

 

Build this (except it HAS to be RHD!):

1975 Austin Morris red pick-up
Swiftune Racing 1425 "Torque Monster" Engine w/Strait Cut gear box and long ratio final drive (3.11:1) Approx. $7.5K investment in engine and tranny, alone
KAD 4 pot alloy calipers and 7.9" vented rotors front
Heavy duty adjustable lower arms and tie bars front
Hi-Lo and Koni shocks all 4 corners, With LSD, rhino bedliner, hitch, 10 in alloy wheels
nothing can touch it on autocross course….


pictures here: http://djminis.com/cars4sale.html (too big to link)

 

I think you should NOT do this:

 

I have a '64 Wolseley Hornet (the maroon car in the sig picture) and I have gone through the same type of decision.

You may want to consider a "RESTO-MOD". That is where all of the vehicle is original except the supension and the running gear. They have the look of the original however you can take it safely out for a drive on the highways.

As mentioned don't do anything that can not be undone.

Cheers,
Jack

 

Man! That is exactly what I had in mind There might be a few things I would change... Like ALL of it

 

I don't know about West but the last few years at East have been popular vote, rather than judged concours. It is on track for that again at MME2007. Even at a Mini Meet, a number of people voting on your class won't know every detail of what is stock or not. Suit yourself.

 

Thanks Queen,

I should have asked you first.

I think I'm 'going to make it stock with a few performance mods. That seems to be the way to go.

 

Email my brother. We had planned to restore the '69 pick-up we purchased for the Italian Job in '04. He probably has some good ideas.

If you have fun with it and do quality work on it, it is certain to be a winner!

 

Well, if you are asking me, I say don't do this either.
Aside from that, a well done Mini pickup is hard to beat, stock or not. Wish we hadn't sold ours, or the van, or the.......

 

i agree that you should make it what you want. however, i still say if you WANT it to be stock then stock is stock. OVERALL HAVE FUN!