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Guys this is my 5 cents worth.
A classic mini that for a start does not have papers is already worth a whole lot less, further if the lisence disc is not up to date that means that someone must pay the outstanding fees. Next up a car where the VIN and engine number on the papers that does not correspond to the VIN and engine number in the car is also a huge massive problem to rectify. Yes it can be done in varying degrees of pain and difficulty and money that has exchanged hands.
Next up classic minis will fall into 3 categories
1. Completely original and untouched/molested. Usually the exotics like the Cooper, Cooper S etc jump to mind first. Now these cars will have either no history or a completely documented bolt and nut restoration. Hopefully it will tick all the correct boxes in terms of what it should have and the correct part number for certain parts. As you can imagine these cars are very few and very far between and highly sought after by collectors and very highly priced.
2. Slightly modified or resto modded (period correct parts fitted). These are cars that have the correct interior, the correct paint, correct decals etc. Certain cars have eg mistral mags or minilite mags fitted. Disc brakes instead of drum brakes, a single SU carb instead of twin SU carbs. The seats will have been changed for recliners of for eg a MK1 golf or the like. Most of the times a lot of time and money will have been spent on getting the correct parts and bits and bobs get the look the owner is after. Also just remember a genuine GTS with a front mount radiator and the golf disc brake conversion is resto modded as an example. Also replicas will fall into this category of car, a nicely done 1275 GT is awesome, yes it might not be a factory produced car, but what difference does that make.
3. The average run of the mill mini that is for sale. The story usually goes something like this:
I or my parents bought this mini for cheap and we thought with a few bucks we could get it running. Or the car was stripped for a respray and now I do not have the time or money to complete the project, but everything is there, just in boxes. My next favourite in this group is, yes I can get the papers for you if you buy the car, but Pietie's Uncle's Aunt last had the papers and she moved to the Cape and actually we lost touch, but I promise I can get the papers.
Further I am sorry to admit as I also was young and very clever and fitted perfectly in this group. You buy a decent mini and start modifying it to your taste, which is great no problem with that. So one of the first things to go is the 10 inch (crappy) original to the car wheels, next up is we remove the standard mini front seat and put after market solid mounted non-reclining seats. Right then for the sound, we fit a radio and cut the parcel shelf with two massive holes for the 6 x 9 speakers and obviously the 10 inch sub in the boot or whatever the biggest is that can be afforded. Then do not forget to cut massive holes in the door cards to fit the speaker boxes. Then the Stupid useless standard correct for this car SU carb is removed and a weber/solex/Hitachi SU or some other carb that has been lying around is fitted on some makeshift inlet manifold. Usually things are forced to fit like metric bolts and nuts, I mean who knows WTF 5/16 UNF means or is in anyway????? I can go on for hours here, but to keep it short and simple most of the times you will also hear things like, there is a slight knocking noise from the engine or only one gear struggles to be engaged.
Sadly in my personal opinion I have found that a young adult or the average un-educated classic car owner will fall in this category of car.
I have no problems with what ever mods owners do to the mini, just keep it functional and tasteful and preferably reverse-able, I mean you will not be the owner of this mini forever so once the time comes to sell this car, those cool looking body kits etc just might be the down fall of getting a good, reasonable price. It will mostly be better of the original wheels and front seats can be included in the sale.
Next up you get guys that turn panelvans and estates and even saloon cars into the much loved version of a pickup or as it is better know in SA the Bakkie. Great no problem, but do you realize that you just turned a very rare example of mini into something that is not so special anymore. The same will go for a panelvan that has its sides cut out and also the grille, because I mean who needs to struggle to work on the dizzy in anyway.
Further we all know people want a bargain, that is how we are programmed that is how we are brought up, if you can save a few bucks, why not? So now the actual question of how much is a classic mini worth??????
This is my own personal opinion that I have formed over the last few years and I do not expect anyone to agree with me here on this:
The average mini, without papers or the license is behind and the car has been in a non-running condition for quite some time, R3 000 to R10 000 for a nice usable car in decent condition.
Next up a car that has been re-sprayed with a "engine rebuild", new wheels and tyres, which will be 13 inch mostly, some kind of sound fitted, with papers that is up to date in a running condition, but with some "small problems" here and there, which is either mechanical or cosmetic R10 000 to R35 000 and in extreame cases where the car is very nice and very tastefully restored up to R40 000 to R50 000.
Now those Cooper, Cooper S, GTS etc type of cars, the general rule of thumb is, the more original the car is to when it left the factory the more it should be worth, RIGHT??? Well to save a long debate and fight about recent history and what car that belonged to who, just sold for X amount of cash. I will try to keep it simple, a genuine Cooper or Cooper S will start from about R60 000 or R70 000 up to and beyond R150 000 to R200 000 depending if it is bought and or sold locally or internationally. The lower number produced special edition and limited edition cars like the REBEL, Moonlight, HLE and the like R20 000 to R50 000 again in some cases even more.
The very last point I want to make is: A WORD TO THE WISE, do not think you are going to make your money back on a classic mini as an investment of the average run of the mill car. Generally we spend way more or either too much restoring and or rebuilding these cars. Remember a mini engine and gearbox rebuild that is done properly will vary between R15 000 to R30 000 depending if you do it yourself or have it done by a specialist. Also most of us will take the point of view that the parts/items fitted is in itself worth x, y and z thus I must make my money back on that. If you do make your money back great for you, but most of the time you probably will not. Also the car ultimately is only worth as much is the next owner is willing to pay you for it to take it off your hands.
The very, very last point I want to make is too often now a days, I come across someone that has bought a mini for cheaply and now the car has some or other problem and now due to the rising cost of having the car fixed properly, now the owner is of the opinion that ALL MINIS ARE JUNK AND NOT A NICE CAR TO OWN....to those kinds of okes, do not complain if you have been taken for a ride by a bad previous owner that took short cuts instead of having something done properly the first time and do not hate the car because of an un-knowledgeable mechanic or yahoo that worked in the car previously. A PROPERLY BUILT AND MAINTAINED CLASSIC MINI OF ANY SHAPE, SIZE AND DIMENSION IS A GREAT CAR TO OWN, PERIOD!!!!!!!
Own some minis, break them, fix them, improve them, test them to the limit....
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