[ColinC2]

So...

 

I have been a non-RS3 owner since January this year and as I have documented elsewhere I am really happy with my choice. But something has really been missing.

 

I thought that it was the modification bug but when I started a shopping list for the Golf R and got to over £5k I thought "well thats [at its turned out half] another car". And spending money on the R is potentially lost money and probably messes up what is one of the best daily drivers I have ever owned,

 

And it doesn't solve the lack of "clubiness" or "show potential" of the R. I will be the first to admit I am a sort of clubby person , like car shows for what they are , and ultimately would like to get back into the serious show and shine world. Can't do that with the R - its not really a clubby sort of car , at the moment anyway, as its sold in large(ish) volumes and a  lot of that volume is cheap lease deals. And its really sort of too new to be a show and shine car (there was not a class for the Mk7 at GTI Festival (but there is for the Mark 6) because its still too new. 

 

So I have a great daily driver that probably should not be messed with , at least not for now, and to fulfil the rest of my petrolhead life I decided I needed another car. A project car if you will that I end up showing and driving for fun (on the road and perhaps in sprints/hillclimb). I thought it would be a good idea if that car fitted in my garage that is just a single attached to the house. I rejected Caterham and the like as too restricting (and not really show material) , wanted an R32 or GTI Mk2 but neither fit lengthwise so i settled on a Classic Mini.

 

However the combination of ridiculous prices for cars that basically have to re-built (or at least need a lot of welding) together with the realisation that the Classic really struggles with current road conditions / volumes of traffic , constantly being pointed out by the GF on the way to a Mini show way back in May kyboshed that idea. 

I have never been a big fan of the BMW MINI , for reasons that I cant really remember , but while we were at the Mini show I started to look at them with a different attitude, especially as we saw some interesting modified cars. 

 

But the turning point was chatting to a guy at the show and shine who had won numerous awards and looking over his car set me on a path. As soon as we were back in London I was googling and researching and by about midnight I had decided what I wanted. 

 

Fast forward nearly 4 months of detailed market research and patience (very unlike me ) , an interesting and affirming test drive, and 2 "nearly" bought cars I can finally present my winter project !! That will probably be at RSFest, if the weather not too rainy,  in the Public Car Park of course !

 

 

 

This is "unprepared" by the dealer and all i have done is a snow foam wash and rinse, towel dry  and a bit of Swissvax detail spray where there were some marks. 

 

There is a lot of detail work to get to show condition , especially in the engine bay, and stuff that up close is to be expected for a 10 year old car, together with a shopping list thats already up to about £2k !! But this is the sort of car, imho, that its worth throwing £2k at !!

 

Look forward to the usual "but it's not an Audi/RS3/VAG Group car" comments ... That will be accepted in the spirit of what is really still my home forum !! 

 

 

[T-800]

Ooooer......
That's a nice looking Mini Colin
A Gp 1073 do tell what makes it tick ?

[ColinC2]

Ooooer......
That's a nice looking Mini Colin
A Gp 1073 do tell what makes it tick ?

 

Sean - it' s actually a GP One  - #1073 is the build number , out of 2,000 worldwide, of which 440 came to the UK, of which about 350 are currently taxed or SORN. Now some will be pure track toys so not taxed / MOT'd (if that's allowed?) 

 

AutoCar review at the time :-

 

http://www.autocar.c...oper-s-works-gp

 

Good review vs the GP 2 of 2012/2013

 

http://www.aronline....rks-gp-1-and-2/

[T-800]

Sean - it' s actually a GP One - #1073 is the build number , out of 2,000 worldwide, of which 440 came to the UK, of which about 350 are currently taxed or SORN. Now some will be pure track toys so not taxed / MOT'd (if that's allowed?)

AutoCar review at the time :-

http://www.autocar.c...oper-s-works-gp

Good review vs the GP 2 of 2012/2013

http://www.aronline....rks-gp-1-and-2/

Well Colin that looks a fun little motor...

I can honestly say I've never seen one before

[Uncle Fester]

This looks interesting Colin and I'm sure you're gonna make it into a fine example but it ain't no Vag group car


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[terminator x]

Is it the one with rare seats removed?!

TX.

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[ColinC2]

Is it the one with rare seats removed?!

TX.

Sent from my STV100-4 using Tapatalk

 

 

Yes it is 

[T-800]

What have you got planned for it Colin?

If you need any part numbers etc... I've access to the Mini parts database...........

Edited by T-800, 05 September 2016 - 08:35 AM.

[terminator x]

Yes it is

Bloody phone, meant rear of course #doh

TX.

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[ColinC2]

What have you got planned for it Colin?

 

 

Show and Shine Car for next season or two and then perhaps sprints / hill climb. By then I will probably be thinking of the next project and researching long-term storage costs for the GP One!

[MikeFish]

Always loved the GP. Thought about getting one as a runaround but couldn't justify the cost as it was a 2 seater.

[MikeFish]

What are you plans so far?

[T-800]

See post #10

[Mattjj82]

i had one of these and it was a great car. Handled like nothing else I've owned for a straight out the box car. Used to take it to concourse show n shine events... all underneath etc was fully polished where it could be 

you want to get some engine goodies foe it  The JCW strut brace makes a nice addition 

 

got some pics archived somewhere, will dig them out

Edited by Mattjj82, 10 September 2016 - 07:54 PM.

[ColinC2]

i had one of these and it was a great car. Handled like nothing else I've owned for a straight out the box car. Used to take it to concourse show n shine events... all underneath etc was fully polished where it could be 

you want to get some engine goodies foe it  The JCW strut brace makes a nice addition 

 

got some pics archived somewhere, will dig them out

 

Pics would be good. can you remember what Number you had ? I am sort of maintaining a register of known cars / cars for sale / sold

 

I am thinking of the GTT strut brace ? 

[Mattjj82]

I had No.1589
Yeah the GTT is decent and a popular choice I seem to recall. I wanted to try and keep mine as OEM as possible so went with the JCW plus preferred the look

[ColinC2]

I had No.1589
Yeah the GTT is decent and a popular choice I seem to recall. I wanted to try and keep mine as OEM as possible so went with the JCW plus preferred the look

 

#1589 was for sale earlier this year from a dealer in Norfolk/Suffolk (I think!) with 38k miles on the clock! It has the arches colour coded in Thunder Blue and the advert said that the last owner bought from a GP specialist (whoever that is   ) 3 years ago with 34,675 miles

 

it's on the Trello (www.trello.com) board I have for tracking cars For Sale / Sold. It started off @ £12,750 but then a month later it was £13,750. A bit overpriced i thought but it must have sold as the advert disappeared quite quickly after the price hike.

 

I alos have some pictures from the advert 

[Mattjj82]

Yeah that'll be the one.. Colour coded arches and carbon mirrors so made it just that bit different. I had the underside of the bonnet resprayed just to get the perfect finish! OCD on that car! Lol
Prices have held steady on good examples

Feel free to share any pics

[Mattjj82]

Just found it...
http://m.carandclass....uk/car/C730066

[ColinC2]

Couple of weeks ago finally found the time to take some pictures at my favourite location (Bournemouth Airport Industrial Park on a Sunday) having had to shell out for a new battery