This week on the blog we're looking at Mini Retro Styling. How you can transform your Mini, making it look like an earlier Mk than it is. This ever-popular Mini modification has been made even easier in recent years with a vast number of 'easy fit' products available.
We pitched this to our Sales Team to give us their 'must-haves' for Retro Styling. Check them out below!
Exterior Styling
Mini Retro Styling - Mk1:
Achieving the Mk1 look with your Mini, will require modifications to the body work.
Mk1 bonnet and grille
Modifying the bonnet to remove the front lip works well, but if you find yourself needing a new bonnet, you can use the following: ALA8430
This bonnet comes ready to fit on to the later hinges.
By changing the bonnet, it will allow you to fit any of our Mk1 grilles and moustache surround kit.
Bumpers
A large appeal of the Mk1 look is to fit bumpers with over riders and corner bars. We have a full kit which allows you to replace your old bumpers with bumpers ready to fit with the corner bars and over riders for the front and rear: ACCKIT1.
Rear Lamps
To fit the Mk1 rear lamps (13H222/13H223) to your later Mini you will need to make some modifications to the rear lamp aperture. You will need the following to be welded into place MCR12.12.00.47/MCR12.12.00.48.
You can complete the rear end Mk1 look by fitting a Mk1 boot lid: 28G110. However, you'll also need the following items for the rear number plate hanger to complete the look:
If you want to complete the look without arches on your Mini. You will need the 12 to 10 conversion and you will want to fit either of the following wheels depending on the look you are after:
WHLML4.5X10COOPERS or WHLCSR4.5X10WHITE
For additional wheel arches, please see our blog post on our wheel arch guide.
Mini Retro Styling - Mk2:
A popular easy to style look on all Mk3 and later Minis is to add the following items:
Over riders front and rear. (14A8738SSK)
These are a very easy styling modification to add to your existing bumpers which instantly gives your Mini the retro look.
Rear lamps (13H6479/13H6480)
These lamps are an easy change from the later rear lamps with the reversing lamp. You will need to change the connections for the rear lamps but will fit straight away in the existing aperture.
Mini Interior Styling
A beautiful retro styled Mini would not be perfect without an equally retro styled interior.
The most popular method for the interior is to convert the offset speedo to a classic centre speedo. You will need to remove the top dash rail for this conversion. For the wiring you will need LUCEES025
For the speedo arrange you will need the following:
- Binnacle - 24a2702, 14a9907, 14a9796 x16
- Speedo – SMISN4421-00SAB
- Oil Pressure Gauge - SMIPL2328-00C
- Temperature Gauge - SMIBT2240-01C
- Speedo Cable: GSD152
- Oil Pressure pipe work: LMAAC16, lMA003/4
For door cards and rear quarter panels, we would highly recommend: NCMDP3030 and NCMWA3032 as these are a perfect fit to give the retro Mk1 door card appeal, but works with all Mk3 onwards doors, all available in a variety of colours.
We also have a huge range of seats available for your retro styling depending on the full look you are going for. The most common is the cobra classics: COBSFX051, COBSFX050, COBCBS-V-BK all available in a range of colour styles.
For the full retro styling you can go with a reproduction of the MK1 cooper s bucket seat: NCMS3050 and NCMS3051.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR ADVICE ON MINI RETRO STYLING, OR ANY OTHER MINI SPARES AND PARTS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO GET IN TOUCH. CONTACT US BY PHONE 01282 778731, OR YOU CAN CONTACT US VIA E-MAIL ON SALES@MINISPORT.COM OUR FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL TEAM ARE WAITING.
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