Basically every pivot point and every locating point they all seem to wear differently. Steve/Coopertune has re built a lot of them and can maybe give you a more in depth explanation.

What are the usual pain points in the shift linkage? I'm trying to prepare myself for what I will need to repair once I buy it and budget for it. Any insight to that would be appreciated. Is it a project I can do myself or should it be left to a mechanic? Just sent my final offer of $7k.

No I'm not saying that....I'm saying watch the video.  Listen to what he has to say.
What feels like a "sloppy" shift to you may be normal MINI shifting....if you're used to a modern tight shift  :-)

In short NO. If the linkage is sloppy now it will still be sloppy with a short shift installed and may be even harder to get the gears. You need to find out where the wear is in the linkage you have, they usually wear at several points then and only then is it worth installing a "name brand" KAD or similar quick shift.

On a side note i have heard a lot of people install them not like them (myself included) and remove them a short while later but these (and mine) were the Chinese made ones.

So are you trying to say that it's fine? I really liked the way that looked in the video. Does anybody think that could be the answer to the sloppy shifting or is it more likely I would have to replace the shift linkage?

Have a look at this video starting @ ~ 04:30 regarding short shift

I saw other posts where people have said the KAD shifter helps the shifting feel more notchy and less sloppy. I would prefer shorter throws anyway. What do people dislike about them?

Other than that, if I do need to replace the shift linkage, what's involved in that job? Is it expensive or require a lot of work? I'm not an experienced mechanic.

NO! It will only make the sloppy shifts quicker. A Mini does not have inherently sloppy shfting so there must be something wrong. If the shift linkage is worn out as much as you say the KAD might not work at all. Most people who install KAD Quickshifts remove them soon after. You have the cart before the horse here.

Since July I've checked out several cars in my area and noticed my budget for a decent driver (looked at MGBs and TR6s as well) was beginning to creep. All the while, the owner of this car has not been able to find a buyer. She messaged me in mid-September saying she was dropping the price to $8,500. I politely declined and explained my reasoning. Once I found out yesterday that she still hadn't sold it, I followed up with an offer of $6,250. I realize that it doesn't have collector value, and that someday I might have trouble selling it as well so I really only want it if it's a bargain. I'm still waiting for her to counter.

I figure if I can get it for $7k or under that leaves me some budget to make some nice improvements to the car (disc brake conversion, new top, KAD quick shift...and maybe new upholstery later). Since the car is already such a hodgepodge of parts I wouldn't mind continueing to customize it... plus I'd feel a lot safer with disc brakes.

Any final thoughts or advice?

Also, not to stray off-topic, but when I drove it, I remembered loving the way the car handled, but hated the vague, sloppy shifting. Does the KAD quick shift kit completely change that?

-Andrew

Lol...dr mini, tell us what you really think! Well Andrew, did you buy it?

I think the owner of the Nightfire Red one mentioned previously is holding on to it because he likes the car and doesn't need to sell it regardless of what happens to the prices of the factory Cabrios.  Just my thoughts.  As to the numbers...I think even though the number 300 seems to be tossed about, the factory also produced Cabrio shells for sale.  Just like the official number of original Cooper and Cooper S cars.  Someone once said they officially built 150,000 of them and there are about 200,000 (or something like that) still around.  LOL!  As to the original topic of discussion, the Mini he was looking at is a Keith's convertable, which IMHO, is about butt-ugly and is a poor excuse for a conversion.  They look like a hack job to me and I just think they are crap.  I wouldn't value it at anywhere near 8 large.

maybe he is just holding on to it until it becomes 25 years old?

mini's tend to rust badly in the same areas, if you are not familiar with them make sure you have someone who is look at it for you, i didn't catch where you are located or where this car is? but if you are up north this cabby may well be an 8 or 9k car in mid July but it is a 7k car in late October.

So as I see it, it doesn't hold much merit as a collector car, but more so as a resto-mod... and If I check out the rust and it seems to be acceptable, and I decide that I do want it I should offer between 8 and 9k for it?

-Andrew

No squabbling Al, it's just that the vast majority of folks (not including Malc) don't know the full story of the Lamms.
They're a bit like the the Heinz 57s - Crayford produced a lot more convertibles than just the 57 for the competition, and Lamm made a lot more Cabrios than the 75 Rover ones.

Anyway, back the the original topic - that ain't a '78...

No disagreement here Al i was quoting the Rover figures as most readers probably realized but missed putting the fact that Lamm was the German Rover dealer responsible for the 75 produced in the sentance. Alex's reference is the same as looking at the figure i quoted for the factory Rover cabby's being at 300 as i know of three that have been built over here after production ended (yours being one of them) and am sure there are a lot of others in Europe. I heard there is an immaculate low mileage nightfire red one sitting in a basement on the East coast that never see's the light of day, i guess he is hanging on to it until it is worth big money.

I can't verify either figure but l do know the sure way to tell the difference between a Factory Rover and a LAMM , the Rover has the raised 3inch mounting point just behind the front seats for the seat belt anchor, it looks a little ugly but is a functional part of the car

Yes, my cabriolet did win the best of show and the first ever Brian Owens concourse plaque awarded at MM east in Chattanooga TN , 3-4 years ago

BIG AL

There are 75 'official' Lamm Cabrios that were sold through Rover Dealerships - Lamm were a bit like Crayford (or Keiths) and converted Minis to cabrios, just to a far higher standard.

There are a lot more than 75 Lamm Cabrio conversions overall.

Supposedly around 300 for the Rover cabriolet Bill but it depends who you talk to. The Lamm cabriolet version only made 75 cars.

The primary concern is will it get chicks any more than the normal salon?

Can 3 members of the Swedish Bikini Team jump in without needing to wait for you to open the door.