Thank you for the warm reception and advice especially on California. 

I thought I would post a couple pics to give some examples of what is on the market here in Spain.  I titled the pictures as best I could from the details in the ads.  I particularly like the red 1973 with stripes and quad lights and the 1972 Green 1000 L Deluxe (not sure about the designation).  This is a sample of 50+ ads.  A few of these have pictures of their "restoration" showing bare metal prior to paint.  

 

Hello, If I were you I'd try and find the best Authi I could and give it some love.  Authis were similar in spec as Innocentis, but are much more rare to find in the US.  I had a couple of friends who had Authis and they really liked them.  Also, it's nice to show up at a Mini function here in the US driviung something just a little different than everyone else has.  On that note, learn as much as you can about the marque, and stock up on the odd bits that are not Austin, Morris, etc.  They have very unique front axles, and a few other bits.  Good luck and also, I'm retired military and there are a few of us here that brought our cars home with us...but not into California...Cheers, Hugh

Hi and welcome from a former noob. I used to know nothing about minis save that I wanted one and that they were the stars of the Italian Job. Thanks to this board, and Craigslist, I still know nothing useful about minis, but I own four... Seriously, I would look for the earliest unmolested solid example you can find. If you desire, you can mod it for drive ability while you are stationed overseas, but, living in the shadiw/aftermath of Operation Atlantic, I would mainly make sure the car is returnable to factory stock before you come stateside.

Hey Chuck,

It has already been pointed out what a special place California is but I would like to further caution and say avoid any Mini's newer than 1966. Anthing newer than that can become a challenge, with 1970 and newer impossible. Maybe that will help decide on a return to California or not?

Please don't listen to the self proclaimed expert. The 1275 and 1300 share the same displacement, 1300 is just marketing speak. That is not to say all 1275/1300's are the same. There are many different levels of specs and HP rating on the large bore engine.

Unless you do your own body work I'd reccomend focusing on finding a solid body and upgrading as you go along. Of course finding a strong Mini with a solid body would be the first choice depending on budget. Good news is all of the parts needed to keep a Mini running are easy to source and affordable. However some of the trim for early Mini's is becoming hard to find.

John

California import rules require Pre 1968 to register with DMV not just pre smog!!

Welcome aboard Chuck! as bluebox said, 998cc motor is a good starting point., there is a guy in Shasta mini group his name is Pat, nice guy who owns a light yellow Clubman which has a 998 in it and his clubby flies and can even keep up with the 1275 and the 1300(25cc makes a lot of difference they say btw) on the highway.  and it's less prone to overheating than the 1275,that's what someone told me.

again,Welcome and have a nice stay here in the forum. you can get tons of useful infos in this site. nice people as well.

Once biten twice shy! OK , I will take the first hit. Hello we are happy to have you aboard. Get your self the cleanest rust free body you can . A 998 motor will be a good starting place. We will be there to help you from there.    You will have to excuse us, we have a troll who makes us not believe anyone new. Cheers

Hello MiniMania,

My name is Chuck and I wanted to formally introduce myself as I have been lurking here for a few days.  I have to admit first, that I know next to nothing about the Classic Minis other than what I have learned over the last few days.  I have historically been a Land Cruiser nut and also owned a Porsche.  My mechanical skills are not where I would like them to be but I want to learn as this Mini will not be a daily driver.  Although I plan to drive it as much as possible!

I'm a U.S. citizen on active duty currently living in Spain, which is why I have the Spanish Flag in my profile.  I claim California (San Diego) as my home although I may never officially live there again (more on that later...).     

What I'm looking for and why I'm here is a car that is fun to drive, has a great heritage, an enthusiatic community and won't completely break the bank like air-cooled 911 prices of late.  Afterall, I have three kids under the age of three and I'd like to fulfill my automotive craving and still get them through college and retire before I die!!

So, having said all that, I throw myself at the mercy of the collective group.  I hope to gain as much knowledge as I can before I purchase a Mini and eventually contribute something meaingful to the group.  This website has been a fountain of info so far and I have much more reading to do.  I'm honestly a little OCD when it comes to reading and researching.  I'll do my best not to ask noobie questions that can be easily found by searching the forum.    

The car and the search:

What I'm looking for at this point is a pre-1976 Mini.  On the off chance that I do go back to California I do not want to have to deal with smog.  I know enough to know that.  I'm not going to even touch the re-VIN issue.  

Due to the fact that I'm in Spain, it looks like I have access to quite a few different flavors of Mini including the Spanish "Authi" Mini.  I could look elsewhere in Europe but due to taxes and time it is much easier to buy a Mini already registered in Spain.

My goal with this car is not to buy a perfectly original MK I Cooper S and keep it that way.  I want to drive this car and I want to personalize it.  At this point my taste leans towards a Works/Rally style.  I like the fender flares .  I also would like to auto-x and participate in similar type events in the future. 

I believe the sweet spot for me is going to be something between 1970 and 1975 based on what I have seen in the classifieds in Spain.    I have seen plenty of 850s, 1000s, a few Coopers and a few 1275 GTs in the 3500-7000 Euro price range.  

What advice would you give me to fine tune my search?  Or what holes to do you see in my plan?  

If you have read this far, thank you for your time!!  I plan to document my Mini experience here in this thread and I'm looking forward to interacting with the commuity.

-Chuck