Nice find...few Canadian Minis with the crash bumpers left...yes we mutilated one in 1992 rebuilding Jeremy's 1976 Mini 1000, with MG Metro 1275, and I mutilated one in rebuilding Pooh, originally a 1980 Mini 1000, with a 1380.

Pooh had the parking/turn signal lights mounted in the grill.  Jeremy's 1976 had the lights below the bumper...and I used those brackets to mount Pooh's lights below the bumper...before the resto/changeo.

I donated Pooh's former crash bumpers to a reasonably well known Mini scribe who promptly had the rear bumper fall off...somewhere...since the bootlid was rusted through on the bottom.

Yes....77 had the tie down brackets on the subs

Damn it Al...they are LIGHTS....not lites .

Looking at you grill pic, it seems to have a later grill fitted.....or it's not a 77.
A 77 would have the signal lights ( LIGHTS) underneath the bumper.

No, this one does not have those tow hooks, must have been 78 onward-

BIG AL

Thanks Al.

My tow bar uses the safety bumper uprights, and when I need to deliver a Topkick I usually clip those bars to the E-track on the headache rack when I put my MK III on the deck.

I can't recall if the 77s had the nice tow hooks bolted to the subframes.  

Chuck-

I would NEVER sell a cluman to anyone who contemplated a nose-ectomy to a round nose-

In fact my 1380cc Auto x er estate started out life as a 1963 Countryman and now sports a clubman front clip-

Rick-

I agree, l thought all the good barn finds were well over-

BIG AL

Ok... gotta put my two cents in here...

My Mini is a 1980, and had those bumpers attached when I got it.  Yeah they are heavier then most bricks... but they do serve a purpose.  Yes the Canadians, in our infinite wisdom demanded these be installed to "conform" to new regulations... likely to satisfy the N.American manufacturers.... sorry I'm ranting...

My point here is that within a couple years of driving my Mini I had a very violent collision with a Toyota Tercel... that is to say, me smashing into the back end of said Toyota in spectacular fashion.  At least it seemed that way.  Those heavy bumpers are the reason, and only reason, that my Mini is still on the road today.  The way the vertical bars are mounted (bottom is attached on the subframe, top on the wing) allowed the impact to be dispersed rather than the Toyota contacting the engine and driving it into me...  In the end I replaced the front panel one inner and outer wing.  Subframe was fine.  

So, those fugly Canadian bumpers saved my Mini!  I say you should leave them as is, as a testimant to the history of Canadian Mini's....

By the way... Why can't I find these sorts of Barn Finds!?  Well done Big Al...

Leave it alone. Sell it to someone who understands. Think of it as a Clubman, Al. Would you sell a Clubman to someone who's first planned change is to cut the front end off and add a round nose? If yes, you're just a used car salesman. If no, you're a Mini enthusist first.

And before any one spots the missing directional lites ( arking Lites). they should be mounted in the grille as part of the Government safety features, but l would like to mount them below the headlites, like normal minis have them-

But in the name of purity, may have to go with them up on the grille-

Can anyone say "FUGLY "

BIG AL-

It has brand new sticker tyres on it (BONUS), l put the poverty hub caps back on-No, mini -lites here-

Of course it has the British Leyland brown vinyl seats in it, but actually they are in good shape-& of course the brown carpeting that pretty well disintergrated when it saw daylight-

Back in 1977 when this car was sold new, it was common practice to drive them all year long, non of this, store them away for the winter crap- That is why the drivers floor needs attention, crap,crud and the like being dragged in on the drivers shoes-

Mur, l will check out that switch to-morrow , if it is there, its' yours-

The only thing that didn't come with the car was the keys, the boot latch was drilled out and someone butchered the wires in the ignition switch in an effort to hot wire it to get it running- No big deal-

And it is, one of my favourite mini colours-

BIG AL-

Then there is the ugly big ass side markers.Only in Canada EH!!!

Those bumpers were not the factory's or the designer's idea - they were imposed by the Canadian government.  Imagine the faces on the Longbridge people who were forced to attach those things.

It's a sad reminder of the many despotic acts committed by Canadian regimes through the ages. 

A mini is an aesthetic purchase.  You buy them because they're neat.  Not because you want to explain the ugly-ass bumpers to everybody that comes to check out an otherwise perfect car.

Sell it with the ugly-ass bumpers in a box for the NO's next anticipated concours.  But for the love of God let this ugly duckling be beautiful!

I didn't think any cars sent to CA had the A+....maybe 1980 (?).
I've had a couple of 77's...both A series, both 3.44.....The 79 Engine I'm using is A also.

btw....I wouldn't be trusting that brace bar alone for front tie down

I've done countless miles with ugly bumpers.  It is nice to not have to worry about parking damage.

Check to see what tpk number is on the speedometer.  I'd expect a taller final drive, 3.2 or something.  re A+ touches like a big layshaft and idler gear, timing chain tensioner.  Excellent heater and venting.  If it has the original hazard switch, I'd sure like it, and will supply a new hazard switch that won't break.  Those are nice cars.

I spell ugly .... i c o n i c. As a Canadian I say leave them. Its great to dress up a Mini to personal taste but there need to be a few originals around as well.

You'll get better gas mileage without them Al...lol.

They weigh about 12kg each.....at least.  However....they do their job much much better than the chrome/stainless ones....along with the extra body stiffening done in the front and back.

If you remove them you'll have some holes to fill front and back.

IMHO loose them! Those are seriously butt-ugly.... They look like they came off another car.

And the  rear bumper is in great shape also-

Need your input-

BIG AL

Believe it or not a 30 year Canadian  Barn find-Yes, a true 1977 Mini, put away in 1983 " the age of 6- In fact it never went to school-

It was put away in a barn at Chatham Ontario , (50 miles east of Detroit MI  after being painted,

It is in remarkably good shape, just needs attention to the drivers floor-

My problem is, it has the ÙGLY CANADIAN BUMPERS`and they are in great shape,should l leave them on the mini or go with the chrome style everyday mini bumpers-

BIG AL