My route to/from work takes me past the Red Barrel on the Gloucester/Essex line (Margaret and I have never eaten there … though this poor soul did!)
Anyway, they’re “British themed” and used to have a Mini out front – but this past week there’s been a Mini convertible out there (for sale)! I finally remembered to stop and check it out today:
It’s right hand drive (if you’re going to own a classic Mini, that’s what you should get) and a quick glance suggests it’s reasonably healthy; one problem is that body kit, it might look good but it hides possible issues with the sills (which are famous for rusting out on Minis, and are structural – holding the front and rear subframes together!). Another problem is the price!
M&I / GBMINI 
Ok Ian,
1st… have you noticed that the names in and around where you live are like the ones in Jolly Ol’ England?
2nd… There’s something weird about that Mini?
3rd… I read the review and it sort of reminded me of the place in Bakersfield, Ca? Hum, Well maybe not.
R H D cars are weird to drive especially with a manual trans. I drove one in Jamaica a long time ago and I nearly killed us quite a few times on roundabouts. I prayed every time I entered one that someone would be going the same direction I needed to go. I kept asking myself, “Why the heck, I used more of an expletive word, are these fools driving on the wrong side of the road?!”
Classic Mini’s converted to drop tops (even professionally) wiggle all over like a bowl of Jello. Like you said, the sills and floors are structual. I’ve seen cars for sale with bondo filling the rotted sills, pieces of wood inserted into the gaping holes and screwed to the structure and then filled with spray foam and bondo and even people who think duct tape sprayed with paint is a good patch. If you are going to buy a Classic for the USA (LHD or RHD) the sills, floors and subframe mounting points need to be almost perfect or the car will require many thousands of dollars in body work. (correction – many, many, many…)
When buying a classic in America, buy the best you can – it saves in the long run. (spoken from one who knows via experience…)
See you at Mini Meet East in Bethel next month Ian?
Dave
Robert … yes I know all the names round here. It seems the early immigrants were big on bravery, but lacking in imagination 😉
That Bakersfield lunch we did was Ritz compared with the Red Barrel!
Dave … thanks for confirmation on sills/quality; I have no plans for MME, I’ll need a “MINI break” after MOT organization!
Wow, that bodes badly for the Red Barrel. Funny, maybe they just couldn’t speak native American or just missed Jolly Ol’. 😉