Importing a mini from the UK to Germany

Has anyone here imported a mini (the classic one), or have any experience getting one through the TÜV?
If so, I would really appreciate being able to ask some questions about what is allowed and not - my engine is currently being refurbished by my Dad who seems to be very keen on getting the car to go faster.

Thanks,
Bron

headlights for LHD and having KM on the speedo will be your only concerns, i believe.

assuming of course the Mini is standard production and hasn't been modified. Any modifications require an "Einzelabnahme" and can get complicated. If you have modifications it is better to ask the TÜV themselves.

@Bron there is a garage in Milbertshofen (on the left hand side on main road if your coming from Frankfurter Ring) they seem to specialise in Mini's etc - might be worth having a chat with them.

Yeah - I'd be concerned about TuV emissions regs (if they have them for the TuV - I presume they do?). I can well imagine that a straight through exhaust, for example, might cause you problems.

As for driving to MUC from England in a mini - rather you (or your dad) than me, mate!

yeah...I can imagine putting on a straight pipe instead of proper exhaust would be one of the first things you'd do to get a mini go faster...I know none of my cars in the states had anything but straight pipes...

Straight through exhausts are (sort of) common on classic minis...primarily to make it louder, which sort of adds to the feeling of performance.

AAAAAHHHHHH Classic novice Mini tuner mistakes!!!

What you want is an RC40 exhaust - These are one of the quietest mini exhausts about and flow well enough for up to like 140bhp or so. They are certainly no restriction on sub 120bhp engines, which is a LOT in a Mini.

Also available in heavy stainless steel as the "RC50".

Fit it into a nice Maniflow LCB manifold and you have the perfect, nice sounding but quiet, street exhaust setup for tuned small bore or large bore Minis.

Straight throughs also sound horrible (IMO) on a 5 port head - i.e Minis

Oh god I miss talking about all this Mini stuff!

I may know every nut and bolt on the damn things, but back on the subject at hand, I am afraid I know nothing about exporting them... But I know a place that probably does. There is an internet mailing list called, surprise surprise, the "Mini List" Check here. You may be able to find archives with the info you need. If not then try asking there though I am sure it will be covered as there are lots of non-English members.

Edit: btw, you do know that just putting a straight through pipe on without getting it retuned (preferably on the rollers) to take advantage of the reduced back pressure will likely, not definately, but likely, reduce power rather than increase it. Yes? OK, good

Thank you for all of the replies, especially about the garage and the minilist link. Actually, I recognise the "Snorty" cartoon on the front page.

The normal importing stuff like headlights, speedo etc. should be ok as she´s a mini Mayfair made for the German market; I even have the original papers. There is no rust as the winter has been spent replacing body panels. My Dad now wants to rebore the engine - he can´t resist trying to make them faster - and he also wanted to know about emissions regulations.
The journey back to Munich will probably be a bit interesting anyway...

Thanks, Bron

Only thing I really had to do when I imported my spider was to get the headlamps changed so they shone the other way, and put dials in with kilometres (it is 36 years old). TÜV are really strict about oil leaks. She's a left-hooker anyway from new, so I don't know what the implications of having a RHD would be.

I hated driving Mini's second only to having to work on them. Jeez... the later old shape Mini's had far too much stuff stuck under the bonnet...

What age is the Mini? When I used to do MOTs in the UK, certain A-series cars, including the Mini, had a special dispensation for emissions (mostly the hydrocarbon level). Is it fitted with an open-loop or closed-loop catalyst?

She was built in 1988 and is one of the last minis not to have a cat. On the other hand, she is already a left hooker, so one thing less to worry about there.
I like driving minis, but each to their own. It probably helps that I am small, not sure how my husband is going to enjoy the journey back from Wales, though.

Bron

Ah, Bron for Bronwyn no doubt? Which part of Wales?

I don't envy your husband driving a Mini for that distance... ouch!!

Correct, apart from the spelling - Bronwen!
I´m from West Wales, do you know LLangrannog?
My husband doesn´t need to drive the car, the main prom´blem is his height (6"5'), I´m not sure where he is going to put his legs. Maybe I should sit him in the back and remove the front passenger seat.

Bron

Ah, my Mum is from North Wales but my sister used to live in Haverfordwest which is fairly close to LLangrannog I guess?

If your husband is 6'5" then he's really going to struggle. I'm 6' and I had great difficulty driving Mini's for any length of time (having to adapt a strange leg position). You can't move the seats back very far either; you might be able to unbolt the seat and see if there are additional threaded holes further back for the seat to locate into. The seat is most likely already fitted into those holes though.

Bloody Hell! I'm actually a Cockney from Saaafffff London. But, for 4 years me mum ran off with me step-father and us kids and we lived in Llangeler. I went to school in Llandysul before gettin' shipped off to Llandovery College. We used to go to the seaside at Llangrannog, or Aberporth, or a superb little secluded bay where the porpoises play called Mwnt. Memories flooding back here.

@Bron croeso i Munich

The garage I mentioned before - they have a number of mini's their with what look like the sort of exhaust your talking about (exiting in the middle)

If these have been certified for use on the vehicle it could be that you have to keep the certificate (can't remember the name in German) with the doc's.

Otherwise it's a question of off to the TÜV where they will do a noise level check, emissions test and hopefully do the eintragung (adding modifications to the log book) - if you have German papers, if not don't worry about it

I think that her husband will only do the sensible thing and drive ahead or behind in a different car and carry the luggage ...

1500 km with knees under your chin - no fun, really.

I'm 6'7" and find (original) minis fine as long as I'm in the front. The're small, but very low and somehow it works. The tricky bit is getting in and out of them. Easiest way I found to get out was to shuffle onto the pavement and then stand up.

@benpanter Thanks for the support. I am sure that if I could get into a mini in my wedding dress, veil etc. (and arrived at the church with no oil marks) then he can sit it in and navigate for me.
Markus, I hope you are reading this...

@Sin, yup, I know Mwnt, and my little sister went to school in Llandysul. Well it´s a small world!

I think I will go to the TÜV and ask them in person about what they look for on minis. I´ll let you know if I learn anything useful.

Bron

Llan Gram???