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Home > Introduce Yourself > First time Mini Owner - 1989 ERA Mini Turbo

snoskiguy

4 Posts
Member #: 11400
Junior Member

9 months ago I bought a 1989 ERA Turbo for what I thought was an amazing price. It had been converted over to Mark I style without the ERA body kit. The interior is original though. 20 minutes after buying it the head gasket blew out and I waited for a tow. 9 months later and double the price I paid for the car, my wife and I are now the proud owners of Foxie. She has Omega 10cc dished pistons, Phase 2 cam. port and polished 24cc head for a 8.94 compression ratio, and lots of new parts. She was built to run 10 psi but I need to order a few carb parts first. Currently running 7psi through all RPM and she burns rubber.



burcy35

177 Posts
Member #: 10990
Advanced Member

Hornsea

That's looks coolio!
Welcome to turbo ownership. Oh and having no money after your mini has taken your pay packet off you every week. It's all worth it, I think.

Burchy


dan187

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774 Posts
Member #: 6724
Post Whore

Wootton Bassett

love the interior, you say that's standard? Is the air-con a standard fitment too?

1275 N/A Sprite, 998 T2 Turbo Mayfair
1275 EFi Turbo


D4VE

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2974 Posts
Member #: 10749
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lowestoft suffolk

Welcome, someone had some balls to ditch the kit, but looks better imo

On 24th Oct, 2015 jonny f said:
Nothing gets past Dave lol

NOTHING GETS PAST ME!! *tongue*

1/4 mile 14.7 @ 96mph 12psi boost
Showdown class A 2nd place 18.6 @ 69mph


gr4h4m

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4890 Posts
Member #: 1775
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Chester

Nice looking car.

Edited by gr4h4m on 24th Jun, 2016.

I run a supercharger and I don't care the TB is on the wrong side.
VEMS + 12 PSI + Liquid Intercooler = Small Bore FUN!


Shauna

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1043 Posts
Member #: 10424
Post Whore

Swansea boyo!

Welcome! One of our friends has an ERA and his interior is nowhere near the condition of yours. Very brave to ditch the body kit!

They don't die, they just get faster!


BENROSS

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9812 Posts
Member #: 332
Resident Cylinder Head Modifier

Mitsi Evo 7, 911, Cossie. & all the chavs ...... won no problem

I just love it, where are you based? Any pics under the bonnet. ?. . . . And a very warm welcome!






Rob Gavin

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6729 Posts
Member #: 618
Post Whore

Glasgow

Welcome to TM.

Thats a lovely looking car.

I remember being offered an era back in the mid 90s and not having the cash to buy it. It ticked so many boxes in my eyes although the bodykit did date it.


theoneeyedlizard

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7259 Posts
Member #: 1268
The Boom Boom speaker Police!

Essex

Although the body kit is ugly. You'd need to re fit it to command the prices that these can go for.

Looks in great condition. The kit usually hides a ton of rust.

In the 13's at last!.. Just


jonny f

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2091 Posts
Member #: 9894
Post Whore

Dorking

Welcome. Nice motor


viz139

108 Posts
Member #: 9182
Advanced Member

A lovely looking car but I see nothing on it that would make me think it was a genuine ERA. The dashboard with air con is the Jap spec but it is fitted with the wrong clocks. Nothing on the exterior apart from the bonnet bulge which you could buy on its own is from an ERA.Like others say brave to remove the body kit and wheels which are like gold dust.All ERA's left the factory as Mayfairs so there hard to trace .


PhilR

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696 Posts
Member #: 10034
Post Whore

Birmingham

On 30th Jun, 2016 viz139 said:
A lovely looking car but I see nothing on it that would make me think it was a genuine ERA.


There's some extra metalwork around the jacking point; Maybe an alteration by ERA if their side skirts covered the factory jacking point?

It's very tidy in a JAP mini style and prob rust free too. Even though I find the ERA styling very dated, I'd keep a lookout for all the ERA bodykit and wheels, even if you didn't want to fit them anytime soon.

Awesome 1st Mini *smiley*

Edited by PhilR on 1st Jul, 2016.


Hoops

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94 Posts
Member #: 10338
Advanced Member

Huddersfield

Very nice indeed and welcome 👌


snoskiguy

4 Posts
Member #: 11400
Junior Member

I forgot to log back in to see the comments. Here are the answers to the questions and an update. The motor is solid and we are running 10psi and it loves it. I sold the black wheels because they were too wide and I didn’t want to cut fenders out. I have ultralites but compared to the old wheels they are heavy. Maybe we will do 12’s this year. I am in Ogden Utah.
Yes interior and the AC is standard for the 100 or so ERA made for Japan.
Not only does it not have the body kit, it also has MK1 style tail lights, bumpers, and boot. We like the classic look so much better than the ERA body kit and we will likely never sell it and never even try to get the original body kit for it.
Does the VIN and ERA tag in the engine bay count to show its genuine. R1228
Yes, the metal under the door as far as I’m told is for jacking. It is very rust free. We have had the entire front subframe out and the only we could find is surface on the firewall.


TurboDave16V
Forum Mod

10979 Posts
Member #: 17
***16***

SouthPark, Colorado

Excellent update!
Just Always remember, it’s your car to do whatever you want with... *smiley*

On 17th Nov, 2014 Tom Fenton said:
Sorry to say My Herpes are no better


Ready to feel Ancient ??? This is 26 years old as of 2022 https://youtu.be/YQQokcoOzeY



BENROSS

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9812 Posts
Member #: 332
Resident Cylinder Head Modifier

Mitsi Evo 7, 911, Cossie. & all the chavs ...... won no problem

top marks on you car it looks fantastic






hazpalmer

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1648 Posts
Member #: 9038
Post Whore

Carlisle, Cumbria

The R1228 is it body number or something. Correct me if im wrong but it refers to something. If you google era turbo mini then there is a website and there is also a facebook group. They do try and keep track of where all the ERA minis are etc


snoskiguy

4 Posts
Member #: 11400
Junior Member

Yes. Each ERA has a car number. I remembered mine wrong, Its RJ1224. The UK spec were just R then the car number starting with 1000. So RJ1001 was the first japanese spec to roll our of ERA.

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