I'm starting to customise my first mini and I'm looking for some parts
and
advice.

I wanted to create an Italian Job/mini cooper S type look;

1) By getting it resprayed either old english white, snowbury white or
tartan red on the body and a jet black roof. I'm currently looking for
a good place to get it resprayed for under £1000 preferrably under
£500 while still looking really good.

2)I liked the look of the cars in 'the Italian Job' the Mk1 Coopers(I
think) looked really good and I like the grille they have so I'm just
wondering if
it's possible to replace the rover grille with the Morris or Cooper
grille and what is involved in doing so.

3)The italian job cars have the long leather bonnet straps I think
they are black or tan but I've looked for them on the net nearly every
where and I can't find them so if anyone knows where I could find the
long bonnet straps like the ones in the italian job . If there isn't a
manufacturer who makes them does anyone know of a coachworks or some
speacialists who might make one offs I would be very grateful.

4)The setup of the 3 auxillary lights on 'the italian job' cars with
the triangle formation looks really good I have seen a few places
which do a lamp bar which enables you to setup the 3 lights but I have
also seen 'the italian job' style setup done with out a lamp bar on
older cars I'm just wondering if anyone knows if it is possible to fix
the 3 lights on to the car with out having to use the lamp bar.

Also if anyone else has some information or ideas that my help me or
any opinions they have I would be very glad to hear them.

thanks

J