The old Mini's have a bunch more character than any 4 wheeled vehicle since the dawn of time, plus they are a hoot to drive. However, i wouldnt take one on the road now. With all the safety features on modern cars, the old mini now looks comparable to an old biscuit tin WRT crash survivability. You would need to significantly reinforce all the main structural parts.
The mini is a relic of a bygone era, before roads were totally crowded, and before the current craze for SUV's (god i hate those things). Personally, id take a Smart roadster ahead of the New Mini.