Original mini cooper S

red_ice

Hey, are there any good reliable places to find old classics?

My father is BIG into his cars, and he recently asked me could i help him find a

mark 1
austin or morris
cooper S
1275cc
1964-1966

hes sourced a place that can get him replacement parts and he is really set on giving one a serious clean up. Hes aiming to get 120bhp out of it! Wants to keep it traditional.

He would prefer to get it in the UK, better roads etc..

Any help would be appreciated!

Cheers

Ferris

red_ice wrote: »

Hey, are there any good reliable places to find old classics?

My father is BIG into his cars, and he recently asked me could i help him find a

mark 1
austin or morris
cooper S
1275cc
1964-1966

hes sourced a place that can get him replacement parts and he is really set on giving one a serious clean up. Hes aiming to get 120bhp out of it! Wants to keep it traditional.

He would prefer to get it in the UK, better roads etc..

Any help would be appreciated!

Cheers

A friends da has a mk1 1275 austin cooper S which is lovely. He knows everything about these cars and said that you need to be really sure about the originality of one - there were a lot of repo's out there at one time.

To be honest, if your da wants to modify it its probably a bad idea to do it on a desirable car like a mk1 cooper s as originality is key on these. Why not just get an ordinary mk1 and swap a 1275 competition engine into it - this would cost a lot less.

Also having driven the cooper I mentioned - they feel pretty quick as standard. They also have small wheels which means they accelerate well but top out at lower speeds.

S.I.R

1300+ honda engine or a motorbike engine is a best bet but if your keeping it original costs will be quite high...


let alone finding a mk1 in usable condition for non-silly money.


Best of luck.

commited

120bhp, reliably and driveable is quite a task.

You'll be looking at a 1380cc or a 1430cc build, it will need to be built to near race spec with a dog box - you're looking at big money, my 1430cc engine with 120bhp cost 10k and the gearbox was another 5k.

BeardyGit

S.I.R wrote: »

1300+ honda engine or a motorbike engine is a best bet but if your keeping it original costs will be quite high...


let alone finding a mk1 in usable condition for non-silly money.


Best of luck.

A best bet for what exactly? Do you spend all day daydreaming on the toilet with some tosspot boy racer rags for entertainment? Practical Performance Car has a lot to answer for....and it would explain where you're regurgitating some of the utter tripe you've been coming out with lately.

FFS.

OP, you'll really need to hound the Mini specialists on this one I reckon. The majority of Mk 1's around the place will either be non viable projects that do the rounds of multiple owners and little work, or they'll be completely unoriginal with questionable heritage.

Is he planning on spending a few quid, or hoping to buy something 'affordable' and then start to sink your inheritance into it?

1275gt

couple of good places to start...

irish mini sites
www.miniresource.com
www.irishminis.ie
http://www.mlni.co.uk/
http://www.ni-minis.co.uk/

uk mini sites
http://www.minifinity.com/
http://www.theminiforum.com/

Mk1 coopers are like hens teeth. Even with the global meltdown you can expect to pay well over 10grand for a decent example. As mentioned above, there are very few truely original cars left, due to people modifying them over the years and the lack of original genuine parts.

Saying that, nice projects are forever popping up in the magazines (mini magazine/mini world can be bought in Easons) so if he's really keen, theres no better time to snatch a bargain than in the current climate.

Good luck with the hunt
maxi

red_ice

Ferris wrote: »

A friends da has a mk1 1275 austin cooper S which is lovely. He knows everything about these cars and said that you need to be really sure about the originality of one - there were a lot of repo's out there at one time.

To be honest, if your da wants to modify it its probably a bad idea to do it on a desirable car like a mk1 cooper s as originality is key on these. Why not just get an ordinary mk1 and swap a 1275 competition engine into it - this would cost a lot less.

Also having driven the cooper I mentioned - they feel pretty quick as standard. They also have small wheels which means they accelerate well but top out at lower speeds.

My dads adamant that its a real mk1. He doesnt want to modify the car at all, just bring it up to the best possible race standard. He had one when he was younger amidst a bunch of other cars he had and built from scratch. He grew up around brands hatch and was a mechanic there for a number of years. Cars are his life!

S.I.R wrote: »

1300+ honda engine or a motorbike engine is a best bet but if your keeping it original costs will be quite high...

let alone finding a mk1 in usable condition for non-silly money.

Best of luck.

Cost isnt an issue. He just sold a 07 Porsche carrera S. He just wants a real cooper S. the condition of the car isnt really that much of a concern, he just needs a good enough shell/chassis engine to work with. He can panel beat/weld and all that stuff.

commited wrote: »

120bhp, reliably and driveable is quite a task.

You'll be looking at a 1380cc or a 1430cc build, it will need to be built to near race spec with a dog box - you're looking at big money, my 1430cc engine with 120bhp cost 10k and the gearbox was another 5k.

not a problem. The only issue is getting the car at a reasonable price. Some people try take the p!ss with what they are selling - hes not an idiot.

Gil_Dub wrote: »

OP, you'll really need to hound the Mini specialists on this one I reckon. The majority of Mk 1's around the place will either be non viable projects that do the rounds of multiple owners and little work, or they'll be completely unoriginal with questionable heritage.

Is he planning on spending a few quid, or hoping to buy something 'affordable' and then start to sink your inheritance into it?

Hes planning on spending a few quid. Theres a 2 car garage going to waste over here!

1275gt wrote: »

couple of good places to start...

irish mini sites
www.miniresource.com
www.irishminis.ie
http://www.mlni.co.uk/
http://www.ni-minis.co.uk/

uk mini sites
http://www.minifinity.com/
http://www.theminiforum.com/

Mk1 coopers are like hens teeth. Even with the global meltdown you can expect to pay well over 10grand for a decent example. As mentioned above, there are very few truely original cars left, due to people modifying them over the years and the lack of original genuine parts.

Saying that, nice projects are forever popping up in the magazines (mini magazine/mini world can be bought in Easons) so if he's really keen, theres no better time to snatch a bargain than in the current climate.

Good luck with the hunt
maxi

Thanks maxi, loads to work with there! My drummer is a manager in easons, ill get him to pick me up those two mags for tonight

carchaeologist

commited wrote: »

t big money, my 1430cc engine with 120bhp cost 10k and the gearbox was another 5k.

You certainly live up to your user name!Sounds like a fun car.
Minis are great fun,iv driven standard cars and its a hell of a laugh,i can only imagine what one with a bit of real poke would be like!!:eek::P

viz139

I think some people may have mistaken traditional for origional in your origional post although I think 120bhp may be optimistic for traditional tunning. Traditional tunnig would usually be a race cam,twin SU carbs on a 1300cc motor good for about 100bhp tops were the more modren way would be a 1380 or 1430cc motor ,scatter cam running a big weber for 120bhp.I'd say get a non cooper Mk 1 and build the car you want.Early minis will be at a premium this year with the 50th. anniversery.

CamperMan

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk

viz139

Just got mini world today ,I guess you want the cover car.must be deafening inside ,no filters,no weaber box and no sound deafening. Real street sleeper.

commited

carchaeologist wrote: »

You certainly live up to your user name!Sounds like a fun car.
Minis are great fun,iv driven standard cars and its a hell of a laugh,i can only imagine what one with a bit of real poke would be like!!:eek::P

It's on a Mini Miglia chassis too It's a racing car - quite easy to drive as the LSD is fantastic.

My quickest Lap around Mondello is 1.05.2 at the moment. Should go quicker next season

It could be road legal if I threw on some indicators though.

carchaeologist

commited wrote: »

It's on a Mini Miglia chassis too It's a racing car - quite easy to drive as the LSD is fantastic.

My quickest Lap around Mondello is 1.05.2 at the moment. Should go quicker next season

It could be road legal if I threw on some indicators though.

Sounds nice,throw up a pic if you can?:)

S.I.R

if he has the 30+ from a porshe, and can panel beat... why doesnt he buy two....


one Super mini... and one normal resto... ??


let the temptation set it :rolleyes:

1275gt

carchaeologist wrote: »

Sounds nice,throw up a pic if you can?:)

:cool:

carchaeologist

^Nice!!:DI like the way the austin badge still is on the front grille!

david

S.I.R wrote: »

if he has the 30+ from a porshe, and can panel beat... why doesnt he buy two....


one Super mini... and one normal resto... ??


let the temptation set it :rolleyes:

Or he could just by what he wants to buy (Original S) and mod it as he so wishes.

You're confusing. 30+ what? Euros? Money isn't the issue here, it's finding an original Morris/Austin Mini S. If you can afford a new Porsche and sell it after 2yrs i doubt the OP's dad is worried about devaluing a 50yr old porsche by upping it to 120~hp

david

1275gt wrote: »

:cool:

Gorgeous car mate. I'm loving the flared arches. I'd put indicators on it tbh . Have you put it on a rolling road?

commited

Cheers Maxi for the pic

It's changed a bit now, de-graphic'd it as I was going to respray it. Here are a couple more:




It's been on the RR a couple of years ago -
Max torque 107.10 ft lbs @ 5312 rpm
Max power 119.7 RPM @ 6991 rpm
Power loss, trans/tyres 19.4 bhp
Power at wheels 100.3 bhp
Max road speed in test 98.00 mph
Max engine speed in test 7655 rpm

commited

17/05/08 Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i229aBFL3uI&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLxCZA34OM8&feature=channel_page

The start of the gear selector problems. Really really crap start. Gear problems resulted in the Marcos nearly going up the back of me at 4.58 when I went 2nd to 1st instead of 3rd! Some good dices though. Ended up leaving it in 3rd (occasionally using 4th) and finishing 3rd in class

29/06/08 still have the big gear selector problems
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRfKeAZOC4A
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRfKeAZOC4A

I was chasing a 16v Mini in Part 1, not really keeping up that well, but it has serious power and the drivers got skills. Anyway, gear selector problems develop. Part 2 is me going around with just 3rd gear.

Apologies for the thread rob

Owen

Lots of negativity in this thread for sure! 120bhp is easily achieved with an A or A+ engine using a supercharger kit. A good friend of mine just supercharged his, and he's pumping out around 130bhp reliably.

If he's looking for some good advice on engine work from people who've done this sort of thing before, tell him to try http://miniclub.ie - there are Mini specialists on there who can give some good sound advice, and you won't get the regulars you get on other Mini forums telling him what they'd do, not what he wants to do himself.

One of our members just built a Z car (Honda powered, rwd, horizontal shocks, the lot) from an early Mini shell, so there's plenty of advice there to be had.

Sounds like a great plan for him, and a good way to kill some time, and end up with a cracking little car at the end.

G Luxel

I saw an original Irish registered Mini Cooper from the 60s, it had the hinged doors, last summer somewhere in co tipperary. Looked original, it had the mini cooper badge on the rear and minilites I think. Its reg was something like CIM 1, well a 3 letter 1 number plate, cant remember the exact plate.

DaveCol

It wasn't by any chance dark green with a white roof and minilites?
Was the reg PIM 91?
If so, it belongs to a well known member of the Irish Mini Owners Club who were on a camping weekend in Cahir last summer

Fishtits

Commited speaks the truth... 120bhp is easy. 120bhp and reliability costs the sums he mentions.

Fishtits. 125bhp Mini. (shredded pockets...:()

MercMad

Modified mk1 Cooper "S" for sale in the current edition of Irish Vintage Scene !

MorrisCooper

If it was PIM91 then it was my baby below:



It's a '67 Irish-built CKD Morris Cooper with its original sheel and 998 engine with 12G295 head.

Mk1's can be hard to find but I've three of them. The first Mini I ever bought 20 years ago was a '67 Austin 850 automatic (I still have it) and a '60 restoration project I bought from Dave about 2 years ago:



Mk1s are great craic because it's the pure basic concept that's the appeal. Imagine buying any car nowadays with rubber mats, no radio, no rear window demist, no seatbelts, a heater that doesn't heat much.... It doesn't make sense on one level but I think there's a bit of an David (as distinct from Goliath) in any old Mini owner.

Paul Kelly in Dublin would be a great man to talk to if you were looking for an oldie. PM me if you want his details.

Billy

G Luxel

DaveCol wrote: »

It wasn't by any chance dark green with a white roof and minilites?
Was the reg PIM 91?
If so, it belongs to a well known member of the Irish Mini Owners Club who were on a camping weekend in Cahir last summer

yep, thats the one. I think there were only 4 mini coopers sold here before the 1275 GT took over in 1971.

MercMad

G Luxel wrote: »

yep, thats the one. I think there were only 4 mini coopers sold here before the 1275 GT took over in 1971.

.............I know of one I thinks its an eggshell type colour, I havent seen it since about 1983 or so but the owner still has it and is a member of the IVVCC. I spoke last to him about 5 years ago and he was restoring it.

Maybe some of you know it. Actually my memory is bad it could actually be a different colour, may have been primer I saw !

There was also a lovely Mini Clubman in the Portmarnock area in the mid 80's reg no. 1275 ZO, white very nice, very fast !

Kevin_Herron

Ben,
are you thinking of Mike Dennehy?
He has KZE 1, an original Cooper.

MorrisCooper

Mike Dennehy's MK1 is a 1963 1071S Cooper. It's actually Tweed Grey.

Here it is at the start of last year's Malin to Mizen run. His co-driver was Robin McCullogh, former President of the IVVCC



Billy

Kevin_Herron

I also remember two other Coopers, PZH 3 and HIO333.

Any idea if these are still around?

MorrisCooper

PZH3 sounds familiar but here's another I photo'd about 15 years ago. Like mine when I bought it 18 years ago, it was all one colour i.e. no white roof



Billy

DaveCol

Kevin_Herron wrote: »

I also remember two other Coopers, PZH 3 and HIO333.

Any idea if these are still around?

Here is HIO 333 at the Jaguar & Daimler Club Show when it was in St Augustines in Blackrock. It belonged to Frank Fennell then and probably still does now. I am guessing that was 1991 or 92

MercMad

Kevin_Herron wrote: »

Ben,
are you thinking of Mike Dennehy?
He has KZE 1, an original Cooper.

.............yep thats the car and thats the chap. I've known Mike since I was a kid and he lived in Monaghan beside my uncles house. My uncle had a moxy load of Morris Minors and a lovely Daimler Sovereign, reg. 469 ZO.

Mike always had Alfa Romeo's, a red chrome bumpered Sud, and then he bought a new white Guilietta, VBI 165, replaced by a new blue Renault 18 Turbo, which I believe he still has.I thought its reg was 425 CZO but that doesn't show on Cartell, perhaps due to lack of use.

The Mini was always in his garage, under dust sheets, I onlye ever caught a glimpse of it on a few occasions.

The last time I spoke with Mike was at my uncles funeral, though I have seen him at various events since.

red_ice

might have one fellas! woo!

DaveCol

Get some photos up when you get it!

red_ice

Had a mk1 radford 1275 cooper S with heritage that we were eying up for a while, just went to book the flights, but first called the guy with it to see if would be around, he sold it the day before. This was last week.

Its getting to the point where my dads going mental now. Checking 4/5 different sites every day for a good price. This is taking up a couple of hours a day every day.

Theres an empty garage, painted white, snap-on tools on order and apparently 4 of the 6 tools that you must have to work on a mini (what ever they are). Its like a woman waiting on an adopted kid she may or may not get.

Its gotten to the the point where we are looking over seas... far over seas. Can import from America, Australia, you name it we will consider it. On the condition that theres a heritage cert and its in decent nick.

Can anyone help out here? Im sick of looking at the same useless sites day in day out.

Will settle for other engine sizes too. Any input will help!

Cheers.

DaveCol

I wouldn't get too hung up on a Heritage Cert. There could be plenty of genuine Cooper S's out there without one, and you can be pretty sure there are plenty of fakes with one. All it takes is a chassis number to apply for a cert.

MorrisCooper

Have you tried the Mini Cooper Register? There are usually some decent ones for sale either in their monthly magazine or on their website.

Billy

Traumadoc

or looked elsewhere?
http://www.carpoint.com.au/used-car/MINI/COOPER%20S/Victoria/csn5049818.aspx

( I know nothing about minis)

red_ice

Traumadoc wrote: »

or looked elsewhere?
http://www.carpoint.com.au/used-car/MINI/COOPER%20S/Victoria/csn5049818.aspx

( I know nothing about minis)

Thats what we were looking for, thats the exact model.. but not completely trashed like that!

We can do Australia, Cheers!

MorrisCooper wrote: »

Have you tried the Mini Cooper Register? There are usually some decent ones for sale either in their monthly magazine or on their website.

Billy

Ill give that a look now, thanks

<edit>
Nothing on the car register...

That austrailian site has 3 mk1 cooper S'. Passing on the word now. Thanks!
</edit>

Traumadoc

Another one here but they are looking for 18k euro. ex police car!

http://www.classicthrottleshop.com/classics.htm

red_ice

Quality! Thanks for the help!

We are in talks with a guy about a 1275 morris cooper S right now. Its been modded a fair bit, so we will see how it comes out. Ill keep you all updated!

Thanks again

biggus

Her's a couple up north for you




http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C89141/



And a bit of value £3100



http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C92702/