1966 Morris Mini Cooper 'S' 1293

Road registered 1275 'S' Works homage club rally car. RAC/MSA Log Book

Superbly prepared. Great period detail. Gearbox completely rebuilt less than 500 miles ago

1293cc well-built engine, lightened and balanced and fitted with a Janspeed head. Around 100bhp

From nine-year ownership, Very lightly used and 'on the button'

It's amazing how many motoring images from three or four years in the mid-1960s have gone on to become almost iconic. Steve McQueen's Highland Green, Shelby 390GT with smoke pouring from the tortured rear tyres, Jim Clark's Lotus Cortina waving a wheel at the crowd, bespattered, orange and blue, Gulf GT40s crossing the finishing line at Le Mans, and anyone with even a passing interest in Rallying can instantly recall those night-time pictures of the world-beating works Mini-Cooper S' of Aaltonen, Makinen and Hopkirk battling through heavy snow on the Col de Turini in '65 and '66.

Given that lasting image, it's probably not surprising that, should you be considering restoring a genuine 1966 1275 'S' with some club rallying in mind, then the 'Works' cars of this period make a marvellous template.

This excellent example of an original UK 1275 Mk.1 Cooper 'S' has resided with the current owner for the last nine years. Whilst it has been prepared as a period Rally Car and has previously been issued with an RAC/MSA Log Book, the current owner has never used it for competition.

Finished in the classic period colour combination of Almond Green and Old English White, this car has been restored to an exceptional standard using only correct period components and modifications.

Most motorsport events, including circuit racing and rallying, were divided into classes with small saloons able to run up to 1300cc. Homologation regulations allowed re-boring to within factory recommended limits and the 1275cc standard engine could legally be bored to '+60 thou' giving a swept volume of 1293cc and a few more bhp. Every little bit helps and this became fairly standard practice with teams running the 1275 'S'.

CJD 69D is indeed powered by a 1293cc unit that has been lightened and balanced and fitted with a Janspeed head and, we understand, produces around 100hp on the rolling road. It's fitted with a competition clutch, Salisbury LSD diff, s/c c/c gearbox, uprated driveshafts, adjustable suspension (dry), camber blocks and tie bars, Bilstein shock absorbers, competition rubber cones, and silver painted Minilite wheels.The interior is fitted with a full 'works' spec dash, including a Halda Twinmaster, matched Heuer stopwatches, and a heated front screen.The Mini has been very lightly used since the rebuild and with only three previous owners the recorded mileage of 18,500 may well be correct but we cannot verify this. The car's history file contains some earlier MOTs and invoices for the engine build, etc.

There is no motoring event anywhere, large or small, that will not greet you with a grin when you arrive in this evocative '66 Cooper 'S'.