1967 Austin Mini Cooper S Group 2 Works Replica

Having followed the exploits of Paddy Hopkirk, Henry Liddon, Rauno Aaltonen and Tony Ambrose in their little red and white Mini Coopers during the mid-1960s, our vendor grew up wanting a 1275 S for longer than he could remember. The Works Cooper S Monte Carlo victory of Makinen and Easter in 1965 set the seal on it, and nothing else would do until he was the proud owner of a proper 1275 S.

His first Mini was a nearly-new Mini Deluxe, but the prohibitive cost of a Cooper S, at the time, ruled it out. Until one day, he acquired LTV 444F, a one-owner car back in 1989 that was in a serious state of disrepair, essentially a rolling shell. The plan was to create a 'Works tribute' with the intention of doing a bit of rallying. Plan A was to paint it Tartan Red and Old English White and do a quick job, however, 'the best laid plans of mice and men' and all that meant that Plan B or perhaps a bit further down the alphabet was the reality when he realised quite how much needed to be done. The car was almost complete, however it was mostly in boxes. There were a good number of parts missing and this is where the timeframe simply got away.

Off it went to RestoraSports, his local specialists, for a full restoration, welding and painting and so on, but they were professionals and enthusiasts, and it was decided by all concerned that they should do it properly. Stripped to the bare metal, the shell was seam-welded, as per the original works cars, to build the structural integrity. The engine was rebuilt by Dave Palmer, likewise the suspension and drivetrain. A straight-cut box was purchased complete and the dry suspension maintained. Our client had gradually realised during the early 1990s that he was becoming disinclined to actually rally the car as it meant too much to him and had become a labour of love, and rally cars have a hard life and bump into things, so the decision was taken to transform LTV into the very best Works Replica he could create. Acquiring parts was to prove difficult, of course, as many parts had been tailor-made for the original cars. The original engine is still fitted, but its now been taken out to 1,310cc and has a Richard Longman 12G940 head. With compression ratio of 11.5:1, its important to be careful about the fuel used.

An Autospark wiring loom of the works-type was located and fitted and period-correct harnesses were sourced with aircraft buckles of the type in the works cars. Likewise, twin Heuer clocks and a Halda Twinmaster were acquired at a substantial cost even then, and if you could find them now they may cost £5,000 or more alone. The dashboard in Works cars was padded to prevent distractions when driving at night, likewise here and the small frame above the steering wheel to contain driver’s notes is replicated. Many an expert has been fooled by just how well put together this tribute is, even some drivers of a similar vintage. Parts were acquired over a long period of time by our vendor, never willing to compromise, he simply waited to find the right part rather than making do. Who knows where you would find a set of original BMC mud flaps? The replication of every detail of the factory cars is remarkable, perhaps even a little obsessive, but the end result was absolutely worth it. 

13-years later, the car was almost ready, but our vendor couldn't bring himself to put it at risk, and so it has simply been cherished ever since. First running and shown in 2002, this tribute is a remarkable testament to the ingenuity and determination of one man. LTV 444F has a BMIHT Heritage Certificate and is supplied with a substantial quantity of invoices and correspondence from the last 30-years

Given that Works cars now command prices well in excess of £150,000, this remarkable tribute is offered at a guide so inviting, that anyone who ever wanted to be Paddy Hopkirk, Rauno Aaltonen. Timo Makinen or Tony Fall might be tempted to acquire this one, whether for their own Collection or to enjoy occasionally on club road rallies or regularity runs.