1969 Austin Mini 1000 Mk2 to Cooper S Monte Carlo Rally Spec

Developed in tandem with the standard 997cc Mini Cooper was a more powerful Mini Cooper, dubbed the "S" and released in 1963. It featured a 1071cc engine and nitrided steel crankshaft, strengthened bottom end to allow further tuning and servo-assisted disc brakes. Cooper also produced two S models specifically for circuit racing in the under 1000cc and under 1300cc classes respectively, rated at 970cc and a 1275cc, both with the 70.61mm bore and both of which were also offered to the public. The smaller-engine model was less well received, and only 963 had been built when the model was discontinued in 1965. The 1275cc Cooper S models continued in production until 1971.

The Mini Cooper S earned acclaim with Monte Carlo Rally victories in 1964, 1965 and 1967. Minis were initially placed first, second and third in the 1966 rally as well, but were disqualified after a controversial decision by the French judges. BMC probably received more publicity from the disqualification than they would have gained from a victory!

The car offered here today is officially a 1969 Mk2 Austin Mini 1000, but its meticulous restoration is in tribute to Paddy Hopkirk success with BMC as this car sympathetically replicates a Works Mk1 Austin Mini Cooper S Monte Carlo Rally. Even the licence plate is a 1964 period plate bought for the car to substantiate the look.

The original bodywork is from a 1969 Mk2 shell converted to Mk1 by replacing all tired or rusty panels, re-metalling where necessary, which included incredibly rare Group 2 alloy (not plastic!) wheel arches before the entire car was repainted in iconic Works colours of Red with Old English White roof and Old English White bonnet stripes.

The conversion to Mk1 included the addition of correct rear lights, boot, front grille and bonnet. The engine bay was painted matt black as per the Works cars. The dashboard area and inner front window pillars were also painted black in a nod to how the cars were prepared in period. The underside is undersealed throughout.

Interior Replica Works driver and navigator steel dashboards, hand built and wired cost over £1000, painted black, and fitted with the following gauges and switch gear, all switches are wired into relays and fuses (under the navigators dash) and live:

1. 2 x Heuer 7710 period rally stopwatches mounted to the navigator's dash (in original packaging worth £200 each). 2. 12V power socket to navigator dash. 3. Chrome dash board pea lights to both navigator and drivers dash. 4. Smith's BMC 8000 RPM rev counter to driver dash. 5. Extended flick toggle switch for screen wash to driver dash. 6. Wiper flick switch and wiper delay switch. 7. Push/pull switch for dash board chrome pea lights to driver dash. 8. Hazards push-pull switch to driver dash. 9. Front heated windscreen flick switch to driver dash (ready for screen to drop in and connect). 10. Front spot lamp push-pull switch with light to driver dash. 11. Front fog lamp push-pull switch with light to driver dash. 12. Rear spot lamp push-pull switch with light to driver dash. 13. Electric cut-out key to driver's dash.

Panel mounted Lucas fuse boxes and relays for all the dash switching gear. All wiring is there. Speedwell rally switch extensions. Cooper S 130mph speedometer. Replica Corbeau Alpine bucket seats. FIA spec 3" strap 4 point harnesses and buckles. FIA spec rear roll cage. FIA spec fire extinguisher mounted to roll cage. Black carpets and underlining. Black rear seat and parcel shelf. Internal (nearside) mounted rally electric screen washer bottle to passenger side wheel arch. Battery cut-out key in boot. Butlers navigator light to passenger side door (mounted but needs wiring to spare relay/fuse under dash). Paddy Hopkirk Accelerator pedal extension. BMC navigators rally grab handle to dash rail. Original period Mountney Aluminium/Black Leather Steering Wheel fixed to aluminium Tulip Hub. Engine is 1275 A+ stripped, rebored and rebuilt to 1310cc by Ratt Racing of Torquay. The engine was then fitted to gearbox, and then the car, by Tupman's Minis of Devon. New Engine number is RR1310127116TM, it has been dyno tested at 91bhp, so is mildly tuned.

Engine/Gearbox/set-up specification is:

1. 2 core sports radiator.2. 40105 Facet Competition Fuel Pump. 3. Straight cut transfer gear set and spacer. 4. Duplex Gear and Timing Chain Set. 5. GLP123 Oil Pump. 6. AEM91886-00LB Standard Main Bearings. 7. AEB91306-00LB Standard Big End Bearings. 8. AEA5306 Cam Bearing Set. 9. CMS13 Centre Main Strap. 10. CRST13 Road Race Camshaft Kit & Valve Springs (Ratt Racing special cam). 11. 22A598 Lightened Clutch Back Plate. 12. Maniflow 1 7/8" Twin Box Exhaust. 13. Maniflow LCB. 14. P-25203 +40 Enlarged Pistons. 15. C-AEG421 Flywheel Steel Road/Rally Inertia Starter. 16. GCP204AF AP Fast Road Clutch Plate. 17. GWP187 Competition Water Pump. 18. 21A1108 Engine Steady Ferrule. 19. Single 3/4 HIF44 Carburettor. 20. Electronic Ignition System. 21. Competition Coil. 22. Special Tuning 4 Blade Steel Radiator Fan. 23. Mk2 Cooper 3-synchro remote gearbox, rubber joint type.

Exterior chrome lockable petrol cap. Mk1 rear licence plate holder & lights. 2 period Lucas spot lamps and 2 period Lucas fog lamps. WIPAC halogen headlamps. Mk1 Austin Cooper S grille and moustache. Mk1 stainless steel bumpers with over-riders. Black vinyl licence plate to bonnet. Cooper S Rally replica brown leather bonnet strap. 10" Minator Minilite wheels with A008 Yokohama road/race tyres (Spare is a 10" 100+ Minilite with tyre). Mk1 Austin Cooper S badging to front and rear. White vinyl roundels to doors with removable magnetic numbers. BMC Rosettes to wings & boot. Decals to sides (Spax, Millers Oil, Yokohama, Heuer Sports Timing). Boot mounted Lucas 576 Reversing Lamp. Monte Carlo bonnet decal. Abingdon works rally replica roof rack (brand new from Bryan Purves at a cost of over £400). Works Replica front rubber splash guards. Chrome door mirrors and Cooper S window surrounds. Suspension and brakes are Cooper S 7.5" disc conversions to front. 21A1270 Cooper S Upgraded Drive Flanges. Four Pot MiniSport competition brake callipers and EB6627 Brake Pads. Cooper S Brake Servo Upgrade. Cooper S master brake cylinder. GBD106 Cooper S rear brake drums with spacers. New sports steering quick rack 2.2 turns recently fitted. GHK1548 Timken Cooper S taper roller rear wheel bearings. Competition front tie bars. Adjustable bottom arms. Hydrolastic suspension. Adjustable rear cambers. Copper brake lines with aeroquip brake hoses.

In summation, this is a wonderfully appointed Mini with a value in spares significantly ahead of our guide price. The vendor received a recent insurance valuation at £15,000 based largely on the sum of its parts and what it would conservatively cost to build again. The styling is fantastic and has been very sympathetically replicated to Works specification. As such, this car is a real head-turner. It goes as well as it looks, and sounds great too!

With only 3000 miles travelled (mostly to Mini events, heritage runs and shows) since the engine was fitted in 2009, the engine is now fully shaken down and performing faultlessly. There is some minor damage to the top hinge of the driver's door where a small dent has appeared as a result of the door swinging open too widely. The defect could be relatively easily repaired. In truth, it is only noticeable in some lights.

Anyone that knows replicas will know that you could never stop in trying to achieve the perfect look, but we're confident all this car now begs for is the Halda timing gauge and a suitable event to see what she can do!....