Mk1 Mini Cooper

[Popcorn]

It's a Rover Cooper 1275 SPI (single point injection) by the looks of it.

 

[Exuptoy]

Correct. It was the second year that Rover produced the new and rereleased Cooper in conjunction with JC himself. The first was the RSP (Rover Special Projects) distinguished by the wheel nuts being at the base of the spoke not between them. (Anorak, moi?)

 

[Popcorn]

Yeah the left over wheels from the Mini Thirty, in '89

 

[Exuptoy]

Haha, yeah.

 

[Olderisbetter]

I had a 89/ 90 Cooper the last of the carb ones that was so rusty it got cut up but all the parts are going into my 1978 shell which is not a bad shell at all, it just needs a new front end, some wings, sills, main floor, boot floor and rear end

 

[minimutly]

Correct. It was the second year that Rover produced the new and rereleased Cooper in conjunction with JC himself. The first was the RSP (Rover Special Projects) distinguished by the wheel nuts being at the base of the spoke not between them. (Anorak, moi?)

The first Coopers had a single carb - i have the power unit and wheels from it here, the rest dissolved. It was first prize in some competition or other, sadly it didn't go to a good home.

 

[KemppiFrog]

The first Coopers had a single carb - i have the power unit and wheels from it here, the rest dissolved. It was first prize in some competition or other, sadly it didn't go to a good home.

My bro had a 997, with twin SU 1 1/4"s. Are you sure the first ones had a single? I thought they used Sprite bits.

 

[Cobbler]

My bro had a 997, with twin SU 1 1/4"s. Are you sure the first ones had a single? I thought they used Sprite bits.

That’s right, twin SUs, if I recall the manifold was slightly shorter to get the carbs in without fouling the bulkhead. Could be wrong on that, but definitely twin carbs.

 

[KemppiFrog]

That’s right, twin SUs, if I recall the manifold was slightly shorter to get the carbs in without fouling the bulkhead. Could be wrong on that, but definitely twin carbs.

My mother was looking for a new car after her A40 Farina.. I nixed her choice of a 50s RR from Derby and she got a new Mini (this in 65..) She got a bit miffed that our Minis were more sporty, so I picked up a Speedwell kit (Oh! the Nostalga) with twin Amal carbs and double valve springs, so it would rev a bit more. Cheered her up no end. The Amals were on two seperate manifolds and horizontal, so no air cleaners. Speedwell said that over 30k miles, the lack of air cleaners made no difference. Hummm.

 

[tom2207]

I had a 89/ 90 Cooper the last of the carb ones that was so rusty it got cut up but all the parts are going into my 1978 shell which is not a bad shell at all, it just needs a new front end, some wings, sills, main floor, boot floor and rear end

ah , you got a good one , the chromes still good ..

 

[Popcorn]

Think @minimutly is talking about the Rover Coopers, not the original sixties Coopers.

 

[xmetal]

This thread reminds of years ago when I was helping a mate out with his Mini Cooper S. I thought I was doing him a favour by by cleaning the dried on mud and and dirt by his left headlight. When the dirt was cleared out his headlight fell out as it was only that that was holding it in. He was not pleased but I told him I was doing him a favour as the MOT inspector would have likely picked it up. It was funny at the time though.

 

[KemppiFrog]

Think @minimutly is talking about the Rover Coopers, not the original sixties Coopers.

Thanks
Being away from the scene for years, I was not even aware that Rover had 're-invented' the Mini, So things like injection were not in the picture. Lasr one I fixed was in '89, when a drunk smacked the g/box on a rock. Car belonged to a girl I liked, so I found another box and fixed it. Not driven one since.

 

[Exuptoy]

If I remember, if the purchaser of the 1990/1991 RSP elected to add the S Pack to the Cooper, JC Garage fitted twin SUs, big valve head, and Konis.
A very rare beast indeed today.
Only 1050 were built for Uk shores To see if there was still a market for the Cooper.

 

[Exuptoy]

Here was mine. I still miss it!
H994MKG.

 

[Exuptoy]

I had an Elf for a while too!

 

[Exuptoy]

A couple of Clubmans (1972(?) and 1980, an Equinox, 93 1.3SPi Sprite, an ex gasboard van (seriously wish that was still about, bought it for £50 sold it for £120!!!), 1980 Mayfair and a fully deseamed and deguttered mid 70’s 1000. Sure I’ve forgotten a few!

 

[Olderisbetter]

I used to buy sell swap cars when i was younger and managed to get a 1275 cooper S mk2 as a trade in, a friend was so impressed with how well it went i sold it him and he managed to roll it very fast but i got it back for spares and off the body went to the car park in the sky, years later i sold the engine and gearbox and most of the other bits and just had a big box of bit which i opened not that long back and they were all the add ons from Downton tuning which a very enthusiastic mini man paid more than his wife's shoe collection for and was very happy to have them.

 

[minimutly]

That’s right, twin SUs, if I recall the manifold was slightly shorter to get the carbs in without fouling the bulkhead. Could be wrong on that, but definitely twin carbs.

Sorry, I was referring to the OP's late mini cooper, not the original 997. Of course they were twin carbed, I have one here actually, retirement project, or sooner if I can get the motorbikes and trikes bug out of my system....

 

[minimutly]

I used to buy sell swap cars when i was younger and managed to get a 1275 cooper S mk2 as a trade in, a friend was so impressed with how well it went i sold it him and he managed to roll it very fast but i got it back for spares and off the body went to the car park in the sky, years later i sold the engine and gearbox and most of the other bits and just had a big box of bit which i opened not that long back and they were all the add ons from Downton tuning which a very enthusiastic mini man paid more than his wife's shoe collection for and was very happy to have them.

That Mk2 S would be £20 to £30 grand now, even with a mangled shell....