97 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

I just wonder why it has a 1963 registration number if it's basically a 1962 first registered car. How and why did the plate get changed for a later one thus making the car appear newer than it is. It cannot have been registered in 1962 with that number plate.
The chassis number will confirm what it should have been.

As said A plates were often issued much later in the 1980's and 90's as 'valueless' replacements when valuable non-year letter numbers were transferred off pre-63 vehicles. Therefore you could end up with a 1962 car with a 1963 A reg. (I asked DVLA for an A reg to be replaced on a pre-63 Mini 850 I bought a few years back because it looked wrong for the period and they had just changed the rules to allow this request and for free!)
Some local authorities did not adopt the new suffix format at first, sticking to their own schemes, but in 1965 (C Reg) the Suffix format was made compulsory across the UK.

Edited by mab01uk, 08 November 2012 - 06:52 PM.

[mk1coopers]

I had a A plate taken off a MK 2 (Ford Consol cough) when the DVLA started offering ths service, that was a pre 63 car and it got allocated a 3 letter 3 number 'RSK' plate, my 63 car has its original 3 number 3 letter plate and that was registered quite late in 63, I'm still thinking it's a 62' 997 upgraded to S spec, lets see some pictures so we can see if its a Cooper shell

[MIGLIACARS]

photos

Edited by MIGLIACARS, 08 November 2012 - 07:19 PM.

[mk3 Cooper S]

Looks like a 63 reg as a re-issued reg would be AOA XXXA OR AOBXXXA ETC.

Certainly has some cooper / s features,

Wrong ashtray and no black vynnl covering on the dash top,
Door cards could be cooper (unclear in photo's)
What type of headlining has it got?
Is the gearstick/handbrake chrome?

[JVA10L]

I think it's an aftermarket right hand tank because the strap should be on the other side of the seam. The three dial dash is the very early type with the two outer dials added to a white plastic centre dial, but I don't remember when this changed. The sliding windows have the early chrome bottons instead of the later plastic ones so this does look like an early car.

[Cooperman]

Is that an early roll-cage? It could have been a competition car which had a 1275 'S' engine/brakes, etc fitted to a 1962 car and which was then later re-shelled with an 850 early shell. Re-shelling with another used shell was quite legal back then and a great number of competition cars were re-shelled after being crashed, so nothing wrong with doing that.

[Artful Dodger]

Yup! I got a 62 850 with a mk2 cooper S shell with a miglia engine.. The V5 Should be colourful!!

[Cooperman]

There is a very well-known Historic Rally Cooper 'S' built from a 1961 Cooper 997 with a thick-flange 1310 cc block and all 'S' running gear. It's a winner and very nice. As far as all the other competitors are concerned it's an 'S'. Of course, purists may take another view.
There is also a 1960 Mini which was rallied as an 850, then turned into a 997 Cooper in 1962, then into full 'S' spec in 1964, all work being done by a BMC Main Dealer. It did loads of international events as a Cooper 'S' 1275 and still competes these days. Is it a Cooper 'S'?

[MIGLIACARS]

There is a very well-known Historic Rally Cooper 'S' built from a 1961 Cooper 997 with a thick-flange 1310 cc block and all 'S' running gear. It's a winner and very nice. As far as all the other competitors are concerned it's an 'S'. Of course, purists may take another view.
There is also a 1960 Mini which was rallied as an 850, then turned into a 997 Cooper in 1962, then into full 'S' spec in 1964, all work being done by a BMC Main Dealer. It did loads of international events as a Cooper 'S' 1275 and still competes these days. Is it a Cooper 'S'?

hello thanks for the help so far,
yes its a very early cage, dont think id like to be in there in a crash!!!!!!!
oh one more thing

engine number 9fsah

well im not sure what im going to do with her. options

1. nothing leave her to rot away
2. quick mot and a bit of work. drive on sundays
3. restore her properly
4. sell her on. as she is.

but what is she.

is she a cooper s as on the v5.
or will she be a cooper s replica

she defiantly not a modern day ringer is she. and has some nice bits on her.

id love to know its entire history from day one?????

all this aside i wonder how many genuine GENUINE COOPER S THERE ARE and how many are not???????

ok now for your honest professional opinions.

1. what is a genuine cooper s worth nowadays in very nice condition.

2. what is a genuine cooper s worth in this condition.

3. what do you thins is worth restored to a very nice standard.

obviously its only a rough guide.

what do you guys think i should do. ill decide over the weekend with the help of my good friend mr single malt.

i dont think restoration on this will be Hugh.
the front and back subframes , suspension and brakes are all newish and rebuilt, not mint looks like they were done years back and then just left to stand.
the body has no rust it doesnt need any body panels just a good paint job
looks like all or most of the parts are there.
i d say it needs a complete floor as although not rotten as hell i like to see a straight true floor nowadays.
obviously it will be stripped back to nothing.

but as she stands i think a week on her and £400 she would be on the road again. not a pretty site but road worthy.


let me know your thoughts.

no silly insults.

[iMurray]

I'll take it off you.

As is, if I can afford it!

Edited by iMurray, 09 November 2012 - 07:33 AM.

[ace01]

Bearing in mind the date of registration, I think it would be difficult to sell her as a Cooper S. I know the argument that Cooperman has given is that the car is effectively a Cooper S because of the spec, but to try and sell it as one these days would be incorrect and difficult with genuine Cooper Ss (in good condition) fetching 5 figure sums. If it were me I would find out more about it's history and I would probably keep it! Maybe even use it once it has had a quick MOT and recommision.

It looks as if it may have competed regularly in the 60s or 70s and there may be some info available on it. This in itself adds a bit of value and interest if you were to sell.

[paul1275s]

My opinion....

1. 15-25k depending on originality

2. 6k

3 8-10k

It has the makings of a very nice Mk1, it's got all the right bits and 95% of people on the street wouldn't know the diference between this and a matching numbers/never re-shelled Genuine Mk1 S anyway... It also has an interesting history. Stick a new floor in it, give it a daily driver respray and have some fun in it.

[pdaykin]

Personally, that is a vehicle to maintain, use and enjoy rather than do a "proper" restoration.

The age of registration and little details will never make it a proper S in most peoples eyes. The cost of getting all the details correct (and I'm sure that there will be lots of them when you really look at it) is silly - eg, the instruments.

Make of it what you want - dont worry about the "judges". And be honest if you want to sell it !
.

[Artful Dodger]

dont give it a full panel resto!

keep the age, the patina of the paint, and the general soul of the car, shiny new spanker cars just do not do it for me... :/


but seriously, if you are thinking of selling it, let me know, pre restoration 8)

[MIGLIACARS]

why what is it worth now