6 replies to this topic

[benspickup2011]

i am currently looking at several 1960^s mini coopers. some have heritage certificates some dont but do say either Austin or morris cooper on the log book. i had my heart set on one. its a 1965 mk1 Austin cooper. however no the cc it says 1000 cc. is this just a dvla error or likely to be something more sinister? i just don't want to spend lots of money on something that isn't what it says on the tin! thanks for your thoughts, cheers Ben

[Steely]

Do you have the link to the one your looking at?

[Dan]

Why would it be a mistake?

[Tamworthbay]

Why would it be a mistake?

I am guessing because it isn't 997cc

[benspickup2011]

this is my thinking. surely i should say 997cc! i guess you could try and chance the log book though?

[Dan]

Why would you need to? It is a 1 litre car as much as any other (a '65 would be 998 though wouldn't it?). What it says on the registration is whatever the Saturday boy from the dealership wrote on the application when he went to the local licensing office (which would have just been a council department then, pre DVLA), and which has since been transcribed by hand or typewriter countless times before finally ending up on a computerised system. When this car was born there wasn't a centralised database of car models that officials could select from with the exact model name and type referenced to VIN as there is now. What is on the reg is just exactly what the data entry clerk typed in, based on what he thought he read from someone's hand written application. If the Saturday boy or dealership secretary or whoever was told 'Just nip up the road and register these three 1 litre Mini Coopers, that Minor and this 1800' they would do just that, they probably didn't know the spec of the cars. You get all sorts of rubbish written on old registrations for this reason. You're lucky this is all that's wrong!

[Cooperman]

Before buying any Cooper or Cooper 'S' you need to research what you should be checking as there are simply loads of replicas out there.

Even with that knowledge it is still easy to buy a replica, but at least you will be giving yourself a better-then-evens chance of getting a genuine one.

The engine was 997 up until he end of 1963, then they went to 998, although there were 997 cars still coming out of dealers in 1964. The 997 is a horrible engine, but the 998 did transform the car.

A 998 has bigger brake callipers than a 997, but the same size discs, 7" dia x 1/4" thick.

All 997 & 998 Coopers have a 3-dial centre dash binnacle with a 100 mph speedo (the 850 had a 90 mph speedo).

In he boot there should be a boot board supported over the spare wheel on boot board brackets.

There should be chrome rim over the tops of the doors.

The Morris & Austin have different grills from the 850's, and from each other.

The Coopers have twin HS2 carbs with a 3-into-1 fabricated manifold, although most will have had this item replaced by a tubular steel one by now.

Gear change should be a remote shifter in an aluminium alloy extension with the lever between the seats.

Inside the Cooper the top & bottom dash rails and right up the A-posts should be covered in black leather-cloth.

There are other minor things which a Cooper will have.

However, any replica will probably have all the above correct, so it is still 'buyer beware'.