13 replies to this topic

[tomas6791]

How can  we tell if it is in fact the last car?

 

 

From the article:

As it turns out, the last classic Mini he tuned is now up for sale as we speak and it’s a beautiful by any standard. The 1998 Mini Cooper S has a 1.3-liter MPI engine under the hood and was even owned by John Cooper himself.

 

4 pictures and full article

 

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[Fast Ivan]

140 bhp? Not heard of any mini coming from Cooper with those figures, would have to be forced induction or 16v head surely if true.
Also weren't some of the Cooper sport 500's given the works treatment?

[CCX]

140 bhp? Not heard of any mini coming from Cooper with those figures, would have to be forced induction or 16v head surely if true.
Also weren't some of the Cooper sport 500's given the works treatment?

Agreed, I was shocked when I saw that figure, especially as it's meant to be an MPi engine as well.

[Cooperman]

The 'S-Works' MPI engines were claimed to give 90 bhp at the flywheel.

In fact they gave between 80 and 85 bhp in reality.

Without some sort of forced induction this one won't be giving 140 - nothing like it. The twin outlet exhaust will be losing a few bhp as well.

[blackbelt1990]

The twin outlet exhaust will be losing a few bhp as well.

What causes this? I've recently fitted the same exhaust myself!

[mk1leg]

even My 1380cc is 20bhp short of 140bhp.....so a std 1.3 JCW no way.........

[Fast Ivan]

 

The twin outlet exhaust will be losing a few bhp as well.

What causes this? I've recently fitted the same exhaust myself!

 

oops!!

[Fast Ivan]

https://www.google.c...miniforum.co.uk

[Cooperman]

Thanks Rob, that means I don't have to explain Bernoulli's Theorem and the way it applies to exhaust gas velocity/pressures (again!).

[CCX]

A couple of inaccuracies. "The last car owned by Sir John Cooper himself!". John Cooper never got the knighthood he deserved and H15 FUN was always the number on Mike Cooper's cars from his 1990 Mainstream Cooper with 'S' conversion no.1 and later the 1400S conversion right up to his current MINI Cooper.

The 1999 John Cooper brochure has a picture of a H15 FUN with John Cooper discussing it with Tony Franks. The car appears to be green in that picture but the seats, in the picture but not yet fitted, are the same. It was a one-off and intended to go "much, much faster" than the Mini Limo they prepared for Rover for the Frankfurt Motor Show. There is not much detail so it would be interesting to know more.

There are also pictures in the 2001 brochure but again without any detail.

True, that's another concern for me. In period it wore the plate H15 FUN as you say, but today it has the plate H15 'FUM', you can see it in this video at 1:52:

https://www.youtube....h?v=UKFZrubXliA

 

Definitely was Mike Cooper's car, no doubt about it. Also, I don't see how it was the last John Cooper converted car, as it was displayed at the Mini 40 @Silverstone event. I thought more cars were converted after that?

[Fast Ivan]

some of the last 500's were definitely converted

[Fast Ivan]

this looks to be, at least in part, genuine

there's a discussion on FB with contributions from ex JC employees, talking with fond memories of this car.....