The Cooper GP cam out in 1994 and was a limited edition run, produced to commemorate 35 years since the launch of the Mini and 35 years since Cooper's famous GP win, hence the name. They made just 35 of these (although apparently 2 were never made, more on this later). They have a range of unique features. The engines were essentially the Super Plus Kit available at the time, the interiors were especially trimmed in walnut with touched leather seats that were done to order in the US. Each car came with a unique */35 plaque on the dashboard. However, unlike other LE cars, there was no plaque anywhere else on the car. When I first got into minis I started reading about them and this was the one I always wanted!
The car I have is 29. However, this is not it's original number (I'll have to check the history to find out exactly what it was). The story is that the second owner (the first being John Cooper) lost the plaque. He wrote to JCG asking for a replacement plaque to be made, but was sent number 29 with a letter informing the owner that 29 hadn't been made and so he could have this plaque. An interesting little bit of history.
Fast forward to 2014 and I had the opportunity to buy the car, which I took. I bought with my heart, not my head and probably paid more than I should. In 2015 I had a slight prang in it and thought it would be the ideal opportunity to take it off the road and completely restore it to perfect condition, maybe with a couple of extra mods made to it such as electric windows (things that could be specced at the time).
It's now coming into 2018 and all I have been able to do is strip it right down. Some bits went straight away (the rear subframe was shot), but all of the bits that make it a Cooper Grand Prix are there. I have the correct engine, the seats, the plaque and other bits. I have even managed to source an original Janspeed exhaust with the square looking exit (which if you look at the early material is the exhaust it should have come with, although I only have the pipe and back box with square exit, not a full exhaust). It has the original wheels as well which are very rare in themselves, and were made especially to order for the Grand Prix to be as close as possible to the original Cooper alloys.
The car needs some work, rust in a few places (I'll try and get some pics up tomorrow) but from memory the off side sill and the whole rear corner bit where it joins, a it of work in the boot, and both air vents are shot (it looks like someone previous has welded good metal over bad). The near side sill and door have been done. Apart from that, the rest I think is surface rust and just needs a good clean and going over with a wire wool brush or rust treatment I would think.
The engine ran perfectly before being pulled from the car and has been stored in the garage ever since, covered. It pulled well and would accelerate through the gears no problems. The injection unit is mostly stripped to be cleaned up and rebuilt but that's as far as I got with that. The gearbox was mostly fine but from memory I think there was an issue selecting 2nd gear sometimes, either going from 1st or 3rd. I intended on a complete rebuild for the gearbox.
The bonnet has some surface rust, but from memory the boot lid is good. The drivers door will need a bit of work. I think it will need a new wiring loom as well as the old one was a bit knackered and as I was going for a good standard I wanted to just start again with a nice new wiring loom. I'm not even sure if I still have the old one.
The car is not quite complete but it is a very rare and collectible mini. Reported buyers of the GP upon its release were Michael Caine and Jackie Stewart. Two of the cars were made in LHD spec, one of which is in Tahiti Blue and last I knew was in the Netherlands. A few have been written off over the years, and with 2 not having been made there is likely less than 30 of these left available. They come up for sale so rarely that I am still surprised that I ever found this one. The only other member that I know of on here who has had one is Max and Paddy, although I may be wrong on this.
What are people's thoughts on a value for this car? I really don't want to sell it but needing a house and deposit and constant grief from the wife mean I might consider it if I could recover enough. I know I will regret it, and possibly even resent the wife for it in the future but I need to at least find out. I'm not on FB any more, but will likely rejoin and ask in the relevant JCG group and try a couple of other forums. The final option is stick it on eBay with a reserve price and see what happens.
Thanks in advance and I will try and get some pics in daylight over the next couple of days.
