'68 Mk2 Morris Cooper S...

[JC T ONE]

Update... this is what it looks like now...!

Ahh the one from the article in the MCR mag

D1,s look SOO nice but especially on MK II,s

[UWD 672G]

just my eyes or the rear windows look small like the mk1 on the first pic's?

Your mince pies aren't deceiving you Fred - when it was restored way back in '91 it was reshelled into a late Mk1 shell (burgundy by the traces of paint inside parts of it), probably because it was the only (relatively) abundant pukka '60s shell available at the time, the firm who did the work weren't Mini specialists but fair play to them, they did make a decent job of fitting the Mk2 rear light apertures and transferred everything over from the original shell, bar the wiper motor and some of the glass. Steve Burkinshaw of the MCR had a hand in sourcing the car for the last owner and Nick Hunter has seen fit to feature it in his Mk2 S Registrar column, so if it's good enough for Steve and Nick it's good enough for me. As it stands now though, the shell is still at the stage where I could get Tim down at Napton to fit a new rear panel with the correct full width screen aperture (or modify the existing shell to suit), a big job but probably worth doing in the long run as I intend to keep the car (it is without doubt the best Mini I've ever driven or owned). In the unlikely event I did ever sell it on though, I'd make a point of being up front about it and declaring any such mods, as apposed to pulling the wool over any potential purchaser's eyes.

I await the reshelling Police's brickbats with tin hat on etc, etc ... I certainly don't want to cause any offence by that statement, far from it, but there are so many otherwise pukka 60s Minis out there that have been so treated I think life is just too short to worry about it, unless of course someone is deliberately trying to pull a fast one which is another matter altogether. Those nice MGB chappies with their new Heritage shells don't seem to get as wound up about the subject as us Mini types, not that I've read or heard about anyway!

At a rainy Beaulieu in 2011 one of the Radford's on display was a '65 car in a modified Mk2 Shell, and Colin Taylor down at Southam Mini & Metro has a lovely 1071 S... also in a Mk2 shell but with Mk1 light clusters grafted back on... however both of these cars to me are still 'right' and there are plenty others around in a similar state. We all know there are Works cars out there that have been through more than one shell with Austin badges at one end and Morris badges at the other, GRX 5D is now in a Mk2 shell and think how many clever changes occured 'on paper' in the good old days of hand written buff or green log books...! Admittedly, if my car had been reshelled into a Mk3 or 4 or something esle, I wouldn't have bothered going to look at it as that particular avenue just doesn't appeal to me, but whatever anyone else thinks of my car to me it's a pukka 60s Mini with 'grin factor' aplenty and enough original core parts to be what it says on the tin. Everything on the car bar it's electronic ignition will be in period, I have a real 'thing' for late the late '60s / early '70s era and the 1970 Rover P5B Coupe I've just bought is being treated the same way. The idea is to get the S looking how it would have done if I'd been old enough to buy it back in '68, hence the Dunlop D1s, rev counter, recliners, Moto-Lita wheel etc, the only serious deviation from factory spec being the choice of colour, which at the moment is still on course to be the same shade of monotone dark blue as the W&P Mk2 S recently sold by John Hummel

All that aside I'm itching to get the S back now and get driving it again!

Nidge.

[WMU 211G]

(was previously registered as UWD 672G )

Got a call from the workshop last week to say the shell has been painted, thought I'd post a quick piccie.... the colour we've gone for after much to-ing and fro-ing is called 'Barossa', a very nice fruity shade of deep metallic purple which looks similar to the W&P Mk2 S on the cover of Mark Stewarts book, and the one that belonged to Jeff Banks in the late '60s... the pic probably doesn't do it justice (it looks a different shade in every pic I've taken so far, almost black in some cases)...

[Ollie78]

I like it, similar colour to the 72 black tulip 1275 GT I once owned. My car had a geranium interior, are you going to keep the black interior on your S?

[WMU 211G]

I like it, similar colour to the 72 black tulip 1275 GT I once owned. My car had a geranium interior, are you going to keep the black interior on your S?

Cheers Ollie78.... yes the black interior is staying, the car came to me with Newton Commercial replica recliners in black which are so comfortable they're definitely going back in! The door and rear quarter panel trims are still in good enough nick to go back in too but some other smaller bits are being replaced. The original headling is still ok but the usual glue stains make it look a bit rough so I'm thinking about painting it black (I like dark cosy interiors) or covering it with some other black material. The dash liners are a bit ropey to be honest but the plan is to fit a period Rokee wooden dash kit if I can find a nice dark one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Contemplating putting a Nardi style steering wheel in too to add a bit of late '60s pizzaz... just want ot get it back on the road first though, I've not driven it for nearly fourteen months! Spent an hour or so yesterday repainting the Benelite grille but it could do with being done by a professional really. I'm sitting here waiting for the new carpet and a few other bits to arrive from Newton's, plus I nipped out to Minispares this morning to pick up a new rear screen and battery... by the end of next week I'm hoping the refit will be all but complete...

[WMU 211G]

A bit more progress yesterday, not much but it gets us closer to the finishing line...

WMU 211G Deep Purple #2.jpg

WMU 211G Deep Purple #3.jpg

[WMU 211G]

Missed one off that last post...

WMU 211G Deep Purple #5.jpg

[WMU 211G]

A bit more progress this week...

WMU 211G Deep Purple #7.jpg

WMU 211G Deep Purple #8.jpg

WMU 211G Deep Purple #9.jpg

When the new front panel went on we made a point of getting the diagonal brace bang on but offering up the benelite grille it wouldn't fit, so the brace had to be removed... very odd! Doesn't really matter though as it won't be seen

[WMU 211G]

Almost done now, just the rear screen beading to go in then it's going for an MOT next week... still a few more period shiny bits I'd like to add but I'm very happy with the way it's turned out...

[coopertim]

What a fantastic looking car! Love the colour and the black and silver plates really do look the part against it. Very very nice!

Tim

[foxy52]

What a fantastic looking car! Love the colour and the black and silver plates really do look the part against it. Very very nice!

Tim

Totally agree a proper car that's had a lot of tlc !!!!....another time ill prob have mine painted a coach built colour.. bi the bi.. if u want yoko,s for yer orig d1,s try George Polley Motosport in Cambridge ao32r advans for 48 plus vat a pop delivered !! great service..(rec supplier by Yokohama UK)..foxy52

[InimiaD]

What, me jealous.?
Looks ab fab. Cracking job.

[miniminor]

the usual glue stains make it look a bit rough

"We make them all like that sir"
Why the colour change, thought it looked gorgeous in blue?

[Old English White]

Congratulations on following your heart and making it look a bit "different" . I like Island Blue/White too but there are plenty of them and it is a nice change to see a car restored to the owner's personal taste. It's what we ALL did in the 1970s Well done, it looks great!

[WMU 211G]

the usual glue stains make it look a bit rough

"We make them all like that sir"
Why the colour change, thought it looked gorgeous in blue?

I think my car came with everyone else's share of Longbridge glue stains to be frank!

The change of colour was down to a few things... I do like Island Blue / White and all the other BMC shades across the Mk1,2 and 3 range, it's my third Island Blue Mini, but having always been a fan of Radfords, W&Ps etc I fancied something a bit different from the accepted norm. Over the last couple of years I've noticed a lot of blue & white Mk1s and 2s at shows so it's not exactly a rare combination - by the time we'd got to the point where we had to choose a colour and stick with it, the darker blues, maroons and purples of coachbuilt Minis, Rollers etc had taken root. It did look fab in blue and the original plan was to just put a new front end on it then give it a fresh top coat but you know what happens when you start with an idea and the goalposts start moving half way through! I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but it is only paint and anyway it's what a lot of folk did with their Minis back in the day, which brings me back to 'where my head' is with the car now (for want of a better expression)... I think I've said it elsewhere but once the colour choice had been made I wanted the car to look as it would have had I been old enough in '68 to walk into Stewart & Ardern's gaff in West London and say ''righto chief, I want a new 1275 S but can you paint it purple, make everything black inside, bung some of those newfangled Dunlop wheels on and bolt a few nice goodies on while you're at it please?''...! I'd set my mind on doing it 'Pacific Blue' the same as John Hammel's W&P Mk2 S, then I came across a lovely Gordon Keeble at the NEC in 'Aston Martin Royal Cherry', a solid maroony purple shade which we were all set to order until I came across a darker metallic version which is what we ended up going with.

I should be picking it up next week but even then there are still some things I want to do to it / add on (particularly with regard to the interior and dropping the rear end down a bit), above all though I just want to get it back home and start driving it again...

[WMU 211G]

[ Meant to say... ta for the comments gents - and Foxy, thanks for the nod regards those Yokos ]

[WMU 211G]

A problem with the carbs on first start up meant a visit to Southam M&MC for a bit of fettling, fingers crossed it should be sorted today or tomorrow...

WMU 211G Southam #1.jpg

While I was down there they had a pair very nice Mk1 S's in, a 970 (surf blue) and a 1071 (almond green)...

1965 Mk1 970 S Southam #1.jpg

1964 Mk1 Morris Cooper 1071 S.jpg

[foxy52]

[ Meant to say... ta for the comments gents - and Foxy, thanks for the nod regards those Yokos ]

....yer welcome re ao32 r,s..I reckon 48 +VAT is brill for just about the best road/race tyre u can buy for yer mini...ctc Stephen..family run biz for yonks !!! on 01354 688111.....oh and !! Peter Baldwin for super tuning/setting up/rolling road not a million miles from us Royston way !!!..also agree with what u say re colour schemes as John Hammels WP mk 2S is a real beaut of a car....foxy52...

[WMU 211G]

Brought the wee beastie home yesterday at long last - the drive back was a real blast, despite the noise I couldn't stop laughing...!

WMU 211G garage #1.jpg

[mk1coopers]

Looks great, and nice to see a car thats been done to the owners tastes rather than the heritage certificate for a change