HELP!!! Morris Mini Cooper S - BBW 924 J

[brian0marshall]

Hi,
New to the Forum so "Hi" to all of you.
Hope now that you can help me with any info on my "new toy".
The car was registered by Berkshire CC in May 1971 but not registered by 1st owner until 1973!
Registered as a MORRIS / Mini / Cooper S/ 1275cc AND was "Blackberry" in colour.
Engine No 8AMUH235764 and VIN No.B20D0012532
All the above info is taken from the DVLA photocopy of the "original green log book". The car has had 4 previous owners to me
The car has cloth (Grey / Black striped )nylon faced seats with mk2 Cooper S recliners . It also had a "Downton" full width wood dash, no air vent bullets. Downton "style" gear knob and period cone air filters (consistent with an early onversion made me wonder if it was a "Downton conversion" and used as a showcar. Mark has advised me to ask forum members as factory records were"lost" when factory closed.
To all appearances (twin Tanks, 130 speedo, "S" engine/steel drive shafts, welded boot board supports etc. she looks a mk111 (3) Morris Mini Cooper S. Moreover, she is great to drive, as currently, engine gives 95bhp at wheels and has dry suspension.
Once again and to repeat any info would be great.
Many Thanks in anticipation of your help.

[rich@minispares.com]

Hi,
New to the Forum so "Hi" to all of you.
Hope now that you can help me with any info on my "new toy".
The car was registered by Berkshire CC in May 1971 but not registered by 1st owner until 1973!
Registered as a MORRIS / Mini / Cooper S/ 1275cc AND was "Blackberry" in colour.
Engine No 8AMUH235764 and VIN No.B20D0012532
All the above info is taken from the DVLA photocopy of the "original green log book". The car has had 4 previous owners to me
The car has cloth (Grey / Black striped )nylon faced seats with mk2 Cooper S recliners . It also had a "Downton" full width wood dash, no air vent bullets. Downton "style" gear knob and period cone air filters (consistent with an early onversion made me wonder if it was a "Downton conversion" and used as a showcar. Mark has advised me to ask forum members as factory records were"lost" when factory closed.
To all appearances (twin Tanks, 130 speedo, "S" engine/steel drive shafts, welded boot board supports etc. she looks a mk111 (3) Morris Mini Cooper S. Moreover, she is great to drive, as currently, engine gives 95bhp at wheels and has dry suspension.
Once again and to repeat any info would be great.
Many Thanks in anticipation of your help.

the engine number you give is for an 850cc, the vin number given is actually the commission number and should start 'N20D' for a mk3 cooper s

the dvla could make a real mess of things in that period, particularly when handwritten records where manually re entered to produce the electronic records.


im not sure what a 'downton' full width wooden dash looks like?

[foxy52]

Hi,
New to the Forum so "Hi" to all of you.
Hope now that you can help me with any info on my "new toy".
The car was registered by Berkshire CC in May 1971 but not registered by 1st owner until 1973!
Registered as a MORRIS / Mini / Cooper S/ 1275cc AND was "Blackberry" in colour.
Engine No 8AMUH235764 and VIN No.B20D0012532
All the above info is taken from the DVLA photocopy of the "original green log book". The car has had 4 previous owners to me
The car has cloth (Grey / Black striped )nylon faced seats with mk2 Cooper S recliners . It also had a "Downton" full width wood dash, no air vent bullets. Downton "style" gear knob and period cone air filters (consistent with an early onversion made me wonder if it was a "Downton conversion" and used as a showcar. Mark has advised me to ask forum members as factory records were"lost" when factory closed.
To all appearances (twin Tanks, 130 speedo, "S" engine/steel drive shafts, welded boot board supports etc. she looks a mk111 (3) Morris Mini Cooper S. Moreover, she is great to drive, as currently, engine gives 95bhp at wheels and has dry suspension.
Once again and to repeat any info would be great.
Many Thanks in anticipation of your help.

....Sounds like u have bought a mongrel....nothing like the correct spec for an original mk 2 or mk 3 s type....be nice to see some pictures ???...I appreciate that not many cars of that age will be original but I am truly sceptical of a car built 70 or 71 not registered till 73 ??!!... soz to burst your bubble but it sounds like a crock of ***t to me.. I can be totally proved wrong and would like to be of course !!!....rgds foxy52

[Pete]

The car was registered by Berkshire CC in May 1971 but not registered by 1st owner until 1973!
Registered as a MORRIS / Mini / Cooper S/ 1275cc AND was "Blackberry" in colour.
Engine No 8AMUH235764 and VIN No.B20D0012532

B20D.. is the correct body number prefix (as opposed to vin/chassis number which should start XAD1) for a Mk3 S but the engine number is 850 as pointed out by Rich. I don't recall Blackberry being a colour option either ?

Don't quite understand the two dates of registration ?

The "problem" with Mk3's is that you can't get a heritage trace and so you're very dependant on the original chassis number being present or commission number because I've lost count of the number of logbooks I've seen and heard about (even today !) that were "uprated" to ' Cooper S' when the DVLC allowed such things to happen when an owner stuck a 1275 engine into an ordinary Mini. Your shell does sound right , has it got tabs welded to the rear bulkhead to secure the breather pipe for the right hand tank ?

Any photos of the car Brian ?

[Pete]

sounds like a crock of ***t to me..

Maybe slightly premature foxy ?

[foxy52]

sounds like a crock of ***t to me..

Maybe slightly premature foxy ?

...could be mate,..to much conflicting info so far... as u said 2 reg dates ?? a bit odd to me...be nice to see said vehicles pics ??... still sounds like a mongrel to me tho ??!! lol... foxy52

[rolesyboy]

......Even today.....

[251 ENG]

It is a mk3 S shell

[medwaybeat]

J plate is correct for 1970-71
There was talk that some mk3 S shells got built up as 850's once the S production stopped.

Sounds like an interesting car

[Blue Mk2]

welcome

the most important thing is "she is great to drive"

I was happily driving along at 55mph in a 60mph zone on a B road when you guessed it a 1 series I think.. loomed in the rear view mirror at a closing speed of who knows what

now cos im old now I try to ignore them these days

but I hate being chased, and they think im slow , well I am in an auto!

still first roundabout down to second no braking required and left far behind on my 145s!

34bhp vs who knows what

laugh I haven't stopped

this is why I love minis

this is why I spent six years nailing it back together!!!!

rant over

drive safely all !!

[Pete]

If you google the reg number this car has been discussed in other places before . Any comment from our resident Mk3 Meister ?

[brian0marshall]

Firstly, thanks to all of you for your contributions which are invaluable to me....... even the scepticle offerings.
Comments so far, I bought the car from a gent who has owned the car for 26 years, so the item listed in mini forum is/was almost certainly a scam. Yes the numbers are consistant with it being a, well let's say a replica!!(polite) However, it's the fact that the original logbook and dvla provide a traceable link through to current day. Can believe Commisioning No. used where Vin should be but it's the 850 engine number where on the same log book says it's a 1275 so not done for lower insurance. Shell seems genuine and yes it has the spot welded clips for the 2nd tank's breather.
At the moment the seats are being recovered to replace the fabric for Newton items, but photos may follow.
I'm cool about the car as not being an "anorak" just want to know it's history which seems ..........well ............just a little bit special /different.
Definately not a crock of s**t.
Once again thanks for taking time to help, I encourage anything more.

[trevorhp]

If you google the reg number this car has been discussed in other places before . Any comment from our resident Mk3 Meister ?

There are several very elaborate scams our there now, notably ones where a car is discussed and analysed on a 'specialist' forum for instance the Big Healey, E type or Audi TTS/RS (in the latter case don't ask how I know), once 'provenance' has been 'established', the car appears for sale at some far flung location at a low starting price, delivery is always offered often with the auction provider being offered as escrow (most do not offer this service). They are often reported and the listing disappears along with the members details. I have friend who works in Ireland.for a well known online auction site.....useful sometimes.

HOWEVER some probably get through and some poor soul gets ripped off.

I feel it would be easy for well meaning folks to get implicated/involved in such a scenario.

Caveat Emptor

[JC T ONE]

welcome

the most important thing is "she is great to drive"

I was happily driving along at 55mph in a 60mph zone on a B road when you guessed it a 1 series I think.. loomed in the rear view mirror at a closing speed of who knows what

now cos im old now I try to ignore them these days

but I hate being chased, and they think im slow , well I am in an auto!

still first roundabout down to second no braking required and left far behind on my 145s!

34bhp vs who knows what

laugh I haven't stopped

this is why I love minis

this is why I spent six years nailing it back together!!!!

rant over

drive safely all !!

way to go done the same in my Green Min many times = great fun.

[Old English White]

It is indeed the case that some standard Minis were assembled using Cooper S bodyshells. Perhaps that was this car's starting point?

BBW is an Oxfordshire issue, not Berkshire and the "J" suffix is correct for the age of the car. If it was first registered in Berkshire, it would have a Berkshire registration and of the correct suffix for the time as there were no "age related" registrations issued at that time. Perhaps more likely is that it was RE-registered 2 years later in neighbouring Berkshire AS a Cooper S which was possible to do back in those happy days, but using the original registration number?

There WAS a BMC/BL colour called Blackberry but I don't recall its use on the Mini (Austin 3litre comes to mind). However the similar Black Tulip is a possibility for a Mini of that age I think?

An interesting car for sure. Would be great to see some pictures. Just use it and enjoy it for what it is

[foxy52]

J plate is correct for 1970-71
There was talk that some mk3 S shells got built up as 850's once the S production stopped.

Sounds like an interesting car

...j or k for a 70 or 71 car...virtually all late mk 3,s were k platers....I have never seen an L plate mk 3 but appar they exist?? I was always dubious about those supposed mk 3 s types... perhaps crock of ***t is a bit harsh ?! so I apologise...... in any event enjoy yr mini as we all do..be nice to see some pics posted ??? ta foxy52

[Pete]

It would be interesting to find out (where's Simon when you need him ) whether that engine number (ignoring the prefix) does tally up to an 'S' one. I have seen an S with an 850 engine numbers on the VERY odd occasion, a few with Goldseal numbers from new and yes the odd screw up on the RF60 by whoever filled it in originally and also one original non Cooper car (Mk2 1000) with all the welded brackets in the boot.

It's a Mk3 S shell but without a chassis number it's pretty irrelevant that the logbook says 'Mini Cooper S'. As for Black Tulip, I've never seen a Mk3 S in that colour.

I'm sure you enjoy the car no matter Brian, and quite right to (especially with that bhp figure !!) but it'd be interesting to see if there's any other numbers for the car, chassis or commission numbers ?

[Old English White]

It's a Mk3 S shell but without a chassis number it's pretty irrelevant that the logbook says 'Mini Cooper S'. As for Black Tulip, I've never seen a Mk3 S in that colour.

I agree with you Pete. I've never seen a Mk3"S" that colour either but Mk3 Minis that colour I have seen .

[foxy52]

It's a Mk3 S shell but without a chassis number it's pretty irrelevant that the logbook says 'Mini Cooper S'. As for Black Tulip, I've never seen a Mk3 S in that colour.

I agree with you Pete. I've never seen a Mk3"S" that colour either but Mk3 Minis that colour I have seen .

...for what its worth I once saw a monotone black k plate mk 3 s for sale in ashington ,west sussex...must have been turn of the 80,s... that had flared wheel arches to and looked very nice on cobras...black was a non standard colour obv.....I dunno what black tulip is in any event i.m colourblind lol ....foxy52.

[rich@minispares.com]

I dunno what black tulip is in any event i.m colourblind .

its neither black, or tulip - its a sort of dark purple colour, very nice actually