'65 Super Deluxe...

[cheesebadger]

Hi,

I am new to this forum, so apologies if this is in the wrong place.

I have a '65 Super Deluxe that I am about to start restoring, I have run it on the road for the past 5 years; but now it needs to be taken off the road for a while for some real work.
I am not 100% confident in the history of the car.

What can I look for to tell whether it is actually a Super Deluxe from 1965?
I would like to try and find out whether it is the correct age shell? What features help identify a shell of this age compared to later models?
I would also like to find out how much of the car is originial in terms of spec and trim. What should I look for on a Super Deluxe compared to other Mk1 models?

I thought there might have been an FAQ section answering some of these questions, but I couldn't find anything. Please feel free to poke me in the right direction if it already exists on the forum. Thanks.

Any help or advice appreacited,
Cheers,
Rich

[Pete]

First question : is it a '65 build or was it built some time in '64 and registered in '65, makes a difference.

A '65 built car is pretty easy to identify quite quickly - I always look for the swivel round sunvisors which are fixed to the corner of the roof cant rail (just below the headlining) and a plastic clip holding the inner end of the visor (each side of the rear view mirror). There will be a plastic clip above the centre of each door on the roof cant rail to hold the end of the visor when swivelled round to the side, if the clips are missing there will be a square hole there.

Lots of other differences between mid '64 and '65 cars (like hydro) and between late '65 and '66 shells but that simple check should reveal whether it's a '65 or not. Those swivel visors were introduced late '64 and deleted very late in '65 if memory serves.

Is there a body number on the bonnet slam panel?

[gs.davies]

Interesting - obviously it should be an external hinged, small rear window shell for a start!

Any of the original numbers still extant on it? FE number? Body number on the slam panel? Floor tags? I think the '65 cars were still dry suspension so there shouldn't be holes where the subframe mounts to the bulkhead crossmember.

Have you got a heritage cert for it?

[Pete]

I think the '65 cars were still dry suspension

All '65 built cars were hydrolastic. Body numbers aren't common to find but the FE number (on a plate welded to the 'inner wing' above the radiator shroud) usually reveals the specific age of the shell. Floor tags tell you nothing really.

Once you've aged the shell, you can then start to look at what else is left of the SDL. Pictures would help Rich!

[gs.davies]

I had a '65 C Reg that was dry.. Reg'd 1st June. Unless it'd been converted to dry perhaps

[cheesebadger]

Wow, speedy replies. Thanks guys!

It was registered 1st April 1965 (April Fool's car, haha!)

It is running hydro.
I know it has the swivel sun visors because I have looked into them before (I thought they looked very un-60s!) Although I have never spotted the clip at the centre of each door, I will check that later. Thanks.
There is no body number on the slam panel
I don't know about the FE number I have never looked for it. What is FE and abv. for?
I might have a heritage certificate somewhere (I think my dad made a copy when he worked at Gaydon)
I haven't got lots of photos, and I am on crutches for a while so won't be able to get to the garage to take any. Anything in particular?

Pete. What do you mean by SDL?

Thanks very much for all your help.
Cheers,
Rich

[ivor badger 2]

I had a '65 C Reg that was dry.. Reg'd 1st June. Unless it'd been converted to dry perhaps

Got to have been converted or very old stock, which is somewhat unusual at that time.

[mister bridger]

SDL is just shorthand for Super Deluxe. FE number is Front End number, used in the factory while assembling the car. There are people on here or on the Early Mini Forum who can date the shell fairly accurately from that

[Pete]

Rich your car sounds right already. FE number should kill it.

[cheesebadger]

Rich your car sounds right already. FE number should kill it.

I will have a look.for the FE number at the weekend.

Anything else I can look for at the same time that would confirm it as a SDL?

[Pete]

I think the Super Deluxe was renamed simply Deluxe by 1965, it should have a three clock dash, vinyl covered bottom dash rail and opening rear quarters. Not sure if a basic version was offered right the way through, anyone?

[coopertim]

Hi Rich

Your '65' SDL should have front and rear bumper over riders and corner bars, the centre speedo binnacle will be the three clock 90 mph type - not just the speedo, the rear quarter light windows will open and not be fixed and depending on how un messed with the car is, it will have the full stainless steel wheel trims and not just the hub caps. Being a 1965 car, the interior will be monotone vinyl and there should be a full width boot mat to cove the spare wheel and battery and it should have the fluted plastic chrome wheel arch trim and not the flat type.

Cheers Tim

[cheesebadger]

Hi everyone,

Firstly, thanks for all your replies.

I live away from home during the week atm, so I cannot check, but from memory;

I DO have front and rear overriders (although a bit rough)
I DO have centre speedo with 3 clocks
I DO have opening rear quarter windows
I DO have fluted plastic chrome trim on the wheel arch cover, although this could easily have been changed in the past.

I do NOT have s/s trims, I only have the hubcaps on LP918 reverse rims. (I also have a full set of LP883 rims incase I fancy upgrading the drums to discs)
I do NOT have a full width boot mat, and there is no evidence of boot board brackets ever being fitted to the boot
I do NOT have a vinyl covered lower dash (see photo)



I am looking forward to having a look for the FE number at the weekend (*fingers crossed*)

Cheers,
Rich

[Simon776]

That looks like a Mk 2.

[cheesebadger]

That looks like a Mk 2.

Really. Why?

[Simon776]

The seats, indicator switch, speedo binnacle, gear lever are all Mk 2 from what I can see in the picture.

[494TBBman]

Mk II plastic sliding window catches.

[rolesyboy]

Not sure about mk 2 plastic window catches as they were applied to Mk1 cars from about 1962/3
The heater box body looks plastic to me and coupled with the stalk, etc mentioned before looks very much like a late Mk2 set up. A close up of the bottom dash rail would help as the ignition switch panel is set in to a foam moulded dash rail on a Mk2 ie not embedded in the metal rail as per Mk1. Could it be a Mk1 with a Mk2 interior upgrade ? Cheers.

[cheesebadger]

Not sure about mk 2 plastic window catches as they were applied to Mk1 cars from about 1962/3
The heater box body looks plastic to me and coupled with the stalk, etc mentioned before looks very much like a late Mk2 set up. A close up of the bottom dash rail would help as the ignition switch panel is set in to a foam moulded dash rail on a Mk2 ie not embedded in the metal rail as per Mk1. Could it be a Mk1 with a Mk2 interior upgrade ? Cheers.

Interesting. I can get a picture/have a look at the weekend to see what the lower dash rail looks like. I know off the top of my head that there is no foam anywhere near the lower dash rail (which is why I was so interested in the "mk1 SDL lower dash rail vinly" comment).

Sounds like it might have been upgraded with mk2 interior at some point. I know from the heritage certificate that it should have a dove grey interior (I think!)

Does anyone have a photo of a MK1 SDL lower dash rail for me to compare?

Cheers

[494TBBman]

Not sure about mk 2 plastic window catches as they were applied to Mk1 cars from about 1962/3
The heater box body looks plastic to me and coupled with the stalk, etc mentioned before looks very much like a late Mk2 set up. A close up of the bottom dash rail would help as the ignition switch panel is set in to a foam moulded dash rail on a Mk2 ie not embedded in the metal rail as per Mk1. Could it be a Mk1 with a Mk2 interior upgrade ? Cheers.

I'm guess that BMC used what they had!

My 1962 Mini has the chrome window catches, my 1969 MkII has the plastic ones.

From memory, I think that the chrome window slides are different for chrome or plastic catches.

In the pic it looks a bit like chrome gear lever and handbrake, my MkII has black painted ones, but the seats look identical to the ones in my MkII, even the colour!