1969 lightweight Cooper S

[36supermarine]

Years ago I used to hillclimb and sprint a Cooper S. It had originally been a Mk3 road car but was in a bad smash and a gentleman bought the remains and started to use what parts he could for a circuit racer. He found a Mk1 shell and used this as the basis but never completed the project. I have the receipts for the parts including full race Janspeed head, 649, ultralight flywheel and backplate, LCB, 45 DCOE, SCCR, Salisbury, etc. He never finished the work and the next gentleman bought the project and completed it as a rapid road rally car. We're talking mid to late ish '70s as I then came across it and bought it in 1979 and campaigned it for 3 years,after suitable modifications, in hillclimbs and sprints. The car had been used for some northern Motoring News events but the din inside was terrible, or nice, depending on your point of view.

The shell is a Mk1 and front and rear window apertures do not have rebates for the rubbers, which makes me think it is a 59 lightweight shell, perhaps?
The shell is also fully deseamed as the original intent was to build it as a circuit racer. By deseamed I mean every exterior seam has been removed.

My intent, as I have another mini that has taken my attention for some years, is to now restore it as Paddy Hopkirk's 69 lightweight Circuit of Ireland car, but photos are very difficult to find. I have Paddy's book, which helps a little plus a colour photo from a copy of Car magazine from around 1970.

But does anyone have another source of information?

[steve1071]

That would be GRX311D, there’s a few pics in the Works Mini section of the forum and Coopertim on here knows the fella that is restoring the actual car.

[36supermarine]

I'll have a look for that, cheers. I remember in the early 70s that car was for sale in Motoring News for around £1000.