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Hi, I have a stack of radiators from various Minis/Coopers over the years and want to pinpoint what is what.
Can anybody give definitive answers as to how you ID each rad?
Examples like drain taps, flat tops, brass tops, position of upper front spigot for top hose etc. I am particularly keen to hear what a 1966 1275 S and a 1967 998 Cooper would have been fitted with. Thanks in advance. Mark

rolesyboy wrote:Hi, I have a stack of radiators from various Minis/Coopers over the years and want to pinpoint what is what.
Can anybody give definitive answers as to how you ID each rad?
Examples like drain taps, flat tops, brass tops, position of upper front spigot for top hose etc. I am particularly keen to hear what a 1966 1275 S and a 1967 998 Cooper would have been fitted with. Thanks in advance. Mark

Hi Mark,

Not an expert on the different types for early Mini,s

But checking age is easy (if original) as date & year is stamped into the front edge.

You have to remove it to see the date, as its "lurking" behind the radiator cowling.




Jens Christian

and now my mini radiators are dated? just shoot me in the head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

from my fading memory...pre cooper s minis had a sharp bent top tank with forward located top hose and straight bottom outlet. mid to late sixties cooper s cars had their own style radiators with angled bottom outlet because of the harmonic balancer and the top hose was located about an inch back and the rest of them i have no clue, also early minis used a long reach rad cap(7lb) while later cars used short caps at 13lbs.

jay weinstein wrote:and now my mini radiators are dated? just shoot me in the head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry Jay only found out recently

had already fitted a nice "correct" (by looks anyway) radiator to my car.

I will NOT remove it again, to check the date

Here is a side view of an early rad, this is the type used on the Cooper and S:



The date and model are stamped in on the side, as Jens said you will have to check without the cowling on.



With regards to the date format, on the rads they used week numbers not month numbers.

masnarda wrote:
Here is a side view of an early rad, this is the type used on the Cooper and S:


With regards to the date format, on the rads they used week numbers not month numbers.

what are the first 4 numbers ? not sure my later rads had these ? will check my stock

Bit hard to see, but I asume the date is = week 24 year 1963.

And again we see the badges, from one of the subcontracting companies, that build the radiators for BMC & later BL .

Can you see what the square plate under the fillerneck say ?
the round one is usually just a number.

Design change point was May 65 for all models. No different radiators because of the S damper.

7lb caps are also taller to match the higher neck of the earlier radiators. Later/shorter caps will not fit these early radiators.

"And again we see the badges, from one of the subcontracting companies, that build the radiators for BMC & later BL"

The rectangular plate below the neck is present on all early Coventry radiators its shows the month and year of manufacture

"what are the first 4 numbers ?"
ARA 1573 is the part number I think

Great info. When did drain taps disappear and is the first picture of cooper and rad or is this also an 850 rad? Cheers.

morris cooper wrote: ARA 1573 is the part number I think

Thanks didnt check my parts catalouge

dont think it would have helped, as its from 1969 (app)

rolesyboy wrote:
When did drain taps disappear

late 1973,s still had them.