85 replies to this topic

[WMU 211G]

Rear window is definitely Mk2 width so I'd say it's a Mk2 shell which someone has grafted Mk1 rear lights, badges and a front grille onto. Thing is the instrument pod looks like a Mk1 type with four screws securing the plastic binnicale to the bulhead, on Mk2s there are no visible screws and the moulding has two vertical lines slightly embossed into the face. If we can see a close up of the pod it would help...

 

Very nice looking car whatever it turns out to be.

 

Edit - just noticed two more things : the heater - looks like the Mk1 type although I *think* some early Mk2s did have these, also it appears to have a floor mounted dip switch for the headlamps, which is a Mk1 feature, Mk2s have the flasher / dipper on the columb stalk... curious!

Edited by WMU 211G, 01 October 2015 - 09:20 AM.

[mininuts]

Do we think that this has been reshelled then? Quite possible if it was done in the 70s say, when new Mk2 shells were probably still available as a part from BL.
Obviously, this will affect the value as would the engine but, in my eyes it is still a late registered Mk1 S, reshelled or not. It's just part of the cars history and it is a beautiful looking Mini.
Our Mk3 S was reshelled in the 90s into a Heritage shell, obviously the wrong shell but, it has been modified to Mk3 shell spec ie, drip rails, inner wings, front panel etc etc at somebody's great expense.
What I'm saying is, it's probably not worth £20,000 as would be a mint, original Mk3 S but, it's still a Mk3 S.

Incidentally, are we forgetting that the three most famous Mk1 Cooper S of all time were registered as G plates.................IJ?

[Midas Mk1]

Full or part inner skin bootlid?

[midridge2]

Wipers are parked for a mk1, passenger side door gap is terrible, boot lid gap is terrible and paint finish looks like 2k paint. indicator stalk is mk1.
Should i​t not have chrome window sliders.

Edited by midridge2, 01 October 2015 - 11:50 AM.

[mk3 Cooper S]

No Piano hinge rear windows either?

[62S]

...if it was done in the 70s say, when new Mk2 shells were probably still available as a part from BL.

Mk 1 shells were still available new from BL (as it was then) in the 1970's.

[midridge2]

I think it was around 1976 they were selling the mk1 bodyshells off with doors, bonnet and bootlid for £50.

[WMU 211G]

Incidentally, are we forgetting that the three most famous Mk1 Cooper S of all time were registered as G plates.................IJ?

 

Only because BMC were too tight to give the production company some brand new Mk2 Cooper S's for free, which meant the Producer Michael Deeley had to pay for some last of the line unsold Mk1s instead..! The film was shot in '68 and released in '69, by which time the Mk1 had been out of production for some time...

Edited by WMU 211G, 01 October 2015 - 06:28 PM.

[floormanager]

 

Edited by floormanager, 01 October 2015 - 06:42 PM.

[Daz1968]

Unless it's the light the repro trim looks like silver brocade and that's incorrect for this colour and year. The recliners are not brilliant and panel gaps are poor along bottom of door. My guess would be a mk2 restored with some mk1 parts and if engine is incorrect not really worth buying in my opinion unless cheap enough to rebuild to original spec. You need to check chassis number as this will easily distinguish between mk1 and mk2, a way to check shell is remove rear seat back and see if bootboard brackets are spot welded correctly as not easy to replicate this properly. My opinion however is if you really want an s and have the funds then look for another as too much not right with that one, nice looking car though just not worth top money

[Gunmetalmini]

so could someone give me a ball park figure on what would be a fair offer if it was just a mkII with a later engine,just opinions would be helpful then at least I can make a fair offer

[jpw1275]

I wouldn't give more than £7000 but that's just my opinion as it's just been cooperised and probably built with a s logbook

Cheers james

[62S]

so could someone give me a ball park figure on what would be a fair offer if it was just a mkII with a later engine,just opinions would be helpful then at least I can make a fair offer

There really isn't enough information or pictures to give an accurate valuation.

Important factors are:
Does it have a proper Cooper S chassis number? That is not the same as it having "Cooper S" on the V5.
Is it a Mark 1 or Mk 2?
Is it the original shell?
What gearbox is in it? Rod change, remote change, if remote what casing is it in?
The answers to those questions make a massive difference to the value to the majority of buyers. The lack of Cooper S engine alone probably knocks best part of £5000 off the value.

If the vendor thinks this is a mint original car their expectations are likely to be far in excess of the true value.

[mini13]

I will say at this kind or ere 68-69 G plate,

 

there were a few odd creations exiting the factory due to them using up end of line parts, I have seen G plate Mk1's before, with a lot of Mk2 trim (ie non piano hinge windows) although Mk1 lights and Mk2 rear window is a new one on me, and seems a bit odd.

[Cooperman]

With a registration going back around 50 years it can be difficult to unravel the true history.

There are some options here to be thought about. For example, the car could be a Mk.1 which was exported, then re-imported in 1968 - 9. It would have been given a G-registration as age related plates didn't get allocated back then. I imported a 1973 car from Germany in 1979 and it was given a 1979 registration.

If the car had been badly damaged in 1968 -9 it could have been repaired with a Mk.2 shell. This was not uncommon, although it might have been expected that the rectangular rear lights would have been retained as they were much better than the Mk.1 type.

It could simply have been restored using a later Mk.2 shell, either new or used at the time when re-shelling was acceptable and the Mini was not such a valuable classic. Again, not unusual.

It might be a Mk.2 998 'ringer' made to look like an 'S'.

The A+ engine may have been fitted to replace a worn-out 'S' engine, although this would seriously devalue the car. With full 'S' engines rebuilt and ready to install costing many thousands it is easy to see why this might have been done, but to try to pass it off as a genuine 'S' is a bit naughty - 'caveat emptor!' But then, what could have happened to the original 'S' engine. Does it have an 'S' gearbox one might wonder?

 

If the log book shows it to be an original Cooper 'S', Mk.1 or Mk.2 it does have a high value, maybe £12,000, as it would not cost too much to make it all original again, although finding a block might be difficult. A 1275 'S' block might cost around £800 and a crank around £500 with rods at about £75 each. So it is 'do-able'.