46 replies to this topic

[mattmiglia]

Mike Brewer's dream car Mini Cooper S is featured on the cover of the September 2019 Mini Magazine:-
https://www.facebook.com/minimagazine/



He believes this '64 Cooper S was re-shelled probably in the 1970's into an earlier '61/62 shell but is planning to rebuild it into a new Heritage Mk1 shell as a car for him to keep forever.
"I'm not one of those aficionados that want to get the exact matching code on everything! People out there obsess over this stuff. I just want a car that I can enjoy every day and drive every day so that's what I bought!"

I noticed that the car has a "numbers first" registration which a lot of local councils used when they ran out of "letters first" plates in 1961/62. (By just reversing the ones they had already issued),
But, if the car is a 1964 it should have a seven digit plate with a "letters first" and a "B" suffix. Unless it took the registration of the 61/62 shell that replaced the original. Does that mean that if the shell is replaced again it will need registering again?
Also nowhere in the article does it mention the engine size. The S came out in 1963 with a 1071cc engine and was not changed until August 1964 when the 970cc and 1275cc came out, so could be any of these.

I also used to own a ‘64 Ona numbers first plate. Was a 1 owner car when I bought it so had paperwork back to 1964 registered as numbers first

[r3k1355]

 

 

The other thing I think is funny is when they have a car without the engine having ever run, no interior and a load of wiring to be done and just a few hours to do it before the 'reveal'. Then, as if by magic, the restored car is presented the next day fully completed and, presumably with an MoT, driven on the public roads by the owner and his/her family. In all the restorations I have ever done, there are always a few small snags to be ironed out once the resto is complete and the car is running.

 

FantomWorks is quite good with project timescales, they'll often have people who've waited a year or so for their car to be finished, even if appears it was all shot in one episode.

 

The three series of Fantom works was shot in one go over an 18 month period in 'one' go. You can see cars from series 1 & 2 in the background of series 3. Dan short has said there will be no more fantom works on TV

 

 

Yes, you're surprised??  Some of the restorations builds take nearly 2 years so of course there will be cars kicking around in the background if they want to put out one season per year.

They did 9 series of the show.

 

Good! The ex Marine Army owner of Fantom works 'did not come across very well' (self regulating to avoid sensitive sensors), I suspect the audience feedback put end to any further commissions.

 

The show I'd like to see another series off in the UK is Graveyard Carz.

 

I thought he came across alrite, he took on projects that I'm sure most people would run a mile from.

Not ones that were technically difficult, but ones that were obviously a can of worms.  Like owners who'd turn up with a half built project they'd worked on themselves, wanting him to finish it.

 

Obviously it'd be a total minefield of bodgejobs and the customer would be expecting a show-standard end product.

Edited by r3k1355, 28 August 2019 - 10:56 AM.