1275LS wrote:
rehab1964 wrote:
my vote = back to nugget gold, I think any car that has survived bascially intact for this long deserves to be as it's maker intended, if however, the engine number doesn't match and it's been modified over the years it's fair game
The engine number isn't 12H902 its 12H87UH. Matt Read said it looked like the right block for an LS motor but thought because of the number it might be a moke engine. I was trying to find out if it was put in a the factory as it was an early one but RTA couldn't give me the original rego details and no one else seems to have the history.
When I do the repaint I will re-do the engine so if I can get a 12H902 I may stick that in it unless someone can tell me the 12H87U is the original one. It seems illogical that the 12H87UH is the original as everyone is adamant that they only had 12H902's but it was Leyland in the dying days of the Mini and was early in the 1275LS production run so who knows.
Any help is appreciated. At this stage I am leaning towards to going back to gold. My other option was to sell the car and obtain a silver one to restore. I have one lined up but haven't taken the plunge yet...
Mind you, I found out I got a payrise yesterday so may keep this one and buy a second (the missus wouldn't approve though
).
The 12H897U series engine nos. were fitted to the early run of 1275LSs, I do not know when they changed to the 12H902U series, however yours does appear to be missing the 9 from between the 8 and the 7. Curious. I'd guess it was a mistake at some point (Has the block ever been decked?). There are no factory records of a 12H87U.
The 12H897U were never factory fitted to the Mokes, however the 12H902U was in 'normal' A and the later A+ types.
And on the colour, IMO any rare collectable, like the 1275LS, should be kept as it came from the factory. If you want to modify a Mini, even change it's colour, then play around with a more common, lesser value model.
