So Ive bought a new toy and Im trying to figure out what exactly it is.
Main points:
its a 63 mini
twin fuel tanks
sliding windows
front cross brace to suit oil cooler
fresh air heater
single 1.5" carb

The engine number is 9yatah23621 which I cant find in any of the online number charts.

Ill get the chassis number and radiator cowl number when I have it in my shed tomorrow but I wont sleep well with this mystery.

Any suggestions.

answer to that question easy - it's a bitza!

the engine is a mini deluxe 998

diagonal bonnet support brace is common, if the front panel was replaced in the 60's or 70's they often got one to suit an oil cooler, that way the factory only had to supply one spare part

I agree with simon, someone has replaced the front panel at one point. I have a mini k that has had the same panel replacement. Maybe someone started a Cooper s replica with your car and lost interest or ran out of money.

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Lindsay Palmer
06 Mazda SP23
80 Alfa GTV (weekend toy)
86 626 Turbo (daily drive, now stolen)
71 cooper s replica
69 cooper replica
76 clubman
62 english 850
68 Mini Auto

Im fairly certain the diagonal brace on a mini k is standard.

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That's the one left-of-centre from the car's perspective (to the right when looking in) immediately behind the grille?

If so, my K has it as well.

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You're only supposed to blow the BLUDDY DOORS OFF!!

Interesting, learnt something new today. My k also has the area for a oil cooler

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Lindsay Palmer
06 Mazda SP23
80 Alfa GTV (weekend toy)
86 626 Turbo (daily drive, now stolen)
71 cooper s replica
69 cooper replica
76 clubman
62 english 850
68 Mini Auto

Mini Ks and Mk2 Ss went down the line together, makes sense to me if they all got the S front panel.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

the plot thickens

It has two compliance plates, one with in-y stamps and one with out-y stamps.

The numbers are:
yma 2s1
32237

and

yma 2s1
145520 220

Where exactly is the cowling number and was it stamped on early models.

It also has an 850 speedo

YMA2S1 is a Morris 850.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

I'm fairly certain that they aren't, both of moine don't have it and nearly all of the ones on my register don't. The regular vertical brace is the norm I feel.

Cheers
Steve

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1964 998cc Cooper
1971 Mini K x 2
1972 Clubman GT

OK, curiosity sparked, I dug out this pic from 68Rusty (this is a Deluxe).... My K only has the vertical brace visible in this pic.



Pics showing other braces that might be encountered would be appreciated, not just by me but I'm sure by others as well.

I'm still learning my way around my car too.

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You're only supposed to blow the BLUDDY DOORS OFF!!

yeah... some may have slipped through on the production line, but if I found a K with a diagonal brace, I'd be looking for signs that it had been replaced - or is one of the police cars that were K'ified in the 70's

I thought it was a production date thing.
Early mini k's = vertical (ie 69 models)
later ones=slanted (70-71 models)

My brothers 70model has the slanted bar, and i would be very surprised if the front had ever been replaced on it.

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Both of my '71 models have a vertical bar

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1964 998cc Cooper
1971 Mini K x 2
1972 Clubman GT

FYI this is the diagonal style brace everyone is talking about, normally found on a Cooper S. I guess when they started to fit coolers in this position to the Cooper S they had to rethink the design of the brace.

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)