ausmini :: View topic - starting new restoration help

If he just wants a fun mini to drive, then sell all the genuine Cooper S bits and replace them with others that don't attract "Cooper S tax". Look at the recent eBay sale of a complete S power unit for $4250, heaters for over $400 and speedo units for heaps. Even the proper S hydro bags are likely to sell well. Interior trim, if in good nick is also likely to sell well.

Use the inflated sale price of those parts to buy a generic 1275 power unit (Morris 1100S, Moke or Rover mini), put springs or cones in, put in a Deluxe speedo, Rover heater from a Jap import etc, etc. Then it is never a 'Fake' and when it is sold nobody will be taken for a ride. Not that you boss might but the next owner may lie to the next owner and on it goes.

He ends up with an honest and fun upgraded Deluxe and a bunch of real S restorations get the parts they need. (as long as they don't go to other fakes....)

M

Author:	shaunom [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:47 pm ]
Post subject:	starting new restoration help
Hey all, first of all this is an awesome site! love the information on it. I have a question, I have been given the job of restoring my bosses 1970 mini cooper s mk2 . however after running all the numbers it turns out the poor thing has been rebodied with a mini k shell. is it worth restoring this to concourse? or is it imperative that the numbers match and has a cooper s body. the original plan was the completely restore it to original condition. but maybe modernising it a bit is a better option? what would a car like this be worth? the whole driveline is still a cooper s with working hydrolastic and all that. the history of the car is that the first owner raced it. which must be why there is a replacement body thanks for any help! shaun

Author:	winabbey [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 1:06 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
shaunom wrote: ... is it worth restoring this to concourse? This may not be what the owner wants to hear but if it's a Mini K body then it will never be an original, authentic Cooper S, always a replica. Standing side by side with an original Cooper S the physical differences may be very minor - a few spot welds in a different place, some stamped numbers that differ and a hole or two in a different spot, but it's those things that make a Cooper S what it is and hence result in a higher value when it comes time sell, even though both cars may have virtually the same feel, sound and performance when driven. There will be a difference in resale value between the two, assuming the condition of the body and mechanicals are the same. I would suggest at least $10,000 more for a genuine Cooper S.

Author:	GB1275 [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 1:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
Just my guestimate in the current market, based on genuine concourse condition: 1970 Mini K original - $12-$18K 1970 Mini K / Cooper S replica - $15-$20K 1970 Cooper S MkII original - $22-$45K Feel free to make your own alternate $ range suggestions.

Author:	Mr Orange [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 3:51 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
It will always be looked upon as a replica, but who cares? It would be cheaper and more fun to do it as a Cooper S replica to casual inspection only, in my opinion. I.e. it looks pretty much like one from the outside, but the mechanical/suspension/brakes side of things is all uprated with modern parts. Depends what you're after though, but that would look just as good and probably be better to drive.

Author:	shaunom [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 4:47 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
thanks for your replies! I thought that was the case, which is very disappointing as its an awesome little car. the idea was to do a full nut and bolt restore. but if it will always be looked at as a replica. should we go down the path of upgrading? put springs it, ditch the hydrolastic (drivers side has sunk down) and uprate everything else. the 1275 has been rebored to larger into the 1300s . he wants to drive it to, but wants me to do whatever to maximise its value when it comes to selling and buying a new project.

ausmini https://www.ausmini.com/forums/

starting new restoration help https://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=86279	Page 1 of 2

Author:	Mokesta [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 5:04 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
If he just wants a fun mini to drive, then sell all the genuine Cooper S bits and replace them with others that don't attract "Cooper S tax". Look at the recent eBay sale of a complete S power unit for $4250, heaters for over $400 and speedo units for heaps. Even the proper S hydro bags are likely to sell well. Interior trim, if in good nick is also likely to sell well. Use the inflated sale price of those parts to buy a generic 1275 power unit (Morris 1100S, Moke or Rover mini), put springs or cones in, put in a Deluxe speedo, Rover heater from a Jap import etc, etc. Then it is never a 'Fake' and when it is sold nobody will be taken for a ride. Not that you boss might but the next owner may lie to the next owner and on it goes. He ends up with an honest and fun upgraded Deluxe and a bunch of real S restorations get the parts they need. (as long as they don't go to other fakes....) M

Author:	Scoop [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 7:47 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
Mokesta wrote: If he just wants a fun mini to drive, then sell all the genuine Cooper S bits and replace them with others that don't attract "Cooper S tax". Look at the recent eBay sale of a complete S power unit for $4250, heaters for over $400 and speedo units for heaps. Even the proper S hydro bags are likely to sell well. Interior trim, if in good nick is also likely to sell well. Use the inflated sale price of those parts to buy a generic 1275 power unit (Morris 1100S, Moke or Rover mini), put springs or cones in, put in a Deluxe speedo, Rover heater from a Jap import etc, etc. Then it is never a 'Fake' and when it is sold nobody will be taken for a ride. Not that you boss might but the next owner may lie to the next owner and on it goes. He ends up with an honest and fun upgraded Deluxe and a bunch of real S restorations get the parts they need. (as long as they don't go to other fakes....) M +1

Author:	Babes [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:13 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
Personally Im over the whole cooper s "thing". Yes they are lovely cars but as mentioned the cooper s tax you pay on parts is stupid. I have just sold my mk2 which I spent seriously stupid amounts of money on to restore it to showroom condition. Every time I drove it I would be barraged with the enivitable "is it a real cooper blah blah" and people going out of their way to try and find fault in it at shows etc. Now I prefer my more rarer models, my pickup, riley elf, countryman, moke and my almost finished fuel injected supercharged 1293 roundy. I have others in various states of restoration but the best part is im not bound by how anything should be, I can build it as I want for the most amount of fun. Fun is what these cars are all about so in my opinion dont go down the concourse road, build it as a fun little car to whatever spec the owner wants.

Author:	bluewhitecoopers1968 [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:24 pm ]
Post subject:	starting new restoration help
I agree.... You got it Babes

Author:	boomini [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:33 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
+1 for babes.

Author:	Thorlek [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:36 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
+2 for babes

Author:	drmini in aust [ Thu Jul 03, 2014 8:20 am ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
+3 for babes. When we owned Barney (`67 S replica) we didn't dare park him anywhere too public. Yes, he was a replica but looked real enough to crims. It was a worry so in a couple of years we sold him. I like my wasaMatic sleeper better- IMO most mainstream Minis (even 850s & `matics) were a blank canvas, so do to `em what ya want, it's your car.

Author:	MiniVLT [ Thu Jul 03, 2014 8:33 am ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
+4 for Babes! My signature says this too. Cheers Shane

Author:	MrFail [ Thu Jul 03, 2014 9:49 am ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
Yea, I agree. Make it individual. personally, I'd love to fit a radford hatch to my 850.

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Author:	Besser [ Thu Jul 03, 2014 12:46 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: starting new restoration help
The question "is it worth restoring this to concourse?" is more about the boss deciding if he wants to feel like he's driving around 45 years ago or he wants to enter it to concourse competitions. If the former and he's paying you, don't disappoint him with your quality of workmanship. If the latter then he's going to be forever loosing. Maybe there should be a cooper s original replica class! they would get a lot more entrants then original class!