If there is a date on it, it should be on the narrow edge the catch comes out of. So i've been told, neither boot of mine has them (76 SS boot, and a 68 Deluxe)

Also check any lucas parts, i've found dates on a few of them I didn't expect.

Good Luck

Matt

You can also get the date off the glass , there's a code in relation to the dot above the letters on the writing stamped on the glass but I can't remember how it goes anymore . Used to be in the old mini kingdom and other catalogues and the fanatical concourse judges look for it as well (who ever heard of a 30 year old car having it's original windscreen anyway , but rear and side screens are often original) . Anyone have the details handy , otherwise I'll scrounge up an old mini kingdom catalogue , scan and post the info .

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Lets not assume that this car has never been rebuilt - its around 40 years old. There IS the possibility that somebody has stripped the car right back, upgraded/replaced every part on it while keeping just the shell.

It could even have been a re-shell job on a written off car, or 2 good ends welded together. You never know.

IF all the car's parts have similar dates on them, you could be in luck, and not have to worry about any of my previous thoughts..

Without ID plates, this car is just a mystery. And a bit of a concern too.

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[NATHAN] -- Sold everything mini related and am back in big beautiful BMWs

i had a look on some of the parts for dates and couldn't really find anything when i was striping it down i found that it had a second fuel tank at one stage that someone has welded over with a plate i will try to opst some photos of it if i can figure it out i don't think its original though

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Cheers Dan

FIRST COMES THE MONEY, THEN COMES THE POWER, THEN COMES THE WOMEN.!!

here is some pictures hope they worked

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Cheers Dan

FIRST COMES THE MONEY, THEN COMES THE POWER, THEN COMES THE WOMEN.!!

I agree with SC850 - anything can be replaced, glass, wiper motor, all that crap...

I have an inkling that it's actually a MK1 Cooper S - a later MK 1 S, with the wipers parking on the passenger side has the body number prefix M206, the logical precursor to that body number prefix is M205. Problem is, the body number is too high, there were only 5400 MK1 Cooper S's - the number should be less than that, I'd say somewhere around the 3000 mark.

Given that the right hand tank hole has been filled by a previous owner, I'd say it's fairly likely that someone had an S shell, and wanted to turn it into a normal mini - remember that back in the 60s's and 70's, Cooper S's weren't that special, just another mini....

I want to ask some questions about the car...

does the bootlid have about 17 holes around the edge of the inside?

is there a small hole in the vertical panel under the front seat, to the left in this pic?


notice the vertical/angled brace under the bonnet shut panel is missing, and there is a piece of metal cut out of the lip at the bottom of the grille opening?


has the gearshift hole near the crossmember been cut out neatly, or messily hacked?


the subframe sitting in front of the car is dry suspension, but that's an easy conversion. None of the pictures give evidence that the car was originally hydro, but it's hard to tell on the early ones - there should be some holes in the front and the rear of the floor

the most likely origin is an early deluxe, but you never know!!

PM sent also

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

hey mate thats good information you got there i hope it turns out to be a mk1 coopers

Q1 theres about 26 holes running around the outside of the inner side of the boot lid

Q2 not shore what the vertical panel is i think it is the square hump in the middle the one the front seats sit over. thought i'd ask first

Q3 the gear shift hole looks pretty neatly cut out accept one side where it looks like it been bashed and cut a little.

Q4 the subframe i got with the car is not original it was from the guy who i got it offs car he just took the subframe and egine out which happened to be a 1310 out of my car and put it in his and gave me his old subframe

if you got any more questions just ask i'll be happy to answer them to the best of my ability

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Cheers Dan

FIRST COMES THE MONEY, THEN COMES THE POWER, THEN COMES THE WOMEN.!!

Don't think it is a cooper S shell, there is no bracketry in the boot for that RH tank, and the hole that has been patched looks rough and in the wrong spot.

I'd say someone was trying to mock up an s at one stage.

Still between 65 and 67; I'd say deluxe almost certainly. If I am right, there should be floor pressings for the hydro, although they didn't come out in the very earliest models (early 65).

Have a look!

the panel that runs across the rear of the car from one side to the other, under the back seat - it seperates the cabin from where the rear subframe mounts..

you'll have to give us pictures of the underside - my money is on an early cooper, non S

Matt68, I noticed the tank bracket was missing too, but they *can* be removed - if it's an S, someone has gone to a lot of trouble to disfigure it by cutting away the oil cooler mounting lip etc.

it all boils down to what that M205 means.... anyone have an early deluxe? I had one but it's gone now...

not that it really matters that much - it'll still be a really nice mini!!

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Yep, M205 has me puzzled too, we need more expert opinions around here!

As you say, it doesn't really matter, it is a mini and that is what counts!

Matt

what kind of pictures of the underside do you want and can take pictures of the underside from where it is but they wont be that good ill have to lift it up in the air with a block and takle and i wont be able to do this until sunday maybe or early next week ill take some pictures of the inside of the boot to see if that helps till i can lift it up

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Cheers Dan

FIRST COMES THE MONEY, THEN COMES THE POWER, THEN COMES THE WOMEN.!!

hear is some pics of the boot
left hand side


right hand side

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Cheers Dan

FIRST COMES THE MONEY, THEN COMES THE POWER, THEN COMES THE WOMEN.!!

too small to really tell anything on that pic, but if you can take it again, slightly more towards the front so we can see the rear firewall a bit too - and put it up with a decent size....

but there doesn't seem to be a lot of 'disturbance' where the bracket should be. What about holes drilled in the rear firewall for the tank strap mounting bracket (same position as the left side but bolted instead of spot welded) and tabs that would have held the breather tube for the RH tank running down the left hand side... ?

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

M2 05 is a deluxe.

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Sir Alec! we are not worthy!

I hereby withdraw all of my above comments and suggestions that it may be a cooper or cooper S.....

if Graham says it's a deluxe, then it's a deluxe....

if Graham says it's a chicken, then I've gotta say, it's a chicken.....

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?