One of the English magazines I have announcing the launch of the mini to England shows one with the terminals on the left , and an Australian road tests magazine show's it with the terminals on the right . I can't find a battery model listed in any of my books etc , even the BMC and Leyland homologation papers only list it as a single 12 volt battery ....

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With over 5 million minis and 40 odd years of production - I'm sure there was variation over time!

I know the Works teams had issues with the terminals on the right in the "early years" - Raunno Aaltonen driving his first Monte had a famous accident where the right hand tank was pushed onto the battery terminals in an accident. The car ended up upside down with Raunno unconscious - and was pulled out by his co-driver as it burnt. The Works team always made sure the terminals were away from the tank after that - one way or another - and modified the tank strap location. Graphic puctures of the aftermath in "Anatomy of the Works Minis" by Brian Moylan.

The Battery could be different depending on the model and the year. Early Minis have a Lucas 12BST 38 battery but Coopers and Cooper S's have a Lucas 12BT 48. The batteries would have changed when they changed to alternators.
I think the Lucas 12BST 38 would have had the terminals on the left when positive earth. I don't know about the Lucas 12BT 48.

Al
can't be sure but the accompanying pics show the battery installation in my 64 Cooper and as far as I am aware, this is how it has always been. Terminals to the right with, in my case, the positive to the back. No battery cover was ever provided with the Cooper as the removable boot floor was deemed to be sufficient in those days whereas now for a roadworthy certificate here in Queensland it is a requirement. Logic would also dictate that the terminals should be on the right because of the battery hold down clamp. I have had it happen to me and been in cars where the clamp has come loose and bounced onto the terminals when on the left, fortunately without any dire consequences. Embarrasing yes, especially peak hour on the freeway. Anyway, hope you can get the right answer.
chhers
David

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i59/D ... /boot1.jpg

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i59/D ... /boot2.jpg

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i59/D ... instal.jpg

Hi David,
Thank you for your reply and photos. My car is English and there are some factors that have me believing it should have a cover. It is listed in the Mini Cooper parts list, Parnell says they should have it and when I asked the question on the Mini Cooper Register Forum, a number of people said, yes, they do. That might have been different in Australia.

Regards
Al

Hi Ian, Brian and Morris 1100,
Thanks for your replies and thoughts guys. The electrical drawing in the handbook shows the posts to the right but one shouldn't take too much notice of that I suppose. I asked the same question on the MCR forum and I have had a reply saying to the right. Parnell's bible seems to be showing posts to the right too but that is not conclusive. The information regarding the works cars sounds quite believable and it is interesting to hear they switched the posts to the inside after an accident. This has me thinking the standard position was probably on the right, do you guys agree?

Regards
Al

I have looked through my books and I cannot find anything conclusive but my gut instinct is normal Minis to the left and Coopers to the right till alternators came in.

G'day Al. Just came accross your post whilst searching for info on bootboards. When I purchased WEECAR, a 1963 850, there was no battery. However the wiring and mechanicals were original. It was still set-up for + earth. Going by the battery cover which is the original one as far as I can tell, it would have had battery terminals on the right (ie Drivers side). Photo here ...

Hope this helps.

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Two doors / four seats
Four doors / two seats

I've seen photos of the early positive earth (generator) cars with the terminals on the right. But only have ever seen neg. earth (alternator) cars with terminals on the left or centre.
Now the mini bodyshell has a connection to earth at the back of the battery box and an outlet to the main electrical line at the front of the battery box. It seems reasonable that if the early cars needed to have the positive terinal closer to the back (positive earth) and the negative terminal closer to the front (and so the terminals on the right side) when the upgrade came to negative earth they had to reverse the battery and have the neg. terminal closer to the earth terminal at the back. So the terminals were now on the left. This is probably where the confusion comes from.

Hi guys,
I think the Pos/Neg earth thing possibly has some relevance. When our cars were new, battery pole positions would have been specified to suit the application but when a car was modified to negative earth, a new battery would probably not have been required, so the existing one was changed, end for end, as suggested.

Taking everything into account, I went for a new battery with posts to the right and it seems to work in nicely. Thanks for you help.

Regards
Al