I'm looking at a Cooper S. Is it a real one?

engine# 9F-SA - 7 42346
chassis# C-A 257-892866











Seat is apparently a factory fitted rally option - or so I'm told.

Question #1: is it an original real one?

Question #2: what's obviously not original?

Mike

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Regards,

Mike
"He who dies with the most toys wins."

Hi

My sources tell me that this is a Austin Cooper S 970cc, obviously an English car.

Your numbers quoted as
engine# 9F-SA - 7 42346
chassis# C-A 257-892866
should be

9F-SA-X 42346
C-A-2S7-892866

I don't know enough about them to give clues as to being correct or not, but it looks nice.

Let me know where it is if you don't buy

Cheers
Steve

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

holy crap - it's an english bodyshell for starters, so you're on your way. A heritage certificate would be available for it through British Motor Heritage

you need to read this book to see how original it is:

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=tM_ ... q=&f=false



f*cking ditto - there were hardly any 970's built - a figure qas quoted recently, less than 500?

It certainly looks a nice car. I cant comment on its originality.

Whilst you can't beat cubic capacity the 970 motor is a very desirable motor supposedly revving very very hard. Would be interesting to know what crank and rods it now has in it.

BTW - is it my imagination or the photo angle but does the top of the drivers door unnaturally stick out ????

Mike

That car was for sale, using the same photos, on the U.S based Mini Mania website around six months a go. The car was based in the U.S and the asking price was 40k USD

I think you better check the legitimacy of the seller.

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In the garage:
1970 Morris Cooper S MK2 | 2010 MINI Cooper JCW Challenge Edition

Now with new owners:
1964 Morris 850 Van | 1965 Morris Cooper S MK1 | 1976 Leyland Mini | 1999 Rover Mini Cooper Classic | 2006 MINI Cooper JCW

yeah, but I think it's just not shut properly

there are some clues about the car, I'll check my copy of Parnell tonight...

- It has Hydrolastic suspension, which would make it late '64 onwards if it was an english 1275 S, not sure about the 970's
- It has a late (MK3) speedo fitted, and obviously the fascia has been altered

we need Graham In Aus

Also note where the door catches on the body just behind the driver's seat. Hopefully just a door alignment problem and not a re-shell and retro fit.

Like Simon says - get a heritage certificate just to be sure.

Mike

I wouldn't get the heritage certificate until after I was sure it was genuine and I had it sitting in my garage at home - costs $100 and only confirms what you (hopefully) already know.

I bet mtsmini isn't really looking at buying it, he's probably sitting at his desk with the actual owner watching us (me) get all excited about finding a genuine 970

There is nothing wrong with the door. it is simply not completely closed. This is a common practice for storing cars which are not used too often. It saves the door sills.

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In the garage:
1970 Morris Cooper S MK2 | 2010 MINI Cooper JCW Challenge Edition

Now with new owners:
1964 Morris 850 Van | 1965 Morris Cooper S MK1 | 1976 Leyland Mini | 1999 Rover Mini Cooper Classic | 2006 MINI Cooper JCW

it certainly "Looks" like an English car from the pics,,,, it certainly "Looks" like an "S" from the photos,,, but photos don`t do any car justice & it`s almost imposible to pick if it`s absolutely totally genuine unless you physically eye-ball it in the flesh

the block (however i can`t see quite clearly) lloks like its taller than the water pump & i can`t quite see the large rectangular cast piece under the oil cooler hose,,, maybe get the block casting number from the back of the block if you can

the Right-hand fuel tank certainly isn`t genuine to the car tho, as they came out with only one tank (L/h) ,,, & the few that were fitted with a factory accsessory tank were actually fitted with a welded up type "Serks" tank like mine

there are "Plenty" of other things to check but i`m not going to go on & on because (like i said before) you really need to eye-ball the car in person

& a British heritage cert means nothing really,,, it doesn`t "Proove" anything,,, its just a cert stating that a particular car was sold by a particular company on a particular date.... it certainly doesn`t guarantee it was actually "THAT" car tho

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

But there must be some sort of an alignment issue with the drivers door? Sagged hinges? Its been clipping the body work and has taken the paint off.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

yeah pretty common on the old things hey? just needs an adjust & tighten i`d say

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

uh huh... it's just a door FFS

Have another look at the engine shot guys, what is not right about the head?

it's a smog head, but 'meh, AEG163 heads are around...

edit: I was more curious about the oil cooler, whether or not it should have one, or if it should be the type that hangs off the oil filter housing... but once again, it's a bolt on part