...... the official list at the RTA NSW, which would have been supplied by BMC of Australia originally, refers to the Cooper models as...

Cooper
Cooper S
Cooper S series II

would be interesting to see how the other models are denoted.

............

The Mini K was officially, in engineering terms, the Mini De Luxe Mk2. The name Mini K was given to the car by the marketing people.

The Cooper S was Mk2 from 1969 to 1971. The Mini Clubman and Leyland Mini ranges were never referred to as Mk1, 2, 3, etc. In terms of the actual physical body, even the last of the Aussie-built Leyland Minis had basically the same body as the Morris 850, with a few changes, including but not limited to, the burst-proof doors, non-protruding door handles, larger taillight clusters, floorpan pressings and, of course, the square nose (aka Clubman front).

The push-button starter continued on the base or fleet model Minis through to the Mini 1100 of 1970. 1971 onwards had the key-start. The Mini De Luxe had key-start, as did the Cooper S, from 1965.

All Australian Minis had external door hinges, but the internal or concealed door hinges were introduced in the UK with the MkIII Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet in October 1966, the Mini Clubman and 1275GT in 1969 and the ADO20 (Mk3 Mini) also in 1969 (a month later).

There were changes in interior trim and other appointments between the Oz Mk1 and Mk2, but the biggest selling point was the full-synchro gearbox (although there was a bit of a blurring over the change-over). Mini K had 1098cc engine, as did the Mk2 Mini Minor (the Mini 1100), while the Mini De Luxe had 998cc. The Mini Minor had 848cc engine, and later 998cc, but was always listed as Mk1 and stayed as YMA2S2.

The Mk2 Cooper S received a number of cosmetic changes. Note that the Mk1 Cooper S had the same interior trim as the Mini De Luxe, while the Mk2 Cooper S had the same trim as the Mini K. There were also a number of production changes that took place over time, and none are really specific to Mk1 or Mk2 - wipers changed in 1968, for example.

The question asked at the start of this thread was a legitimate one, as there are in fact differences between Mk1 and Mk2, and Australia did have Mk2.

Cheers,
Watto.

Hey dude you forgot the Mk1 and Mk2 Matics, again...

All Australian made Minis were Mk1s.

Morris Van, should be Morris 850 Van, and the prefix should be YJBAV2. THe R merely means right-hand-drive. The 850 Van was available as YJBAV2R and YJBAV2L (export).

MkII Cooper S should be YG2S4. Even the early 1969 cars I have seen only have YG2S4 stamped into the rad cowl. The K for the Mk1 - YKG2S2 - stood for Morris Cooper. Austin versions (for export only) were YCG2S2 - C being for Austin Cooper. The 997cc and 998cc Cooper was YKA2S1

However, when the Mk2 (or MkII) was released the Morris Cooper designation was removed because all Minis sold in Australia were Morris, and the G designation indicates the engine size - being from 1001cc to 1299cc.

This, of course, brought more confusion than it cleared up, as we don't know if any cars were exported, as the number sequence would have been under the same prefix. There are certainly Mk2 Cooper S currently overseas, but we don't know if any were exported by the factory, or privately. At least with the Mk1 in Austin guise, we can tell if it is a factory export immediately, with the YCG designation. Were Mk2 Cooper S exported? If so, were any badged as Austin? If so, why not the YCG designation?

The 1098cc engine also had the G prefix, so YG2S1 is Mini K, YG2S3 is Mini 1100 and YG2S4 is Cooper S (apparently YG2S2 was not used, as it would have been too easily confused with YKG2S2.

Cheers,
Watto.

YMA2S5 is certainly Mk2 (or MkII) Mini-Matic (don't forget the hyphen ) Released in September 1969.

Although mechanically the same as the Mk1 (YMA2S4) it had the same interior trim, including the three-gauge dash, as the Mini K, but was still only 998cc - I think the compression was a little higher or something as well.

It is a rare beastie, so if anyone has one I can photograph for a feature in TME, please let me know.

Cheers,
Watto.

Watto, there was no YMA2S5, they dropped the M in 1969 when Leyland took over. They are YA2S5.
(Same as they did with the Mk2 S and Mini K).

Oh yeah, thanks Doc.

I stand corrected on that one.

YA2S5 is correct.

Cheers,
Watto.

it gospel.

So it's all a smamozzle.....Huh?

I have had Mk2 Matics, a 1969 and a 1970. Both had the body prefix YA2S5.

I discovered the other day that my car's a YA2S5. It's a YA2S5, so it was a 998 auto, hydro, with drum brakes. Now, it's a 1275 manual, rubber suspension and discs. Though I wish it were still hydro... Does anyone have time frames for body numbers..? Mine's 106*.

So, all that aside, the Mk2 was released in the UK in late 1967 (October?)
Cheers,
Watto.