Again, from TME quoted above, the mk1 picture shows choke and heat opposite the mk2 pictures, so I'm not surprised that they are opposite yours. Impossible to tell about the lights/wipers from pictures.

Thanks for the tips, I will look at my switches for dates too.

best,
bmc

_________________
Ben McCafferty
Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
1970 ex-police mk2 Cooper S

Hi Ben,

Some comments on various questions in your recent posts.

Apart from the Police SPO's mentioned earlier in this thread I'm not aware of any factory changes made to the standard wiring loom or anything else on Cooper S's built for NSW Police. It is possible that the SPO41 wiring loom was used on some cars prior to its official introduction on chassis number 2372, like yours, but standard components such as a single speed wiper motor were most likely still present. The reversing light wiring may have also been unused in this situation.

The only difference between a standard MK II Cooper S loom (main harness AYA9195 and body harness AYA9198) and an SPO41 loom (main harness AYA9217 and body harness AYA9207) is provision for two-speed wipers and reversing lights. It would be interesting to confirm this next time you are talking to Vintage Wiring Harness people.

All wiring for Police items like the driving lights, siren, cigarette light accessory socket, calibrated speedo internal lighting and radio was done at the NSW Government Motor Garage, not on the BMC production line. Based on conversations I've had with more than a dozen retired police who drove these cars the location of police items and switches varied.

A two-speed wiper motor has four spade terminals visible whilst a single speed motor has only three. Yours appears to be single speed which seems right for the date of your car. See photo below of two-speed motor connectors.

The Lucas switch for a two-speed setup (as per SPO41) comes from an MGB and is part number BHA4786. These are readily available today (Google the part number). The part number for the switch in the SPO41 specification is AYG9348. The factory drawing for this part number basically says 'change the locknut on BHA4786 from a round one (as per MGB) to a hex one (as per Mini)'. I'm guessing this was done purely for cosmetic reasons (i.e so the lighting and wiper switches matched).

Tachometer (Smiths Impulse model RVI 1003/00) wiring was not included in the SPO41 loom but was run separately to the coil and dizzy via a hole drilled in or near the large round cover plate on the firewall (where air ducting is routed on other Mini models) and then followed the loom to the front of the engine. Wiring for the internal light on the tachometer went straight to the instrument nacelle.

A single wire from the handbrake warning light switch went along the top of the floor tunnel under the carpet and then up to the light in the binnacle. It was not imbedded in the loom. It switched earth, with power coming from the instrument nacelle wiring to the light.

The driving light switch on my car is in a hole drilled in the front edge of the parcel shelf on the driver's side (see picture below). I can give you specifications for the Hella switch and cable size if you wish. Personally I wouldn't be drilling a hole here for your driving lights if it's not there already. I believe some cars may have had a small switch panel screwed to the upper crossrail lip under the windscreen for siren and driving light switches. Holes in this area is another indicator of police specification as the tachometer bracket was bolted under this lip in front of the driver.

I don't believe any change was made to the type or location of standard production Cooper S choke and heater cables on police vehicles. There have been numerous discussions on Ausmini about the switch panel itself and the type and location of the switches and cables across Mini models and at different production times. Pictures of the panel from driver's handbooks have been shown. I suggest you do a search for the data and draw your own conclusion from the discussion/debate.

I hope that helps answer your questions. If I've missed anything or you have more queries please ask.

Edit: For what it's worth my 9/70 unmolested car has a small knob with choke/twist engraved on it on the far left and a flame drawing heater knob (like yours) on the far right.

_________________
ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Just checked my six Mk II Mini driver's handbooks (TP810 BMC, TP810 BLMCA and TP811 BLMCA Export) and they all have the same switch panel configuration. Importantly, the switch positions for the Mini Matic and Mini K 1100 are different to the Cooper S.

Cooper S - choke, wiper, ignition, lights, heater (from left)

Mini Matic & K - heater, lights, ignition, wiper, choke (from left)

I wonder why the difference?

_________________
ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Kinda silly having the light switch furtherest from the driver!

_________________

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

... but great for the 'she who knows best' passenger as a way to get your undivided attention at night

_________________
ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

It's actually quite sensible when you think about the location of the wipers, they end up closer to you and this is the switch that you are more likely to switch on and off during a journey whereas the lights (if they are needed) generally go on at the commencement and off at the conclusion of travel.

Steve

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

I agree and for another reason, ...I find you can pump the washer with your thumb while operating the wiper with the rest of your fingers. On the 1970 matic I had even better because I'm sure the washer pump was right next to the wiper switch (makes even more sense) and the choke was the t-bar style under the dash next to the column (does that sound right??)

I find it odd that the wiper and headlight switch on the Cooper S started out one way round, got swapped around the other way, then swapped back again for the MkII.

And I wonder why they swapped the heater and choke positions after all those years. I guess makes more sense to have the heater closer.

Obviously they changed there minds or perhaps there were ADO rules that had to be complied with regarding these things.

It's like musical chairs with the switches

Any way Ben good luck putting the puzzle together I guess thats half the fun.

_________________

68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

I was wrong in my previous post - didn't look closely enough at the handbook diagrams. Thanks phillb for alerting me.

It should be:

Mini Matic & K - heater, lights, ignition, wiper, washer plunger (from left), then T-bar style choke control under the parcel shelf to the left of the steering column bracket.

The Cooper S layout is correct, but should additionally have the washer plunger under the parcel shelf to the left of the steering column bracket.

Sorry about that !!

_________________
ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Well, hmmm.....

Just double-checked, and mine (cooper S mk2) are: choke, lights, ignition, wiper, heater (from left). I pulled the mounting nuts, and the flats are facing towards the ignition switch. In any case, I couldn't reverse wiper and lights without having the switches upside down, as was noted in the other thread.

I don't think I have the wrong switch panel. I don't have any good reason for saying that, except that the car is so largely un-mucked-with in most respects. But not sure.

The puzzle indeed...

bmc

_________________
Ben McCafferty
Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
1970 ex-police mk2 Cooper S

Which begs the question why the heck did they the layout the Cooper S so differently? I can't think of any reason why the MkII Cooper S couldn't have just been laid out the same way as the K and Matic.

You'd have to keep your wits about you on the production line!

...plus all the extra different part$ and knob$???

...plus confusing and longwinded handbooks?

Very odd.

Maybe just to make it different??

....or to keep us all scratching our heads on a forum 40 years later!

_________________

68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

Thanks winabbey for the lengthy response below. I'll add some follow-ups inline.
bmc



I just re-read TME issue on police minis--according to that, "SPO.25 specified reversing lights and two-speed wipers" which negates my theory. (assuming SPO25 was written while the mk1 minis were still being supplied). Adding to the puzzle, I just noticed that on the rear loom, by the left taillight, is a tag that says "Vintage Wiring Harness"--so the loom that's in the car has already been replaced at least once. If it was built to police specs, that would account for the four wires at the wiper motor even if it had single-speed originally.



Will do. He did say that they "usually include provision for a tacho, and could add in driving lights" if I'd like them. Which leads me to think that the tacho and driving lights are not part of the normal pattern.



Good to know, that makes it easier to order the loom, harder to build the car...



Thanks for the pic. I agree that mine is single speed, but not sure about the date question. I have requested the SPO's and SL's from Watto, perhaps he has them and they may shed some light on the question. And/or might you have them in electronic form?


Oh great, make things even MORE confusing!!! My one-speed wiper switch has the hex, headlight switch has the round nut. So now I guess my headlight switch is wrong too...but I do note that the mk1 pic in TME is round on one of the switches.



OK, I'll see about how this might be incorporated (or not). I do have that hole, as we have discussed.



That makes it easy if I ever want to add this switch, but it seems (so far at least) like my car didn't have this light and switch.



Don't have that hole, and won't be adding holes at this point! I do find two cross-head screws with a plastic tab under/between them in approximately that location under the shelf, and a couple of unaccounted-for holes. The screws/tab "feel" newish, i.e. I don't think they date back to police days. The other holes appear older, i.e. with a bit of corrosion, etc. Pictures another day. The two holes under the top lip are present, as previously discussed, slightly to the right of the centerline of the steering wheel. They could be the switch panel you describe, or a tacho--though they'd be a little odd location for a tacho, as the tacho would be a little behind the wheel on the right and partially obstructed from view.



Thanks, did this. Responded separately regarding this topic. I have a '72 BMW R75/5 moto also, and it is generally considered to be a "parts bin bike", i.e. whatever was in the bin as they transitioned to the /6 is what got put on that day. I'm getting the feeling that minis were similar, i.e. there was not a single gold standard.



I am grateful, as always, for the knowledge you share and the forum shares. Minis are almost non-existent in the USA, and finding info on them, especially Australian ones, would be impossible without your help. So thank you again.



OK, thanks. My choke knob/cable just seems way too long--like a foot too long--so I'm going with the theory that it is what was available the day the original one broke... I have to say that I also enjoy having a little bit of mystery surrounding the car--it would be a bit boring to know all the complete history and not have anything left to the imagination!


Best,
Ben McC

_________________
Ben McCafferty
Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
1970 ex-police mk2 Cooper S