Is it worth saving?? BMC Plate - YKA2S1 (with matching number stamped into firewall) Eng: 9FA/SA/L***** BUT, now has 9Y/SA/H**** Can someone tell me what the current motor is??





Rust in the usual places, bad in one door and front left floor.

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Dalmeny

It's a cooper, so definitely worth saving!!!

Motor is a 997 cooper, just a out of a later car.

The car is a Cooper and the motor is a slightly later Cooper.

A sweet find.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

I think I spotted it the other day and I was meaning to go back for a look.
Well and truly worth saving.

SAVE IT SAVE IT SAVE IT

From what these photos show it must be saved. But preferably to be a restored original type spec project, rather than some mutant. The ID plate appears to be as genuine as it left the factory. But BMC Australia cryptic messaging at its very best.
The listed colours and 3850 fits the 998 phase of Australian Cooper production. 9FA/SA/L prefix represents UK 998 phase of BMC Australia production. But them '25333' makes it fit into 997 engine numbering sequences better than either of the 998 codes used by BMC Australia. The 9Y/SA/H engine in the car listed by the OP being the second phase of 998 Cooper prefixing here in Oz.
More photos would be good, but regardless this is a rare one.

I wonder if it is something silly like an extra "3" on the engine number, number 2533 would be pretty close to what it should have had. 25333 is just wrong with that prefix!

So if its originally iceberg blue/ haze blue. What should it look like? Is the blue original and the roof has been painted white?

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Tim
Dusk Blue
1964 850

I would possibly agree my car is about 70 cars older than that one and only has 4 digits plus mine also has the bmc m2 code stamped in the rad cowl with what I presume is the car number but is one digit behind eg tag and matching body number ends in 5 one on cowl is 4

That is what went through my mind too, it's really the only plausible explanation. One could suspect the ID plate stamper was having a bit of a bad day.
Neither of the exterior colours appear original. Although some can be seen around the car number stamping in the firewall and on the bonnet shut panel.
Be good to see a photo taken at a lower position to see the front panel under the bumper, the rad cowl and interior.
I wonder how high the 9Y/SA/H engine number is, to help reveal how long it may have been sitting in that engine bay.

There is probably three ways the engine number could have been messed up.

1) The engine would have been fitted with an engine number plate when it was made. (unlikely as they were stamping the numbers in a sequence)
2) The engine number plate was removed off the motor in Zetland and the numbers restamped directly to the block in the usual way. (very likely! Old mate knocks the plate off with a chisel and then reads off the bent plate as he stamps the new number and adds an extra number by mistake.)
3) The ID plate is stamped using the data off the car and the engine. (possible mistake by misreading and adding an extra 3)

If the engine number matched the ID plate there would be no problem except for the confusion it has caused us as we try to work it all out 50 years later.

The 9Y/Sa/ number would be fairly low, they didn't make them for very long, only about 500 by my estimates. The highest number I have seen is in the 1440s. The first number would have been 1001.

Whaddaliddlebewdy

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"Show me the Mini!"

Sure looks like it, same font, same angle, same spacing...he must have had a big night out

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"Show me the Mini!"

Well, the owner is waiting for the BIG pay day. My offer was rejected straightaway saying he has already knocked back $2,500.00. I didn't think I would pursue it when he told me Cooper S's are bring $40,000. So it looks like it will see it's final days in his damp shed. PM me if you are genuinely keen.

morris1100, the engine no's are 1353. I didn't try real hard but couldn't turn the motor by the fan.

Here are the last of the photos.

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Dalmeny