On the Cooper S were the white plastic plugs ever actually fitted?

Because the Cooper S regulator was screwed into a different position there would be no need to fit them at all.

If they were fitted it would only be to fill the holes.

I have photos of lots of restored cars that have these plastic plugs fitted but can't find any photos of unrestored cars showing them.

Sorry if it sounds like rivet counting but I am starting to go over my engine bay and this is one of the things I haven't worked out yet.

This has always been a puzzle to me also, - My car has had these plastic regulator plugs since I bought it in 1989 & it was one of the things that made me think that I did not have a proper Cooper S, (I believe mine was unrestored at that stage). Mine are square plugs though, so they have probably been changed after the respray?

The holes in the inner guard are square, aren't they? The plastic plugs push into these square holes, and then the other end f the plug is round and the holes for the securing screw goes through the plug. Just like the similar plugs which hold the headlight bowls in place in round-noses.

Well my 63 S has the plugs ..pristine as they would be as the brake booster would not allow the regulator to be mounted using them.

Knowing the guy who restored the car in the early 80s, he would not have even known about the plugs so I'm pretty sure they were put there on the production line...

Cheers, Ian

I would have to go along with "DavidE" on this one.
My Cooper S has the regulator and is mounted the same. I don't believe the plugs or regulator have been changed.

Thanks all. I will leave them in. Maybe they fitted them just to fill the holes in.

My 68 build MK1 never had them fitted.
They weren't required as the regulator wouldn't fit there because of the brake booster.
The repositioned regulator is attached with 2 self tappers direct into the inner guard and no plastic plugs.

Edit: The holes the plastic plugs would have gone into on non S Minis are square.

RonR

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68 build Mk1 Cooper S
72 Clubman GT project. Total restoration required

Thanks Ron. I was hoping you would come into the conversation. I try and use your car as a reference to how mine should be. Being a one owner and only a few hundred away from mine.

Are you saying that all original Australian Cooper S mini's have round plastic plugs for the regulator or is that just for the Mk 1 or is there a change date. Or did the plug change from a round head to a square head.
I think I'll remove the regulator now to re confirm

Firefirey,

What I am saying is that OZ MK1 Cooper S cars had the square holes in the RH inner guard in the area where the brake booster is mounted but the round head plastic plugs where never fitted.
The brake booster is mounted using four different holes.
Nor where they used to attach the repositioned regulator, which was mounted vertically rather than horizontally, and which uses self tappers directly screwed into the inner guard adjacent to the RH hydro hose.
This also required the fuse holder to be repositioned as well.
The round head plastic plugs have square ends that clip into the square holes.

Hope this explains a bit more.

RonR

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68 build Mk1 Cooper S
72 Clubman GT project. Total restoration required