I am restoring a mini that was Cooper S'd I believe in the late 60,s or early seventies and rallied extensively with 20 odd trophies came with the car to prove it. The original female owner started with an 850 in the early 60's, this car has that makers plate, then proportedly had a '66 Cooper S, all the parts of which are in this current body which I am struggling to identify. It appears to be a mid sixties deluxe to me but I have a couple of queries.
* The radiator shroud has stamped MO 0576.
* there are two fixed brackets with two bolts in each on the back of the rear seat on the drivers side, for what purpose I don't know.
I can understand the 850 makers plate on a cooper S'd car to avoid the registration and insurance penalties of that time.
The front left hand guard including the radiator shroud may have replaced a seriously damaged one and have no relevance to the car origins.
Any thoughts on this would be a great help. I also have to ponder what to register it as?
Regards,
Ian

Have a closer look at the radiator shroud stamping. Could it be M2/05 then a number? If so it's probably a Mini Deluxe (see here - viewtopic.php?f=58&t=99547 )

Does the car have a right hand fuel tank? The brackets in the rear seat upright may be for the tank strap.

Some pictures would help confirm things. Method of uploading is here - viewtopic.php?f=25&t=96873

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

Attached hopefully is a photo of the brackets I am talking about, they appear to be factory fitted.
The Right hand fuel tank uses one of the captive bolt threads though I am unclear if it originally had a righthand tank.
Ian

Do you have a photo of the radiator shroud?

I cannot get a clear one sadly

Does it still have the 4 digit chassis number on the firewall behind the master cylinders?

If the chassis number is around 1070 or 1080 then the radiator shroud could be the original. Unless it was restamped.

M and 0 next to 0576 on the radiator shroud could be a (M2/04 Mini Minor from July 1966), (M2/05 Deluxe from March 1965) or (M2/06 Mk1 S from April 1966).

Have you checked all the body identifiers to help identify it as a MK1 Cooper S like spot welded brackets and holes in the correct spot?

Has it got heavy sliding glass doors? Does it have a front valance with no maintenance/air flow cut-outs? Two piece roof lining? etc

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"Show me the Mini!"

The vehicle has wind up windows. I stripped the paint back to the metal and there was no other colour under the top coat which was BRG with a white roof, which is not a Deluxe colour I believe!! . There are none of the tabs in the boot for the second tank nor the bracket for an oil cooler. It does not have any visible numbers behind the master cylinders however it was about the rustiest part of the car due to a large rats nest! The mystery continues!!!

What does the striker catch look like on the b pillar 3 holes vertical or 2 holes vertical and one to the side

An early S will only have 2 holes on the drivers side of the rear seat firewall where the fuel vent tabs usually go.

The striker catches have three holes, two vertical and one behind

Is a wind up window body

Early S cars, built up to early/mid 66 had a small oil cooler mounted vertically adjacent to the oil filter.
Hence no oil cooler brackets and no turned down bottom lip on the grille opening.

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

Some pics would help alot

I have finally stripped the radiator shroud back to the metal to get a clear photo. It is interesting that the interior is original BRG , the same as the original exterior with a white top.
Attached is a photo of the numbers on the shroud.
Ian