68 Mk2 Cooper S...
Discussion
Prompted by that suave Jensen owning fellow Breadvan72's warblings I thought I'd post some up to date pics of my Mk2 S's resto - it's been tucked away since 24/9/12 and I've missed driving it no end but the refit is now gathering pace and it's starting to look like a car again rather than a half finished Airfix kit.
Previously Island Blue & Snowberry White when new, then Almond Green & Snowberry White, all over 'Factory Black' and (we think) maroon, it was restored back in '91 when it went Island Blue / White once more but I've decided to push the boat out this time round and go for a typically late '60s shade of metallic purple, as a sort of homage to all those fabulous Radford / Wood & Picket creations of old. It's actually a modern Range Rover colour ('Barossa') but it's very close to at least five period Cooper S's that I'm aware of. It's a difficult colour to capture properly but it looks very deep and fruity in the flesh...
Given the crap lighting and camera skills this is probably the best rendition I'll get of the actual colour...
Looks almost black in these two shots...
This 1971 ad from Motorsport mag is one of the things which gave me the push to do mine in a monotone colour rather than the standard factory two tone combo...
I'm still refurbishing the original Benelite spotlamp grille which came with the car, can't wait to get it back on and wired up...
When it was despatched from the factory in November '68 it went straight to Stewart & Ardern's Morris showroom in Acton where it sat until being reg'd for the road in April '69, once I've got it all back together I'll be putting one of these fabbo dealer stickers in the back window...
Had a joyous moment this afternoon when we put a new battery in the car and the fuel pump and heater both started working for the first time in fourteen months...!
Previously Island Blue & Snowberry White when new, then Almond Green & Snowberry White, all over 'Factory Black' and (we think) maroon, it was restored back in '91 when it went Island Blue / White once more but I've decided to push the boat out this time round and go for a typically late '60s shade of metallic purple, as a sort of homage to all those fabulous Radford / Wood & Picket creations of old. It's actually a modern Range Rover colour ('Barossa') but it's very close to at least five period Cooper S's that I'm aware of. It's a difficult colour to capture properly but it looks very deep and fruity in the flesh...
Given the crap lighting and camera skills this is probably the best rendition I'll get of the actual colour...
Looks almost black in these two shots...
This 1971 ad from Motorsport mag is one of the things which gave me the push to do mine in a monotone colour rather than the standard factory two tone combo...
I'm still refurbishing the original Benelite spotlamp grille which came with the car, can't wait to get it back on and wired up...
When it was despatched from the factory in November '68 it went straight to Stewart & Ardern's Morris showroom in Acton where it sat until being reg'd for the road in April '69, once I've got it all back together I'll be putting one of these fabbo dealer stickers in the back window...
Had a joyous moment this afternoon when we put a new battery in the car and the fuel pump and heater both started working for the first time in fourteen months...!
Thanks Racerbob, you beat me to it! 'Arden' were top tuning chaps whereas 'Stewart & Ardern' were top suppliers of very groovy looking Minis to some very groovy people back in the day, including several chopped Minisprints like this one...
Ta for the comments gents.... the wheels are Dunlop D1 copies from Midland Wheel Supplies, the originals first went on sale in October '68 which is when my car was built so they're bang on for the period. The colour choice was made quite early on but it took a while before her indoors was convinced it was the right thing to do - she was all for keeping it original but having seen the pics she's now smitten with the deep fruity purple. I've always had the idea in my head to make the car look exactly how it would be if I'd been around to buy it new back in '68 myself, mechanically fairly standard but going down the Radford / W&P route visually. It's way short of the usual electric windows, bespoke dash, Aston Martin leather seats etc of these cars but I like the way it's turned out. I'd still like to add some nice period bits to the interior but this can be done later on, I just want to get it back on the road and MOT'd asap. I've spent the morning cleaning up all the glass and started thinking about some period tinting, but time is getting on and it needs to be put back in the car...!
I'll grab some more pics next time I go down to the workshop (which is located in a top secret underground lair, honest).
Ta for the comments gents.... the wheels are Dunlop D1 copies from Midland Wheel Supplies, the originals first went on sale in October '68 which is when my car was built so they're bang on for the period. The colour choice was made quite early on but it took a while before her indoors was convinced it was the right thing to do - she was all for keeping it original but having seen the pics she's now smitten with the deep fruity purple. I've always had the idea in my head to make the car look exactly how it would be if I'd been around to buy it new back in '68 myself, mechanically fairly standard but going down the Radford / W&P route visually. It's way short of the usual electric windows, bespoke dash, Aston Martin leather seats etc of these cars but I like the way it's turned out. I'd still like to add some nice period bits to the interior but this can be done later on, I just want to get it back on the road and MOT'd asap. I've spent the morning cleaning up all the glass and started thinking about some period tinting, but time is getting on and it needs to be put back in the car...!
I'll grab some more pics next time I go down to the workshop (which is located in a top secret underground lair, honest).
Breadvan72 said:
Can there be any car more fun than a classic Mini? Even a boggo one is fab. A Cooper S, yum, yum.
Chasing Fabboceptors down country lanes springs to mind! Well, trying to anyway.Which reminds me of the day I went to look at the wee beastie.... tootling round the Hertfordshire lanes the owner said to me 'go on then give it the beans', which (obviously) I did.... on the next long straight his mate shot past us, overtaking in his red Series 1 E-Type Fixed Head!
Edited by P5Nij on Monday 20th January 11:43
GreatGranny said:
Lovely lovely car and a great colour.
I'm a Mini fan after having 4, 3 x Mini 1000's and a Mini 1275GT which I attempted to restore but lack of garage, time, patience and money meant I more or less gave it away in the end.
Still regret that 15 years later.
Cheers GG... every time I look at the colour I get a rather nice bizz - very glad we chose it in the end.I'm a Mini fan after having 4, 3 x Mini 1000's and a Mini 1275GT which I attempted to restore but lack of garage, time, patience and money meant I more or less gave it away in the end.
Still regret that 15 years later.
I've nearly always had a Mini of some sort over the last 25 years, with two or three overlapping occasionally. It's definitely a disease, like Alfas, but usually works out cheaper..!
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