Lot 223: 1967 Austin Mini Cooper S 1,275cc Works Replica Rally Car

A virtually 100% correct replica of the famous Abingdon works rally cars of the mid-1960s, this genuine Mk1 Austin Cooper S has been totally restored by the present owner to concours standards. (The owner has previously been an Autoglym National Concours Finalist with an MG TC).
By 1967, when this car was built, the production Mini Coopers had ‘wet’ Hydolastic suspension, though the works drivers unanimously preferred the earlier ‘dry’ rubber cone type - as fitted to this car - which continued to be available to them as and when required. The car is currently fitted with a four-synchromesh, helical-cut gearbox for ease of use in normal road conditions, but the correct (and rare) 22G333 three-synchromesh, ‘triple three’ bare gearbox casing is included in the sale, thus enabling the new owner to build a straight-cut gearbox if he/she so desires. The current final drive ratio is 3.44:1.
An original John Aley three-point roll cage is fitted to the interior as are the correct Irvin seat belts: lap and diagonal for the driver and full harness for the navigator. Due to the current owner’s stature, a genuine BMC reclining driver’s seat, built to match the navigator’s seat, is fitted for comfort rather than the normal works-type bucket seat. Both seats have been specially constructed to incorporate the aluminium seat box, as used by the works, rather than the flimsy rubber diaphragms of the road cars, and have been trimmed in correct red and grey corduroy. The accompanying file contains several photographs showing the construction of the seats and the various pieces of interior padding, as used by the works cars. All interior trim was supplied by Newton Commercial.
Professionally rebuilt by Don Loughlan (previously the ‘Don’ in Aldon Engineering, which overhauled the distributor), the engine has the genuine thick-flange Mk1 1,275cc S block (bored to +0.060”) and a new A+ 1275 crankshaft and ’rods, balanced as one would expect. The 12G940 cylinder head has been ported and converted to unleaded specification by well-known specialist Peter Burgess. A Maniflow manifold and works exhaust system are fitted and the SU H4 carburettors are correct down to the smallest detail, featuring float chamber extensions, fork and peg accelerator linkage, stub pipes, lock wiring and correct springs/needles as per the build sheet for ‘LRX 829E’ on the 1967 Geneva Rally.
New body panelling - sourced from Mini Machine - includes a full floor with double thickness cross-member (as per works cars), full boot floor, front toe-board, inner and outer front wings, ‘A’ posts and panels, front scuttle, and front panel with correctly modified slam panel for the alternator. New roof drip rails have been fitted, and the front bulkhead and cross-member, bonnet, boot and doors very carefully sandblasted to eradicate all corrosion. Front subframe mounting points have the works-type strengthening plates and works handbrake mounting plates. The car has been painted in Tartan Red two-pack with Old English White roof and door panels, and comes with an extensive photographic record of the body restoration.
Both front and rear sub-frames have been seam-welded, plated and gusseted to works specification. The sub-frames and all suspension and braking components where applicable have been sandblasted and finished in black two-pack to concours standard. All works-specification protective under-body plates and shields are in place.
New and original Cooper S, the brakes are fitted with the correct specification heat blocks in the caliper pistons and the disc shields have been modified to ‘Bradfords’ pattern. The rear back-plates have been drilled, as have the rear brake drums, again to works pattern. Standard specification brake pads and shoes are fitted for road use but Ferodo DS11 pads and VG95 shoes are included in the spares kit.
The integrity of any works replica Mini is judged by its electrical system and this car has been wired to 100% works specification, a process that took over 150 hours. All Lucas switches and other components (all ‘new old stock’, not pattern parts) are part-number correct and the lighting system is correct for the 1966/67 period. The heated front screen switch is the correct ‘TOK’ item, and because this car has been based on one driven by Rauno Aaltonen it has the correct column-mounted dipswitch with flexible stalk (only cars driven by Rauno were fitted with this switch as specified by him).
All instrumentation is correct: the Heuer watches being the ‘3.6.9.12’ configuration, while the Halda Twinmaster has the correct decals for the mid-1960s and has been fully restored by Neil Huband of Abingdon Works. The ‘pea’ lights are the correct ones, the water temperature gauge is correct (and very rare) and the speedometer has been correctly modified and calibrated in ‘MPH’ to comply with current UK regulations. The tachometer is the correct 10,000rpm Smiths item. The spotlights are correct with two Lucas 7” foglights and two very rare ‘Continental’ spotlights, all properly mounted on a correct specification chromed lamp bar.
Completed in 2006, this car is fully equipped with all the rare and correct items that were fitted to the Abingdon works cars, many of which are missing from genuine works cars today. It is presented in concours condition and comes with restoration invoices, heritage certificate, current road fund licence, MoT to May 2008 and Swansea V5 registration document. An extensive photographic record, both of the restoration and the works rally items fitted, is included together with a full and unabridged version of the build sheet and rolling road printout for ‘LRX 829E’ for the 1967 Geneva Rally as driven by Rauno Aaltonen and Henry Liddon. The current owner will be available both on viewing and auction day to answer prospective purchasers’ queries.