1965 MORRIS MINI COOPER MKI
ENGINE 998cc/4-cyl/ohv POWER 55bhp6000rpm TORQUE 57lb ft@3600rpm MAXIMUM SPEED 88mph 0-60MPH 13sec FUEL CONSUMPTION 30-35mpg TRANSMISSION FWD, four-speed man MOT 12 months on sale ODOMETER 63,250 miles WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
We’d expect this Cooper to drive faultlessly given that £20k has been spent on new parts for it alone. And it’s an absolute joy to hurl down country lanes. The steering is trademark Minidirect, transmission changes are accurate despite the long throw and the upgraded Cooper S brakes do a fine job of shedding speed. Handling remains as revelatory as ever – corner speed depends more on your nerve than anything else. Everything clicks, clunks and engages as it’s supposed to – there’s certainly nothing to worry about mechanically.
BODYWORK CHECK
Much of the aforementioned £20k was spent on Heritage exterior panels. This Cooper was taken off the road at some point in the 1980s and remained partially stripped and awaiting restoration until 2017, after which it underwent a two-year bare metal re-paint and total re-build of all of its mechanical, body and interior components. The end result was a project that cost in the region of £50k. You won't be surprised to hear that the bodywork is very near flawless, then; it would be churlish to point out the infinitesimally minor imperfections. Basically, this thing is concours-ready. It's been re-painted in its original colour combo, too – Tartan Red with a Black roof.
HOW’S THE INTERIOR?
The entire cabin was retrimmed with a Newton Commercial replacement interior during its restoration and it still looks exceptional. The car has only covered 150 miles since that restoration was completed in 2019, so there’s barely been any time or use within which any wear can occur. We suspect that there’s still a smattering of smartened-up original parts in here, most likely the gear knob and handbrake handle. There are some minor creases in the vinyl covering the dash top where it seems that the glue has given up, but these are very trivial imperfections.
UNDER THE BONNET
All of the mechanical parts were stripped and checked during the re-build and much of the 63k-mile engine and transmission were found to be in great shape. The cylinder head got new springs and a decoke – it didn’t need anything more. The bottom-end has bigger bearings and the timing chain has been upgraded to a duplex but the original pistons and bores were simply cleaned and re-used. The hoses, radiator, cooling system, wiring and soundproofing have been replaced and the block repainted in its original green.
THE CCW VIEW
The expense of restoring this Cooper to this standard far exceeds its value. But that’s the mark of a true enthusiast, and it’s all the better that someone has taken the hit for you.
PROS £50k restoration still looks amazing CONS It’s not a Cooper S