VORTZ MINI

Year of manufacture 1970 Recorded mileage 49,972 Asking price £32,995 Vendor Thoroughbred Cars, Essex; 020 8501 2727/07768 848217; www.thoroughbred-cars.co.uk WHEN IT WAS NEW Price £792 (Cooper ‘S,’ 1966) Max power 76bhp Max torque 80lb ft 0-60mph 10 secs Top speed 97mph Mpg 28

This rare Mk3 – Vortz Racing built fast Minis from 1965 and was catalytic in the reintroduction of the Mini Cooper – is registered on a Cooper ‘S’ chassis number, and exceeds ‘S’ specifications.

It’s been reshelled at some point following an accident and has recently been repainted in its original Blaze, which was an excellent job – except for the painter incorrectly filling the wing-to-scuttle seams first. It’s as tidy as you would expect, with solid sills and adjustable-camber (dry) rear subframe, though the slightly wavy side trims are held on with self-tappers.

The wheels are unkerbed Minilites and the tyres are 2012-dated Yokohama 082Rs, with an unused Dunlop SP Sport (1309) on the spare.

Inside, the headlining is good and there are period bucket seats with inertia harness belts, plus a Moto-lita wheel. There are also Halda Tripmaster and Hanhart rally stopwatches, which together with the five-day ACS Russian aircraft clock will be worth £1000. There’s still a John Cooper Garages sticker in the back window, too.

The motor is tidy, and now wears a sumpguard and 123 ignition. The exact internal specification is unclear, though with the appliance of thoughtful development Vortz motors were always held to be more flexible than Coopers. The coolant level is good, the oil dark and just over the ‘max’ mark.

It starts easily, ticks over okay and goes really well – better than a Cooper – happily revving to 6000rpm, though the second-to-third synchro is a bit slow; the Paddy Hopkirk throttle pedal helps with heel-and-toeing. The brakes have nice feel, and you can push on as hard as you like because there’s tremendous grip from the Yokos. The oil pressure is a very healthy 75psi, with the temperature needle one-third of the way up the gauge.

The Mini will be sold with its handbook, plus a copy of The Wild Card, the book of the Vortz Racing story, and a picture of both John Cooper and (Alec Issigonis’ right-hand man) Jack Daniels with the car.

SUMMARY

EXTERIOR

Straight, new paint; solid sills and rear subframe

INTERIOR

Good all round with lots of (valuable) period extras

MECHANICALS

Healthy; doesn’t half go!

VALUE ++++++ ,,,,

For Nicely put together and rare; faster than your usual ‘S’

Against Shame about those body seams – too late now

SHOULD I BUY IT?

It’s a swifter alternative to a Cooper, and a fascinating piece of history