Wolf in Sheep

A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing…

~

My Boyhood Dream Car

which

Evolved Into Reality

Over The Years

~

Part of my misspent youth passed me by whilst living in Surbiton in the early 1960s; I became acquainted in 1962/3 with a very young Michael Cooper and through him his famous father. John Cooper of Mini-Cooper fame.   I remember the day well. when he took a Works Mini. with an engine in front and rear. and blew up both engines on the Kingston By-Pass. near the old Tolworth roundabout. just before the notorious Ace of Spades.

In 1973 I bought an old Morris Mini Minor at Surrey Car Auctions. 5003 ME. which had been first licensed by Middlesex County Council on the 30th September 1960. I was the 7th owner.   I have kept it ever since. The car evolved over the years as an homage to my boyhood hero John Cooper. which is why this final evolution has an original Dove Grey paint job with a Black roof. which in John Cooper's day indicated a Works Mini. i. e. one that was in development.

 DVLA have classed it as a ‘Historic Vehicle'. a Morris Mini-Minor from 1st October 1960… so no Road Tax to pay every year. it's free.

 But it has been Heavily Modified over the years. (a purist's nightmare). Most major modifications were carried out circa 1998/9. by which stage in my life I could finally afford it.   The original rust ridden shell. from sitting under a carport for many years. was replaced by an original 1959 Austin Seven shell (the 1959 & 1960 Minis had thicker steel than later ones).

With:

        Safety Devices roll-bar

        Sparco racing seat-belts

Cobra driving seat. now a little tatty.

Minispeed transverse Metro Engine (?1395cc. DVLA have written it in as 1325cc on the last V5C car document issued in 2005)

Extra Heavy-Duty Radiator Fan

Oil Cooler

Modified Air Filter

Sportex Manifold

Disc brakes. on front

Original Mini-Cooper Wing Mirrors

Original 13" Minilite Wheels. with spoilers

Straight-Through. so thrummingly noisy

Plus a stereo system installed in 2002.

On the German Autobahn I have taken it to just over 200KPH. skittishly (being very light on the road). with a lot of rattling and shaking.

Other defects. the usual problem with this early model of the Mini. with the side sliding windows' seal leaking water into the bottom of the door-well… And the usual myriad small superficial maintenance issues needed to bring the car to an ‘as new' state. To the best of my knowledge and belief the car is structurally sound and roadworthy.

THIS CAR IS IN A GARAGE SHOWROOM IN SOUTHERN DENMARK and NEEDS TO BE COLLECTED OR SHIPPED OUT AT SUCCESSFUL BIDDER'S COST (am quite prepared to help in any way I can).  It has NO CURRENT MoT NOR TAX SINCE 2008. it was in full working order in 2009 when it went on display. I had free storage. he had a showpiece.   Since 2008. have not had the time. nor inclination to carry on using the car. since I have semi-retired to SE Asia.

I look forward to meeting the next keeper of this vehicle…

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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