Hey all..I found a 66 Austin Cooper that has been sitting in someones garage for 20 years. They started to replace the hydrolast suspension....and there it sits. The engine and transmisison is out, There is only a bit of rust under the drip rails, and the interior is in really good shape....only problem is...the speedometer is in Kilometers, the original paint is a dark pastel green with black top (I have been told this color was a canadian color) and the engine seems to have a 1275 smog head (casting 12G1316)
I am wondering if what i have heard is true....If this is in fact a Canadian spec car is it going to be hard to find parts? Someone told me that the brake master cylinders were 500 bucks!!! Help!!!

 

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Maddog

 

Yeah, good reply on the parts. Don't forget Seven Enterprises in Sacramento? and Mini City LTD around Rochester, NY., and of course Victoria British.

The hydrolastic suspension is a pain, but can be charged up with a cheap pump the parts suppliers have.
The "smog" head (12G1316) is a common replacement and works just fine for road use. Not a problem.
The color sounds nice - I have no idea if was Canadian only, but most North American cars shared most of the same parts - the parts guys can help you out with that. I seriously doubt the brake master could be so much -

Try http://www.britishcarforum.com/
the members are very friendly and knowledgeable about "classic" Minis - there is even a special area for the Mini.

 

If it is truely a 66 the metal brake masters run about $100. I would be more worried about the hydrolastic suspension especially if they pulled the motor to "fix" it. The rubber parts are probably shot. The upside is many people change the hydro to a "dry" suspension, a common change for race/rally and also a common fix as the hydro bags are NLA anyway.

Most of the parts on the minis are interchangable whether from US, Canada, UK, OZ or NZ (some are specific though such as doors, wing windows etc)

The smog head is not a problem nor is the speedo calibrated in KM. If the car is cheap enough grab it...I'm talking around $1000. After all it hasn't run in 20 years and is disassembled. Additionally you might be looking at a minor rebuild on that engine (if it isn't frozen up)

And of course the big question is: is it a Cooper S which would be worth considerably more if all the correct parts were there.

 

Well they were in the middle of changing out the suspension when they got a divorce..so there she sits. Luckily it has been garaged soo there is no rust. I went back and looked at it again today and I dont think its an S.. If it was it would have dual tanks correct? It does have an S badge on the boot and on the bonnet as well. The front does have disc brakes though. She wanted 4k but i talked her down to 2. Is that a good deal?

 

2k is a good deal. Btw, it may be S. Dual tanks were optional on early S's.

PM me the engine number and car number and I can try and find out.

Im trying to remember some other clues to tell you the difference:

1. Engine 1275.
2. 7.5 inch discs. (Cooper didnt have these).
3. S ashtray.
4. Seat pattern. (Only S had pattern, Coopers were plain)

Do you have pics?

 

The right hand tank became standard in Jan 66...doesn't mean it was not built in 65 and sold as a 66 as is common with other US models now. May also want to look for a brake master cylinder that is taller then the clutch master cylinder. Should have a brake servo, an oil cooler, 120 MPH speedo with hash marks up to 130, chrome around the upper edge of the door windows (though that was also on the regular Coopers too). 7.5 S discs would be hard to decern from 7" cooper discs...11 studs holding the head to the engine is a cooper s trait ...basically one on each end of the valve cover with notches in the cover. (Don't worry if you only see 7 as the 4 toward the back of the head are under the valve cover i.e. 5 on the front and one on each side equals and S) Actually one is a bolt. Over riders and corner bars on the bumpers....not jsut a straight bumper would equate with a Cooper or S. (note some of these parts, including the badging, could be added to a non S car to make it appear to be an S)

Regular cooper seats did have a brocade pattern on them. On the back of the engine toward the fan there should be a little tag that says 1275 if it is an S (or will identify the size on the engine...only S's made in 65/66 were 1275's). Additionally if you find the 1275 tag there should be removable tappet covers on the rear of the engine just below the head...Removable tappet covers were also common on smaller bore engines so make sure the 1275 tag is there. Of course Vin number will help id this car.

$2000 would be agreat find on an S...Again you stated it sat for 20 years so it may need a bit of work to get it on the road but it should be well worth it when your done.

One last thing though; you do not need to pull the engine to change out the suspension or the hydro system...That one doesn't make sense.

 

VIN is C-A2S7L 767496. I also found FE911029 on another plate on the fender above the VIN plate. On the transmission...i think... I found 22G333. I know the block has 1 5/8 freeze plugs if that helps. Can you put a 1275 head on a 970? The head (if i havent said already) is a 12G1316. Another number that was hard to read looked like 12FAG870...Hope this helps. PS rear bumper is on and its straight no hoops. No print on the seat. Speedo goes to 200kph.

 

C-A2S7L does appear to be an austin cooper S vin prefix with the L referring to left hand drive. I am not great with the vin numbers so you can double check on www.minimania.com I believe in the technical articles section there is some info on Vins. The FE number is a commission number and doesn't have much significance. I am much better with the trans number...THAT IS A COOPER S GEARBOX. 3 syncro remote B type gearbox to be exact. (I just happen to be rebuilding one of those now). Yes you can put a 1275 head on a 970 motor...why do you ask??? There were 3 s motors, all big bore 1275, 1071 and 970. Small bore A series engines (mini engines) would be 850, 997. 998, 1098 and a (sprite engine) 948. Where did you find that 12FAG870 number?? I forgot you said the speedo was in Kph...Does it go to 210 Kph with the hash marks? (I know you said it went to 200kph) And the fact that the head was changed to a smog head...The very early cooper S heads were prone to cracking between the valves specifically the 12A185 and the AEG 163 but they had that sorted out by 1966 and were using the 12G940 casting then. The 12G1316 is a similar casting but with the smog ports...maybe used in Canada??. The number on the engine should be above the #1 spark plug (nearest the fan) you are hoping for prefixes of 9F/SA/Y or 9FD/SA/Y or 9FE/SA/Y Those are the 1275 Cooper S engine prefixes. (I have also found reference to engine prefixes of 9F/XE/Y, 12H397F and 12H398F for 1275 S motors...but these may be prefixes up until the end of MK III production which was mid 1971)

Again check for the little round plate rivited to the back of the engine and remember by 1980 (20 years ago) parts could have been added or removed such as the correct bumpers. What do the wheels look like? Stock steel w/ 9 holes around the center or some type of mag wheels?? Do you have a digital camera?? Look for some of the other identifiers as in my previous post...and take a closer look at the engine. But if you can't keep going back to look more, as you said it has no rust, worst case scinero at $2,000, if it's not a cooper S your only getting beat up for a few hundred bucks and could probably turn around sell it and get your money back on the solid shell alone (and I would buy that trans and whatever other S parts there are hahaha)...Hope this helps.

One more thing...pull the casting number off the engine block...should be an AEG number. I think I can also identify the engine that way.

 

The price is very good for a classic 60's car. I'd be least concerned with the mechanicals and more concerned with the shell as with all minis. If the shell is good, but it!

 

Good info! Thanks guys. I am going back right now to measure front brakes and look for more numbers on the engine. The speedo goes to 200kph but the last hash mark is 210.

 

That's a Canidian Cooper S speedo. Hey where is Hillsboro?? say in relation to Eugene.

 

Im acutally in Troutdale now. Need to update this thing. The front brakes look to be 7.5 inch rotors. The ID plate is missing off the block :(

 

Ok looked at the clutch and brake cylinders. One is larger than the other. Also it looks as if there are 9 bolts holding the head to the block.

 

I think you have found an S. Private mail or email me your phone number and I will call you a little later this evening. Spokaneattorney(at)msn.com. If you don't want to buy this for $2000 I would like to be second in linel. I think it is a great find!!! and well worth the money. Scott

 

How does the VIN say this is an S?

 

Here is a link to the vin page...you just have to work through it.

http://www.minimania.com/web/Display...rticleV.cfm#59

I only recognize the number as an Austin Cooper or Austin Cooper S. It's all the other parts in conjunction with this (and those things you have listed on the Mini Mania board) that leads me to believe it is a Cooper S. In addition the tall master, and speedo are things most people don't think to change. The big bore engine (because of the head) with removeable tapped covers leaves me to believe this is an S engine...and thus an S Mini. ...again send me a phone number and I will give you a call. Also if you want please send me some pictures

 

I also have the casting numbers AEG 312 on the block. I did a web search and have found this number on sevral 1275's. is this correct?

 

Cris

 

Well I ended up buying the car. Now looking for someone in the northwest with a hydrolastic suspension car to take me for a ride! I am looking to take it out and spring the car. any suggestions?

 

contact Jeff Drago racerkoi@aol.com on Minimania board, I think he's in your area.....Woodland, WA? he's knowledageable and helpful...