1968 Morris Mini Cooper S

Built on the 14th March 1968, this delightful Morris Mini Cooper S MKII was sold to its first owner on the 23rd April 1968 by Stewart and Ardern Limited.

The vendor is the car’s second registered keeper and he’s enjoyed the car for the past 35 years. Bought as something of a basket-case, he started a complete restoration shortly after purchasing it in 1983, finally completing the project in 2004. 

Since that time he hasn’t found himself using it as much as he thought he would, so he is reluctantly offering it for sale to someone who will be able to reap the benefits of his high-quality work.  

Featuring some charming period features, this fully restored yet charmingly original car will be on our stand at this year’s NEC Classic Car Show on the 9th - 11th November, so why not pop along to take a look at it?

The Island Blue and Cloudberry White coachwork was completed in the early nineties. The owner chose to use cellulose paint rather than the more usual two-pack as he was keen to keep the finish as close to the original as he could. As you can see, he did an outstanding job; the paintwork has weathered the intervening years incredibly well and the bodywork is still in stunning condition thanks to the owner’s painstaking approach to the way he both restores and looks after his cars. We have found one small dent (drivers door) a couple of chips and one tiny rust spot (under the drivers side rear window – pretty exceptional for a car painted well over 20 years ago.

The exterior chromework is shiny and free of serious pitting and corrosion, and the painted steel wheels and chromed hubcaps are in similarly good condition and shod with tyres that have good tread.

The underside is very nearly as clean and well-finished as the bodywork; this is yet another indicator that the owner is a fastidious man who has taken the time - and spent vast sums of money - to maintain the Mini to the very highest standards. There is a small amount of cracking to some areas of the paintwork underneath but this is limited in scope and certainly doesn’t hide anything untoward like rust, bodged repairs, or other nastiness.  

One interesting feature is the Tudor tinted glass, which the vendor’s research suggests would have been a period aftermarket accessory. Only available for the flat glass panels, the original owner took the time to source and fit a period Sundym windscreen and rear screen. These were rightly left in place during the car’s restoration as they form an important part of its history and provenance. 

The interior is sombre but beautifully executed; every little detail has been restored to perfection and the result is a charmingly original interior that stands as a fitting testament to the simplicity of the car’s innovative design.

The factory fitted reclining low-back bucket seats have been recovered and are in perfect condition and completely free of rips, tears or any other damage - or even signs of wear. The rear seats, carpets, and door cards are in similarly good condition and the dashboard is as exquisitely finished as it is modest.

The boot is as well-finished as the rest of the interior and the fact that the owner went to the effort of finding and trimming a piece of felt to go under the spare wheel to stop it rattling is indicative of his determination to get every single detail perfect.

The headlining, which is the original, is possibly the weakest part of the interior but that its problems are limited to some wrinkling and the odd stain says more about the condition of the rest of the car than it does about any need for its imminent replacement. For what it is worth, we like the fact that it’s original and a little patinated and think that is should be left in situ for as long as possible.

The 1275cc engine was fully rebuilt using new and refurbished parts as required. Interestingly, while the engine’s specification is largely standard, it was fitted with an Oselli Stage 2 ported and polished cylinder head, including eccentric bushes in the rocker arms to give them a bit more lift. 

The engine was also fully balanced prior to reassembly and the owner tells us that he thinks the engine could stand a bit more tuning to unleash some of the latent horsepower he feels is still lurking within, especially given the fact that an RC40 performance exhaust was fitted during the restoration. This looks standard, and isn’t too obtrusive in terms of the exhaust note, but flows much more efficiently than the standard item.

A discreet electronic ignition system does its stuff hidden in the background, which is a sensible modification that has been installed with the owner’s customary sensitivity.

As you can see on the video, the engine still starts on the button and ticks over and revs like a Singer sewing machine. The underbonnet area itself is nicely detailed and a credit to the owner; it would be a pleasure to spend a sunny afternoon servicing it when the time comes!

The MIni retains its hydrolastic suspoension setup.

The rest of the car’s mechanical specification is similarly impressive; the owner confided that he drew as much satisfaction from restoring the car as he does driving it now, so he was never in any hurry to get it finished. His Zen-like approach to the restoration meant that he took the time and trouble to ensure that every component and sub-assembly was absolutely perfect before moving on to the next one. 

This methodical and painstaking approach helps explain why it took him the best part of a quarter of a century to finish the car but the time and money he invested in it was completely worth it as the car now needs nothing other than to be enjoyed.

The Mini comes with a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate confirming its status as a bona fide Mini Cooper S. It also comes with a Mini Cooper owner’s handbook and a number of expired MOT certificates. Interestingly, the Mini hasn’t gathered a single advisory in the past ten years - and the only point of note recorded before then was a failure in 2007 for having an inoperative horn…

A photographic record was made of the restoration and is displayed in the Gallery. The Mini also comes with a large number of old bills, invoices and other bits and bobs to support our claim that this car has been restored and maintained to the very highest standard. 

Please visit the documents section of this listing where you can view them.

Having only covered just over 1,000 miles in the past decade, the Mini is in need of a new home. Described by one of our team as “enchanting” and “gorgeous”, we can’t wait to show it off at this year’s NEC Classic Car Show where it will take pride of place on our stand.

Given its amazing condition and meticulous restoration, we think it will fetch between £26,000 and £32,000, at which price point we still think it offers outstanding value as well as Blue Chip investment potential.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at Patina HQ in Abingdon as well as at the NEC Classic Car Show between the 9th and 11th of November; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.