1964 Austin MINI-COOPER (1071 S replica)

The car was bought by the current owner in 2002 and used until the start of the restoration work in 2003. Originally a Mini Cooper 998cc – verified by a British Motor Industry Heritage certificate – the vendor upgraded it to full, and accurate, 1071S specification. The work took three years, with the Mini returning to the road in 2006.

This work was painstaking: a bare-metal respray was followed by the installation of a bespoke and superb 1071cc engine built to Formula Junior specification, a 4-speed all-synchro gearbox, a 3.64 differential, 7.5-inch disc brakes, and twin fuel tanks, all per the original specification.

Over the last decade or so since restoration was complete, the owner has driven and enjoyed it for around 5,000 miles since completing the work, which is just enough to have shaken out any little niggles and problems. It has never been driven in the rain and dry stored when it’s not being used.

The result is one of the most delightful and inspiring cars we’ve ever seen or driven. The car is with us at our Abingdon HQ and our test drive for the photography revealed an absolutely cracking little car, which just wants to go and go. It rides and handles beautiful, with a rorty exhaust note and the sort of awe-inspiring roadholding that made it a legend. We encourage any potential bidder to come and take a look and experience the drive.

The original bodyshell was completely stripped down and any rust or rot carefully cut out before being replaced with O/E specification replacement parts. The labour bill alone came to £3,300, which seems like money well-spent to us given the quality of the work and the consistency of the panel gaps. (Please see the attached receipts for the parts purchased and work undertaken, and the photo album that records the work that was undertaken.)

It was then resprayed in the correct shade of red by Abingdon Car Restorations before having the mechanical components reinstated. A variety of new seals and grommets were fitted, which keeps things watertight and looking neat and is indicative of the care that was taken.

The original 3.5-inch steel wheels were powder-coated and shod with matching Dunlop ST Aquajet tyres, all of which have good tread. The spare wheel has a matching new, unused tyre.

The work was beautifully done and still looks amazing, even after a decade-and-a-half. There is no rot, rust or corrosion whatsoever. A photo album documenting the work will be supplied with the car.

The only blemish is a small area just behind the offside door. It’s tiny, but we draw your attention to it to reinforce the fact that this really is as bad as it gets! Oh, and the chrome on the rear quarterlights is less-than-perfect but that (again!) is more a reflection of how good the rest of the vehicle is rather than how bad the chrome is.

The Mini Super De Luxe interior is all-new but made to the original specification in the famous red and gold brocade pattern. It, along with new red carpets and seat belts, was supplied by marque specialists, Newton Commercials. The parts alone cost almost £1,500.

The result looks utterly splendid, right down the lightly patinated steering wheel, which we think is a lovely counter-point to the immaculate finish of the brand-new seats, door trims and carpets.

While the original headlining and sun visors were white, the owner couldn’t live with them in the O/E colour, so he had them refinished in matt black. This might not be authentic but it is much more practical and something the works teams did too. (The same can be said of the rev counter, which is mounted in pride of place directly in front of the driver.)

The trim panel inside the boot lid is marked and could probably be usefully replaced, as could the rear quarter trim panels, which are ruffled.

The tell-tale green flashing light on the end of the indicator stalk works, just delightful.

The 1071cc engine was built by Rob Walker Engineering Limited to Formula Junior specification using a new engine block, crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons. The work was as meticulous as it was comprehensive, as might be expected from a man with Rob’s reputation. We at The Market all agree, the results are fantastic, the engine is beautifully balanced and revs so smoothly, it is constantly encouraging you for more.

The engine inhales through twin chromed pancake air cleaners and exhales through a Janspeed exhaust manifold and downpipe which is mated to a works exhaust system. The engine runs very sweetly, delivering its power cleanly and evenly throughout the entire rev range. The owner estimates that it develops about 75bhp, although it has never been tested on a rolling road. The engine bay itself is clean and neatly, but not overly, detailed.

An uprated twin-core radiator keeps things nice and cool and the correct boot-mounted twin fuel tanks usefully extend the Mini’s range. The four-speed, all-synchromesh gearbox was fully stripped down and rebuilt using new components as necessary, including a 3.64 differential. As a result, it shifts cleanly and smoothly, without noise.

A new wiring loom was fitted, which should rule out the sort of electrical niggles that plague cars that have their old loom reused. All of the mechanical work has been carried out with a high level of diligence and sympathy; the only non-period upgrade we can find fitted is a solid-state electric fuel pump, which seems to us to be a very sensible modification.

The car comes with a thick history file of photographs, invoices and bills. It also has a British Motor Industry Heritage certificate confirming its status as a genuine Mini Cooper 998cc.

Its online MOT history is as impeccable as the rest of the car with no advisories - ever! The current MOT certificate expires in April 2019.

Please visit the ‘Gallery’ section of this listing where you will find a large number of invoices and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has an impressively comprehensive service history. There are also over 100 photos above and below and a video.

The Mini Cooper has a very strong following, even among generalist collectors with little interest in other car models - and who can blame them? The Mini Cooper, especially in famed ‘S’ specification is such an iconic, giant-killing machine that its appeal is as legendary as it is widespread.

This is reflected in the prices they’re currently achieving: having reached up to £50,000 for the very best (and £70,000+ being asked…) they’re now out of the reach of all but the wealthiest enthusiast. That’s bad enough but that price tag also brings a hefty sense of responsibility and, possibly, an overly cautious approach to their use as everyday drivers or competition machines.

Which is where this example comes in. Built to full 1071S-specification, the market will nonetheless value it as a replica – and while this seems like a tragic mischaracterization to us, the resulting estimate of around £25,000 will bring it within the reach of people for whom the ‘real thing’ is either too expensive or too valuable to be used in anger.

The spec is right; the build quality is right; the parts quality is right; all the moons align – and we can vouch that the end result is a corking drivers’ car.

So, we can see this Mini Cooper S going to an enthusiast who wants a car they can use on the road, track or rally stage without having to worry too much about destroying something that costs the same as a nice terraced house in some parts of the country. Having said that, it needs so little work to bring it up to concours standard that it might go in the completely opposite direction!

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at Patina HQ in Abingdon; 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.