Lot Ended
Description
Stalled restoration; Oselli rebuilt engine; excellent original shell
restored and in primer; complete low owner car; terrific project - not an
assembly of parts
This enticing 997cc Cooper project dates from
February 1963 according to the BMIHT Certificate. It was despatched on 22nd
February to Lancasters of Surbiton, painted Tartan Red with a black roof and
fitted with red and gold trim which is still with the car and remains in a
restorable condition.
A gent from Sussex had the car for many
years, possibly from new. Bills on file showed that he owned it in the early
'70s and it wasn't until 2013 that it was sold to its next owner, a near
neighbour of the vendor whose name is now in the logbook....the V5C shows just
three owners from new.
Several old MOTs from the early 1970s show that in
1972 it had 11,407 miles on the clock and by 1975 it was showing 17,875 miles
The odometer currently registers 19,300 miles which given the time it has spent
off the road, may even be correct.
In 1975 the engine was sent to
Oselli engineering for a rebuild and it was later used for racing, painted black
and with the front panels replaced by a single piece tilting fibreglass
front. The file mentions that there was a possible Tommy Sopwith connection,
although we can't substantiate this.
It was to live in storage for many
years, being sold at auction in 2013 complete and still with its fibreglass
front.
The new owner got stuck in, stripping the car and spending the
money....the multiple bills on file total more than £10,700 which doesn't
include the initial purchase price.
There were £6,410 of general parts,
more engine work from Oselli (nearly 40 years on) which included a strip down
and a reworked head which was ported and flowed to Stage 2 spec and fitted with
new guides, valves, double springs and cotters. It was also refaced and modified
to run on unleaded petrol.
Apsley transmissions rebuilt the correct-type
Cooper gearbox (a 22G68 unit) which included new synchros, bearings, lay shaft,
speedo gear etc. the bill for this lot coming to £1,130.
A further £1,340
was spent on soda-blasting, £290 sorting the four wheels and fitting new
Falken tyres and £389 on MIPA 4 High-Build primer and sundries....
The
car was then offered for sale due to ill health and purchased by our
vendor, a near neighbour and friend.
He enlisted a retired body restorer
to get stuck into the shell. This was correctly rebuilt 'around the doors' and
included a new floor, front panels, boot lid etc. all finished to a very
high standard. Seam sealer was applied and the car then fully primed top to
bottom.
At this point, the vendor decided he couldn't face another major
rebuild and so is offering the project for sale. The final colour choice will be
down to you....
He is not sure what is still needed to complete the car,
although it isn't much as it comes with all the glass including the correct
sliding door glass. The seats are all present and although need a deep clean, it
is only the one seat which needs any significant repair work which would be
perfectly possible.
The instruments, steering and even the headlining are
present and the list of work already done and the parts assembled is extensive.
They include both subframes blasted and powder-coated, four new KYB shocks, four
new rubber cones, four new 'Adjustarides', refurbed rear radius arms, two new
front discs, four 10" wheels refurbished and fitted with new tyres and supplied
with hubcaps.
A new brake master cylinder and a full set of copper pipes
and flexis are included, along with a new loom, the radiator and the heater box.
There is also a fully reconditioned set of twin SUs, although these are thought
to be from a slightly later Mini. The car also comes with a refurbished and
powder coated petrol tank.
The paperwork includes a Cooper handbook with
original suplement, current V5C, old style V5 and its Buff Logbook which has
just turned up plus its original VIN tag.
This exciting Cooper 997
is one of the rarer Cooper derivatives made in period and looks like a
fun project to bring to fruition.
Contact [email protected]