- Seller: Jesse M (Contact)
- Location: Boise, Idaho
- Mileage: 39,535 Shown
- Chassis #: K-A2S4L-281243
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 997cc Inline-4 Cylinder
- Transmission: 4-Speed Close Ratio Manual
The time has come to part ways with our Mini Cooper. It was a fun project to undertake and is an even more fun car to drive. When it came to us, it had been off the road for 40+ years and had a ton of unknowns. We ended up having to do more work than expected to get it safe to drive, but after 4 years of hard work, we have it back on the road, and it was well worth the work. We’ve had our fun with it, and a new project has just arrived at BF HQ, so we are offering our Mini Cooper right here as a Barn Finds Exclusive! So, if you’d love to have it, feel free to make us an offer. It’s located in Boise, Idaho, and comes with a clean title and a Heritage Certificate.
Finding a classic Mini isn’t all that difficult, but finding an early left-hand drive Cooper is a completely different story. So, when this one popped up for sale as part of a package deal with two Lotuses, we just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to experience it. Unfortunately, when it arrived, it was rougher than expected. The body wasn’t bad, but the interior was dirty, it wouldn’t run, and someone had rattle-canned part of the engine with Ford Blue spray paint. Once we determined that the body was solid, we decided to drop the engine to service and repaint it. There were more than a few hurdles along the way, but you can read about all of that here and see all the before-and-after photos.
The early Mini Cooper story is one that isn’t often well understood. Much like the Shelby Mustang, the Cooper came about as the result of one man’s racing and performance ambitions. The Cooper Car Company started out building purpose-built race cars, but after driving a Mini 850, John Cooper convinced BMC and his friend Alex Issigonis, the creator of the Mini, to let him build a performance version. It was a very similar arrangement to Shelby’s, with BMC providing Cooper with a chassis ready to receive their upgraded engine, close-ratio transmission, brakes, and exhaust. The first example rolled out of the Cooper Car Company’s workshop in 1961. After a little over a year of production, the 998 version of the A-Series engine was introduced, making 997-powered cars like this one quite rare.
While we went through the engine, replacing seals and worn-out components, we did our best to retain as many original parts as possible. A big part of what makes an early Cooper special is all of the unique parts that Cooper used on these cars, so we wanted to retain those items if we could. The 997cc inline-four is incredibly unique among BMC A-Series engines, and this one runs wonderfully. It has healthy oil pressure, runs cool, and makes decent power. Mechanically, the car is ready to drive. There are a few things that could still use work, though. The temperature gauge isn’t accurate, the speedometer reads fast, and the ignition light stays on. We’ve checked the engine temperature with an external sensor, and it runs within the correct operating range. We aren’t sure why the ignition light is on, but the alternator is generating power. And there is some rust showing on the bottoms of the doors and in the driver’s side rear fender liner.
While the interior was dirty upon arrival, the seats and major components were in decent condition. The carpet had obviously been replaced with house carpet, so we installed a new carpet set from Newton Commercial. The seats and vinyl panels were cleaned and treated with vinyl protector. The car has a tachometer installed on the steering column, but it isn’t wired up yet. The aftermarket steering wheel looks great and has the correct style Morris horn button. All of the door and side window seals have been replaced, so the car seals up nicely. Now that the interior is cleaned up, it’s a comfortable and fun place to be. Included with the car are new gaskets and trim for the windshield and rear glass, as well as a new trunk gasket.
Since we wanted to drive this Mini on the street, we installed new wheels and tires. The original Cooper wheels and center caps are included with the car, along with other original parts such as the exhaust header and shocks. It really is a fun little car, and while it isn’t perfect, it’s nice enough to enjoy as is. It gets a ton of attention everywhere it goes, with lots of positive comments about how original yet clean it looks. If you really wanted to take it to the next level, you could, but if we were to keep it, we would leave it alone cosmetically and just drive it. We would just focus on fixing the gauges, installing a hotter ignition system, and putting as many miles on it as we could! Let us know if you have any questions in the comment section.
Bid On This Auction
Longbranchno4 bid $10,000.00 2026-05-07 10:09:54
Great , solid, honest Mini!!! The driving video was a huge treat, just to hear it running through the gears was terrific. (And umm…… we promise not to say anything about that illegal u turn there… Just kidding). Personally, I wouldn’t change a thing. Best wishes to the new owner, and hope they get a lot of fun miles with this Mini.
My only experoence of Mini Coopers in South Africa is that they had a petrol filler on both sides of the car and the seats in this car don’t look correct for a “Sports” car. Maybe the specs for cars that went to America were different. Lovely little car anyway.
Later Coopers had the double tanks and these are the correct seats. Some people installed buckets in their race and rally cars back in the day.
It is important to remember that the Mini wasn’t a “Sports Car” it was an economical sedan designed to move people from point A to B as inexpensively as possible. It was those dam**d kids, hot rodding everything they touched that turned it into one of the best handling, most fun for the dollar (pound?) car to come out of Britain (with the possible exception of the BugEye). The flat seats were not performance minded, they were economy minded. The 997 engine was the big step up from the 850 and guys like John Cooper and Paddy Hopkirk that made souped up Mini’s so much more than the original Econobox.
I used to have the asymmetric Yokohama A008s on Cooper wheels on my Minis. Ended up with 2 or 3 sets of Cooper – outset – wheels.
I thought the Coopers had twin gas tanks. Cap on each side.
See Jesse Mortensen’ reply above.
I’m a bit curious about the fact that it’s a MORRIS Cooper as I would have thought that only AUSTIN Coopers would have been exported to the USA.
Yes, I know they were identical cars except for the grille and badges.
I had a Morris 997 Cooper back in Oz in the early ’70s) and yes, it was a fun car to drive – as this one would be too. Mine was this exact color (colour, if you will) which was Almond Green and an Old English White roof.
Experts please chime in on the Morris vs Austin Cooper exports to the US.
This was originally sold in France before being imported to the US. That’s why it’s left hand drive and earlier than just about any Mini you’ll find here. I don’t think most understand the significance of this car. It’s like finding an early Shelby.
The 997 engines size was so they could race in the FIA under 1000cc, Groupe 5.. The Abarth Berlina Corsas blew their doors off in International races.
At this price, I would have to insist upon the original correct steering wheel (and anything else that SHOWS): alterations that remain out of sight, I am not so insistent upon. I certainly remember these, and I was sure that we had them in the U.S. at least as early as 1957.
It has all the Cooper parts and that’s what matters. You can always get a replacement steering wheel. That wheel, tach, and pedal were put on in the seventies or earlier so they are period mods and that’s pretty cool.
Oh, and no there weren’t any Coopers in ’57.
The Morris Mini Cooper came out in September 1961.
I think I got it mixed-up with the Morris Minor. I’m sorry. Blame it on my age! (smile)
the 997 was rare a low production run .in 1980 i had a lots as they were cheap even the vans 50 pounds and lots to choose in blighty .i was a boyraycer young and fun repaired and sold over 200 to working class get to work transport with full mot to young folks .350 pounds average .i access to free paint from my works i painted one red with a white room just for fun ran a add no pictures back then 35 calls the first day 33 from girls and many fun things followed .later the leyland test shop had beat up test mini they experimented on offered for 100 pounds .1275 engine rover sd1 dash lots of hot rod stuff webasto roof .i fixed it painted red .fitted a 850 badge and raced a beat many over 100 mph on b roads was fun all cried when they saw the badge i never let on .i sold it in 1985 to move to ca usa for 600 pounds in great running order to the cooper s club in the midlands .the lic plate alone was worth more 28 ORL .the next owner put his plate on MAB 2D i wonder if they are in the dmvl still .todays mini drivers are all old guys flipping for profit gone is the fun of youth racing no money but fun
Yep, MORRIS MINI, Reg, number MAB 2D is still on the DVLA web site. It is red and was first registered on 1 July 1966.
If I recall correctly, the 997 was a bored and restroked 850. Most of the Mini’s I saw in Texas in the 60’s and 70’s were Austins, and the Coopers were 998 (a shorter stroke/larger bore). The Cooper S was a completely different story with the 970, 1071 and 1275. My first racer was a D Sedan Morris 970 Cooper S. I also had a small “cottage industry” putting the MG1100 engines and sometimes the 1275 Austin America engine) in 850 mini’s and selling them for big profit (back then, $100 was big profit). This 997 Cooper appears to be the Real Deal. GLWTS
thanks for the info i think i still have receipt of the person who bought it .maybe the same guy maybe in his 70s now
Don’t sell it!!! You’ll be kicking yourself in the arse 20 years from now… Lol. A real beauty. 👍
Natta………………
Twin fuel fillers were on a Cooper S that had a 1275cc engine as well. In Sydney Australia in the 60’s the police used them as pursuit cars .
I had a Moke with the Cooper S drive train and it felt like a rocket ship and handled like a go kart.
Guess nobody wanted it for $45K.
We were asking $35k. We didn’t find a buyer the first time around because most people don’t know a lot about these. To the right person, this is a grail.
My mistake, sorry.
My friend had one of these and his favorite HAIR-RAISING trick was to get up to a fair speed, spin the wheel while applying the e-brake and spin the thing in its own length
Want years taken off your life. This works.
Why didn’t they mount the coil outside the hood. Seems like it could have gotten wet faster. Saab did that too. My friend had his wrapped in a plastic bag..
Mr. Bean
My Dad had a 1071 Cooper S. What a blast it was!