1965 Mini Cooper 970 S MK1

The Mini Cooper S had competition in mind, particularly the British Saloon Car Championship, in 1964 Cooper produced two 'S' models, the 970 and 1275 aimed clearly at the under-1,000cc and under-1,300cc BSCC classes respectively. The road-going 970 'S' was a real 'Homologation Special' with its 'revvy' little short-stroke engine producing over 65bhp but it was expensive to manufacture, so BMC made it a 'special-order' model, and consequently, very few were sold (with even fewer remaining today). The 970 'S' was only produced from June 1964 until April 1965 and with just 963 examples supplied, of which 397 were badged Morris, it's one of the rarest and most sought-after Mini models.

This lovely 970 'S' is superbly finished in its original colour of Tweed Grey with an Old English White roof and was the subject of a comprehensive restoration some years ago with new floor and panels as required. It's fitted with a straight-cut gearbox and the engine was fully rebuilt in 2021 by its previous owner to standard 970 'S’ spec with new cam, cam followers, flywheel and clutch. The carburettors were rebuilt, a new electronic distributor from Swiftune was fitted and the dry suspension was fully rebuilt utilising new subframes. The impressive interior is correctly finished in Porcelain Green/Dove Grey and boasts reclining seats-an expensive option at the time. Another option was an additional fuel tank and filler on the right-hand side. Standard wheels were vented, 9-slot, 10”x 4.5” painted Old English White, with central chromed-steel hubcaps and had a more negative offset than the standard Mini and Cooper. Front and rear chrome bumpers were fitted with over-riders and corner 'nerf' bars.

The odometer currently reads 53,676 miles, which is largely academic considering the cars extensive refresh, the heritage certificate confirms the date it was built and supplying dealer Haslemere motor company. The engine and chassis number match the heritage certificate.

This car is perfectly priced