1964 Austin Mini Cooper Sedan

The Austin mini was the idea of Sir Alec Issigonis of the British Motor Company. First launched in 1959, the Mini soon became very popular and in 1999 it was voted the second most influential car of the 20th century, after the Ford Model T.

The Cooper S was launched as a sports model and went on to win the Monte Carlo Rally four times from 1964 through 1967.

It is not known if this particular car has any racing history; it is known to have its factory-original 1070 engine. The current owner discovered the car in a barn in north Georgia, where it was believed to have been stored for 3 decades. The car was complete with the original matching-numbers engine from the factory. The car is rare as the Mini Cooper S was only made for one year with the 1070 engine. Due to the short stoke of the engine and a drive ratio of 3.76, most 1071 engines were blown by over-revving and replaced by the 1275cc engine that became the factory specification in 1964.

This Mini Cooper S was entrusted to Boxweed Auto Restoration in Georgia for a complete show quality restoration. The only non-factory improvement permitted during restoration was an upgrade to a 3.1 gear ratio with a 3,000 RPM at 55 mph. The car has been finished in its original color of Tartan Red with a black top. The interior was restored in Tartan Red with gold brocade. The car also has the original tool kit, including a jack, lug wrench, and correct vinyl bag.

The restoration work was completed in 2013 and has been driven less than 300 miles since that time.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2014