‘64 COOPER S
my Cooper S would be red and have a
black top with black Group 2 arches. I’m
going to go Tartan Red. I want to add a
little leather bonnet strap too.”PLANNING AHEAD
We were fortunate enough to see the car
before any of the real work has been done,
but in the next year Mike has great plans
for this little car and we’ll be following it
every step of the way. “If this car has been
reshelled once, I’ve been thinking why
not do it again correctly. I’d like to reshell
it with a Heritage shell, I’d like to pull
everything off the car... go back to basics
and refurb every component before I put
it back on but keep what’s there in place.”
The windows, trim, chrome, brightwork,now. I’m going to get to know and love
Frankie in the time that I’m in it and I’m
going to see what it wants. The car is
talking to me already. It’s a happy little
car, it’s eager. It’s been laid up since the
1980s and it’s just been let out the box
again. It wants to get down the road.”
It’s got a Weslake rocker cover and
what feels and sounds like a straight-cut
gearbox, but what’s between those two
parts is anybody’s guess at the moment.
Whether it has been modified to make it
quicker as a road or a race car is
questionable. Even the white roof nods to
a racing heritage. Not that the roof is
staying. “The heritage certificate says that
this car should be Almond Green with a
white top, but I’ve always envisaged thatTHE PLANS
BODY “Aside from replacing the shell. I’m
going to stick with everything that comes off
it. Such as the window frames - it’s got the
deluxe windows in the back. The petrol tank is
good. All of the brightwork is in fantastic
condition. I’ll keep the bumpers and the
beauty rings around the headlamps and the
grille. I’ll just clean it up.”
ENGINE “The engine has been painted at least
three times... red, blue and green. You have to
question the significance of this. I’m going to
pull the engine, and completely rebuild it.
Everything you see under the bonnet is
coming off. I’ll do the majority myself, but the
machine work I’ll have to send away. I’ve got a
couple of guys in mind, but if anyone wants to
step forward, then I’d love to chat.”
BRAKES “I’ve just had the brakes done and
they are fantastic. We balanced the brakes
and put new linings in front and rear.”
WHEELS & TYRES “I’d like to keep the reverse
rim wheels. I’ve just put new Dunlop tyres on
it. The wider track just makes it drive better.”
INTERIOR “It’s an upgraded interior when you
think about it, but I’ll remove the whole
interior and put a new one in. I’m going to go
for Newton Commercial Tartan Red/Gold
Brocade Grey, I’ll get the seats that recline and
are period correct for that car. For the steering
wheel, the classic Morris one is a bigger two
spoke wheel and I like that but I think I’ll need
to have a slightly smaller, sportier wheel to go
with the Group 2 arches. I’ll go for new period
correct carpets, which would have been
Ta r t a n Re d .”Mike is delighted to find
himself behind the wheel
of his dream car.“It’s just been let out the box again,
it wants to get down the road”
All the details point to an earlier shell.‘64 COOPER S
myCooperS wouldberedandhavea
blacktopwithblackGroup2 arches.I’m
goingtogoTartanRed.I wanttoadda
littleleatherbonnetstraptoo.”PLANNINGAHEAD
Wewerefortunateenoughtoseethecar
beforeanyoftherealworkhasbeendone,
butinthenextyearMikehasgreatplans
forthislittlecarandwe’llbefollowingit
everystepoftheway.“Ifthiscarhasbeen
reshelledonce,I’vebeenthinkingwhy
notdoit againcorrectly.I’dliketoreshell
it witha Heritageshell,I’dliketopull
everythingoffthecar...gobacktobasics
andrefurbeverycomponentbeforeI put
it backonbutkeepwhat’sthereinplace.”
Thewindows,trim,chrome,brightwork,now.I’mgoingtogettoknowandlove
FrankieinthetimethatI’minit andI’m
goingtoseewhatit wants.Thecaris
talkingtomealready.It’sa happylittle
car,it’seager.It’sbeenlaidupsincethe
1980sandit’sjustbeenletoutthebox
again.It wantstogetdowntheroad.”
It’sgota Weslakerockercoverand
whatfeelsandsoundslikea straight-cut
gearbox,butwhat’sbetweenthosetwo
partsis anybody’sguessatthemoment.
Whetherit hasbeenmodifiedtomakeit
quickerasa roadora racecaris
questionable.Eventhewhiteroofnodsto
a racingheritage.Notthattheroofis
staying.“Theheritagecertificatesaysthat
thiscarshouldbeAlmondGreenwitha
whitetop,butI’vealwaysenvisagedthatBODY “Aside from replacing the shell. I’m
going to stick with everything that comes off
it. Such as the window frames - it’s got the
deluxe windows in the back. The petrol tank is
good. All of the brightwork is in fantastic
condition. I’ll keep the bumpers and the
beauty rings around the headlamps and the
grille. I’ll just clean it up.”
ENGINE “The engine has been painted at least
three times... red, blue and green. You have to
question the significance of this. I’m going to
pull the engine, and completely rebuild it.
Everything you see under the bonnet is
coming off. I’ll do the majority myself, but the
machine work I’ll have to send away. I’ve got a
couple of guys in mind, but if anyone wants to
step forward, then I’d love to chat.”
BRAKES “I’ve just had the brakes done and
they are fantastic. We balanced the brakes
and put new linings in front and rear.”
WHEELS & TYRES “I’d like to keep the reverse
rim wheels. I’ve just put new Dunlop tyres on
it. The wider track just makes it drive better.”
INTERIOR “It’s an upgraded interior when you
think about it, but I’ll remove the whole
interior and put a new one in. I’m going to go
for Newton Commercial Tartan Red/Gold
Brocade Grey, I’ll get the seats that recline and
are period correct for that car. For the steering
wheel, the classic Morris one is a bigger two
spoke wheel and I like that but I think I’ll need
to have a slightly smaller, sportier wheel to go
with the Group 2 arches. I’ll go for new period
correct carpets, which would have been
Ta r t a n Re d .”Mike is delighted to find
himself behind the wheel
of his dream car.“It’s just been let out the box again,
it wants to get down the road”
All the details point to an earlier shell.