Registration - DYK 635J

Chassis No. - XAD1-74045A

M.O.T. - August 2023

Odometer - 25,676

Who wouldn’t add an original Cooper S to their garage if they could? As iconic British classics go they’re right up there, but fewer and fewer original ones are coming to market these days, which makes ‘DYK 635J’ all the more interesting. It is a four-owner MKIII example, the most recent keeper of which has retained the car for the last 37 years. It boasts its original bodyshell, engine, gearbox, Hydrolastic suspension and black vinyl interior trim, but benefited from a restoration in the 1990s using as many genuine Rover parts as possible, during which it was re-cellulosed in its original colour of Aqua. Always stored in a dry garage, it has recently been restricted to occasional summer use. The vendor informs us that the Mini is ‘very usable and reliable, but has recently developed a leak from the clutch oil seal’. Immaculate underneath and elsewhere as can be seen from the photos, the Cooper is now being sold complete with period vinyl sliding sunroof, twin fuel tanks and a current MOT valid to August 18 next year.

The first Mini-Cooper appeared in 1961, following a tie-up with champion F1 constructor John Cooper. The capacity of the standard engine was increased, while a close-ratio gearbox and front wheel disc brakes completed the package. The Mark II version launched in 1969 featured a redesigned grille, larger rear window and numerous cosmetic changes, while the MKIII derivative of 1969 brought larger doors with concealed hinges and conventional wind-up windows, and Mini became a brand in its own right.