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Channeling the spirit of its motorsport glory years, this 1998 Rover Mini Cooper Sportspack captures the playful charm of Britain’s most iconic small car. Registered as R229 FAF, this particular example has been treated to a genuine John Cooper Works conversion, certified and invoiced, transforming it from a cheerful runabout into a finely tuned road-going racer.
Beneath its compact bonnet lies a ported and polished cylinder head, billet 1. 5:1 roller rockers and an LCB exhaust manifold, supported by high-compression pistons with a 10:1 ratio, a polished crankshaft and new bearings throughout. A Swiftune SW5 fast-road camshaft, vernier pulley and duplex timing chain sharpen the delivery, while the car has covered just 700 miles since its careful rebuild, a mere shakedown for an engine of this calibre.
Stopping power comes courtesy of a front big-brake conversion with four-pot billet calipers and 8. 4-inch vented discs, while deep-offset 6J Minilite-style alloys wrapped in Yokohama A539s lend the perfect stance. The KAD short-shift transforms the gear change into a delightfully mechanical click, and a Fletcher stainless-steel exhaust provides the soundtrack; crisp, eager and unmistakably Mini. Inside, Cobra seats and matching trim add just the right amount of motorsport edge without compromising the period simplicity that defines this car’s appeal.
Acquired in October 2020 from respected Mini specialists Paul Higgs Cars, this example has wanted for nothing under its current custodian. It comes with a thick history file of invoices, past MOTs and supporting paperwork, two keys and an MOT with no advisories valid until September 2026.
Our internal pre-sale car checking process confirms this to be a clean, original UK-market example showing just under 52, 000 miles from new. It retains its correct identity and mechanical specification, with six former keepers - each holding the car for meaningful periods - and a consistent pattern of careful ownership. Earlier advisories typical of an unrestored Mini were properly addressed during its rebuild, leaving a car whose paperwork and presentation align perfectly: honest, documented and refreshingly correct.
Model History:
The Mini’s story is inseparable from the history of British motoring. Conceived by Sir Alec Issigonis in 1959 as a compact and economical runabout, it soon became something far more: a cultural symbol and, through the efforts of John Cooper, a motorsport giant. Cooper’s tuned Minis humbled far larger machinery on the Monte Carlo Rally stages and forged a legend that still endures. The John Cooper Works badge represents the ultimate expression of that heritage, combining the original car’s agility with authentic, factory-endorsed performance. Cars fitted with genuine JCW kits, like this one, offer not only period correctness but a visceral connection to that golden age of British motoring.
Who It’s For?
This is a Mini for the purist, for the driver who delights in mechanical tactility and the unmistakable sense of occasion that only a properly sorted classic Mini can deliver. It will appeal to those who remember Minis dicing through B-road corners in the ’60s and ’70s, and to the younger enthusiast who craves a direct, analogue experience in an increasingly digital world.
Picture an early-morning run through quiet countryside: the rasp of the stainless exhaust, the precise movement of the short-shift, the chassis dancing lightly over the tarmac. It’s not about outright speed it’s about balance, feedback and feel. With its documented provenance, genuine JCW credentials and meticulous preparation, R229 FAF represents the Mini at its very best: spirited, tactile and unmistakably British.
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