Highlights

One registered keeper from new!
Genuine early MK1 Cooper
Backed by a solid history file with British Motor Heritage certificate
Subject to extensive mechanical refurbishment
Beautifully presented highly original example
No recorded previous owners
Photographic historic restoration

The Appeal

Absolute unadulterated fun, the Mini in its purest form. It’s a car that marked the start of an automotive revolution, what was supposed to be a cheap economy car turned into a staple of British culture, the early MK1 Morris Mini Cooper is the genesis of it all and surely one the ultimate variants of Britain’s beloved classic. With the Mini scene bigger now than it ever has been, now seems like a perfect time to slide into the wonderful world of Mini ownership, and there’s perhaps no better way to do that than with a timewarp car to take you back to those glorious 1960s.

A true British icon, and a piece of automotive history, this 1964 MK1 Morris Mini Cooper sings of the glory days of The Beatles and drainpipe jeans. Presenting wonderfully in great, honest original form, it may well be one of the finest early Coopers available on the market at present and will surely make a welcome addition to the fleet of any devoted Mini enthusiast.

The History and Paperwork

First registered 01/01/1965
Supplied through Mini distributor Stewart & Arden LTD of London
Accompanied by a British Motor Heritage certificate detailing various specifications and build details about the car from original build and despatch
Backed by an impressively sized history file
Extensive collection of invoices for work undertaken and parts bought to maintain the car throughout its lifetime
Well sized photo album highlighting the extensive refurbishment and restoration process undertaken on the car
Morris Mini Cooper drivers handbook is present with the car
Vast collection of previous MOT certificates
Both tax and MOT exempt due to the car’s age and historic status
V5 registration document present with the car
The car was used for filming in the BBC documentary series “Animal Park” about the anniversary of Longleat Safari Park
Comes with a folder full of receipts
Regularly exhibited at Beaulieu

The Interior

Smartly presented in good original form
Earlier style MK1 cabin setup
Upgraded Mountney steering wheel

Porcelain Green and Dove Grey was the original interior colour scheme in which this car left the factory and it appears to still be shod in those glorious colours to this day. The seats, both front and rear, have next to no wear and look exactly as you’d expect for a car that has been so well preserved and cared for, there is some slight sagging to the rear bench seat upholstery but nothing to be seen in the way or tarnishing or rips.

Almond Green door frames sit on each side of the cabin and look to be in good form, with upholstered inserts and simple embellishments and door furniture, characteristic of the early MK1 Coopers of the era. Focusing on the front of the car we find a contrasting black Mini dash panel, in good clean shape, notably lacking in signs of fading or sun damage, it houses the iconic centrally mounted gauge cluster which looks to be in fine fettle, well decorated with subtle chrome trim. The small selection of switchgear that resides below looks to be of a similarly high quality.

Inspection of the cabin’s upper section reveals a contrasting white headlining. Well fitting it looks to be tight across the entire roof panel. There are some minor signs of staining but it is still a well preserved, nicely presented piece of upholstery. At ground level sits a high quality beige brown carpet set which is of a good clean standard throughout the cabin floor. Opening the rear tailgate we are presented with a simple, clean boot area with carpeted floor mat and colour matched green panelling.

A three spoke Mountney steering wheel with a contrasting wood finish takes pride of place in the front of the cabin and presents in wonderful clean order.

The Exterior

Impressively original form from an aesthetic perspective
Several early MK1 Cooper design cues
Presented in original colour scheme

This is a beautiful, honest car, showcasing as one of the more original MK1s out on the market today, certainly from an aesthetic perspective. Almond Green with an Old English White roof panel was the original colour scheme in which this Mini left the dealership in 1965 and its a colourway the car still wears with pride to this day. The deep green paintwork is of a truly wonderful standard with very limited signs of wear or age related marking visible to the eye, as to be expected of a car of such a well preserved and cared for car.

Four gorgeous deep dish white steel wheels reside at ground level with contrasting decorative trim caps, all presented in lovely order. A fifth spare wheel sits comfortably within a bespoke compartment in the boot floor in case of emergency.

We are reminded from the outside that this is an early car when looking at things such as the external door hinges and characteristic MK1 front grille. We also see the flip down, hinged number plate on the rear tailgate when opened, as well as sliding side windows at the front, and pop out windows at the rear. The exterior trim in its chrome splendour is of a marvellous quality and the same can of course be said for all of the external badging, lighting and bumpers front and rear. There's no getting away from it, this is a charming little Mini in truly fine form.

The Mechanics

Glorious, highly original 998cc engine
Presented in great overall mechanical order
Engine has been subject to an extensive rebuild
Converted to run on unleaded fuel

Under the bonnet, we find ourselves looking at a solid 998cc 4 cylinder engine, which upon examination shows this to be a well maintained example, with great paintwork on the firewall, the block and head. The hoses, ancillaries and leads can also be seen to be in excellent condition, emphasising the care that has been taken to maintain this car.

As denoted by the accompanying photo album, the engine on this particular car has been removed, stripped down and rebuilt, with outfit Hurley Engineering of Bath performing a re bore and regrind, also supplying new pistons, rings and an oil pump, at this time the car was also converted to run on unleaded petrol for added convenience in the modern world. In 2021 the twin SU HS2 carburetors were treated to a refurbishment by Burlen Fuel Systems of Salisbury.

All of this means that on the move, the little Mini zips along, boasting its iconic tight mini handling, accelerating well and cycling through the gears excellently, and perhaps most importantly, stopping well, having had a disc brake conversion kit sourced from Mini Spares. Underneath, the engine and suspension appears as equally clean as the rest of this outstanding example of a Mini.

Summary

So it might not be the glorious 1960s anymore, The Rolling Stones may no longer dominate the radio and England may have no realistic chance of winning anything serious in football, but step inside a car like this and suddenly you're flooded with a sense of nostalgia for those glory days. This is a charming little Mini and certainly one of the best on the market today, presented in good original form and backed by a solid, robust mechanical setup.

The real question is, what are you waiting for? Stick in a bid on this slice of 1960s splendour.

Notice to bidders

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