The liner notes say it all:
'The completely original specification which the most discerning enthusiasts now demand is an elusive quality with these cars, for the world of Mini Coopers abounds with hybrids and fakes. But help is at hand for all owners, restorers and enthusiasts. Drawing from factory production records, parts lists and catalogues, as well as the accumulated knowledge of respected restorers and dedicated enthusiasts, this book provides the most comprehensive survey of the Mini Cooper ever published. Exhaustive research by the author, John Parnell, has resulted in this important book containing a wealth of new information.There's more, but you get the idea... this appears to be THE book to have if you are the teensiest bit interested in the specifics of Coopers, both UK-produced and foreign. I was a little disappointed in the cursory treatment of Australian Coopers, of which there were >11,000 produced, some unique to Oz, however for specific comments in this regard, see the chapter details below. Clearly, the liner notes are not accurate when they specify 'every permutation..in remarkable detail'... how about the rest...?Accompanying the authoritative text are over 200 specially commissioned photographs showing every permutation of Mini Cooper specification in remarkable detail. Painstaking selection of cars of the highest quality and authenticity ensures that the photographs in this book provide a valuable reference source.'
There are seven sections in the book, all copiously illustrated with large format, high quality colour photographs:
Introduction Comprises a double-page Introduction by the author, in which the assistance of a suite of enthusiasts and experts is acknowledged, and the tedium of ploughing through production records of over a million Minis is detailed. Parnell notes that one of the main aims of this volume is the compilation of sufficient detail to permit recognition of fake Coopers, the production of which has become a lucrative business as original Coopers have become fewer and more in demand, particularly from the Anglophile Japanese market. Introductory comments are followed by an 8-page overview of Mini Cooper, Past Present and Future, in which a promise of things to come is evoked by ten large (mostly 1/2 page) colour prints showing the cars from their most photogenic angle(s). Production history of Cooper variants beginning in 1961 is summarized, through the 997, 1071, 998, 970 and 1275 models, to the end of production with the Mk III 1275S in 1971. The section concludes with a summary of the resurrection of the Mini Cooper by the Rover Group in July 1990, and the evolution of the 1.3i fuel-injected engine as used in the Metro.Verdict: While not completely comprehensive, viz. neglect of Australian Coopers, this is undoubtedly the most detailed volume to date on Cooper specifics, and arguably a necessity on the bookshelves of Cooperphiles. John Parnell's attention to detail (of UK and Italian models at least!!) is exemplary, and Paul Debois' photography is without parallel. In combination, almost encyclopaedic in information content, and a credit to them both. The lack of comparative, particularly pictorial, information on Australian variants is a personal niggle which does not detract from the overall quality of the volume. I feel the lack of complete coverage is unfortunate because more Australian Coopers (or lookalikes!) are finding their way into international markets, with the potential for fraud higher because authoritative documentation of the 'real' thing is lacking. I hope that the next edition of 'Original Mini Cooper and Cooper S' will redress the imbalance and detail some of the unique features of the Antipodean models - the source material is still extant.Mini Cooper Mk I 40 pp. of text, photographs, tables accompanied by detailed minutae document the varieties of Austin and Morris Cooper and Cooper 'S' over their six-year production. Details are specific to UK-produced cars, but apply also to CKD kits which were exported for assembly elsewhere. The change from sliding to wind-up windows in Australian Mk I's (1965) is mentioned, but not illustrated. Change points are noted by chassis number and/or date at relevant places in the text, with a more detailed listing (5 pp.) in tabular form at the end of the chapter. The author details features and changes in: bodyshell, subframes, bumpers & fittings, grille, badging, door fittings, glass, boot, fuel tank(s), interior trim, dashboard and instruments (including speedometer identification), engine specifications and identification, cooling, exhaust, carburettors, transmission, suspension, steering, brakes, wheels & tyres, electrical equipment, optional extras, identification, dating & production (including a table of start/finish chassis, body, engine numbers for each model, and date built), production figures 1961-67, concluding with interior and exterior colour schemes and the change point tables as noted earlier. The word for this chapter can only be meticulous, with many of the specific features documented by clear, high resolution photographs. A must-have chapter for any Mk I Cooper owner.
Mini Cooper Mk II Only 16 pp. for this chapter, reflecting the limited production run of the Mk II Cooper and Cooper 'S' - Oct. '67 - Nov. '69. Major changes from the Mk I were a redesigned rear panel with a wider rear screen and larger tail-lights, a larger front grille, simplified badging, plain black interior, deletion of corner bars on the bumper over-riders. The same level of detail as for the Mk I is followed in a similar sequence, accompanied by high resolution photographs of specific detail features: grille, badging, windows, boot, interior, dashboard, engine, suspension, chassis identification plate, engine identification plate, commission plate, among others, are shown. The chapter concludes with tabulated production figures, colour schemes and production change points. As with the preceding chapter, exceptional detail.
Mini Cooper Mk III The monotone Cooper S Mk III was introduced in March 1970, with only ca. 1570 cars produced by mid-1971, when production ended. These were badged Mini, rather than Austin or Morris. The Mk III had full-length wind-up windows, concealed hinges, a new boot lid, doors and rear quarter lights extending to the roof guttering, with many different panel pressings from those of the Mk II, and a suite of cosmetic changes, all of which are described and shown in photographs. Variants for RHD and LHD production get a mention, as do specific market requirements. The sequence follows that of earlier chapters, with various identification features, chassis & engine numbers, colour schemes, change points, etc., documented. The author notes that factory production records were by this time 'sadly incomplete'... he has, nevertheless, assembled 11 pp. of text, with >20 accompanying photographs, and sufficient detail to enable recognition of any Mk III Cooper S.
Overseas-Built Mini Coopers 15 pp. on Innocenti, 4 on Authi and 1 on Australian Mini Cooper S (humph!).
Innocenti-built .998 Coopers were assembled from CKD units in Milan, first shipped from Longbridge in Feb. 1966. Change points given are Mk I 1966-68, MkI/II interim model Mar.-Sept. '68, 'proper' Mk II Sept. '68, Mk III Feb. '70, Mini Cooper 1300 Mar '72 (using a non-Cooper solid-block 1275), and the 1300 Export Feb. '73 - ?Jan '75 (built at BL's factory in Belgium). Significant points of difference from UK Coopers are described and illustrated in a similar sequence to the above chapters. Parnell notes that the Innocenti Coopers were superior in build quality and level of equipment to their UK counterparts... 'each new model was noticeably better and more refined than its predecessor.' I found this a fascinating compendium of innovative changes which could have been taken up by the parent company... but weren't.
Authi, in Pamplona, built the first 1275C, which had some Cooper features but was not a Mini Cooper, in Oct. '68, essentially a Spanish-built Innocenti. BL acquired a 51% share of Authi in July '69 and produced the 1275GT, based on the MKIII bodyshell, not the Clubman shape, in Jan. '71, followed by the Mini Cooper 1300 in Oct. '73. Approx. 5000 of this model were produced by the end of 1975, when production ceased. Comprehensive descriptions of Authi peculiarities are of the same standard as earlier chapters.
Australian Mini Coopers were first assembled from CKD kits in late 1961, providing the largest export market for BMC - some 40% of .998 Morris Cooper production in 1964 was destined for Australia. The single page summary of production of Australian Cooper (.997 '62-'64; .998 '64), Mk I 'S' ('65-'69) and Mk II 'S' ('69-'71) is just that, a summary. While many of the features discriminating Australian Coopers from their UK counterparts are mentioned, many are not. I felt that this section provided the poorest coverage of the various overseas-produced Coopers - particularly in the lack of any photographs of Australian models... of which >7,000 of a production of 11,300 cars were the unique Oz MkI/II 1275 Cooper 'S' - external-hinged, quarter-vented, wind-up windowed versions, the last 120 or so with the flap door handles and burst-proof locks of the Australian Leyland Clubman. More attention to change points, peculiarities of the Australian models, particularly colour schemes and interior details (neither of which were those of UK Coopers), photographs, and so on, would considerably improve this section.
Rover Mini Cooper The resurrection of the Mini Cooper in July 1990 followed John Cooper's suggestion to Rover that the 1.3-litre MG Metro engine be used to power the new range. A year later the revived Cooper received the injected 1.3i engine. 9 pp. of text and photographs provide comparable detail on the '90s models as in earlier chapters.
Buying Guide This chapter is aimed at establishing the bona fides of anything badged 'Mini Cooper' which may well not be... many unsuspecting potential buyers of Coopers worldwide have been parted from their hard-earned by unscrupulous persons of Dodgy Brothers ilk! The four ways of faking a Cooper are listed as: 1. an ordinary Mini fitted out to Cooper or Cooper 'S' specifications; 2. A genuine .997 or .998 Cooper masquerading as a Cooper 'S'; 3. Dressing up a Mainstream Rover Cooper to resemble a Limited Edition version, 4. creating a Cooper or Cooper 'S' using the documentation from a previously scrapped or exported car. 9 pp. of text and photographs explain in detail the means of recognizing dodgy Coopers, the things which should be looked for when buying both unrestored and restored Coopers - in body, engine, transmission, suspension, steering & brakes, electrics and interior. Worthwhile, nay, obligatory reading for anyone contemplating buying a Cooper!
Twelve Mini Clubs are listed on the last page...noted by the author that there are >240 Mini clubs world-wide. More recent information on clubs is available in Mini World or Mini Magazine.
Review by Russ Shiel, Albury, NSW
Maintainer of '68 Oz Mk I 'S' #4732
[and 18 other Minis in various stages of recovery.]
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Copyright © 1998, Russ Shiel - validated (3.2s)