My other Mini Cooper, one Austin Cooper MK2 1968 lives almost all year round in a barn in countryside together with other machinery...I've bought it many years ago already 'restored' as one MK2 S replica. Pure naivety...

Nowadays, after having seen several MK2 S's, and read a lot about them (what I've should done in first hand !) ,  and restored one MK1 S, I should agree that apart its good looking and good reliability it's faraway from the original...

I've thought to 'return it ' to its original DNA (Cooper MK2) but the costs were high, and as I already have S bits in it, I've decided to improve and correct some of its unconformities , at least most of them...

So after some recent issues with speedometer and odometer (both stucked) , I took the binnacle and  all instruments off from the dashboard , made some serious reading about similar 'diseases', followed by one complex surgical intervention and transplantation by Doctor M. gold hands (odometer worm and gear were replaced from another donor), both units were ready for more rpm! As above mentioned all articles I've read about this type of  'diseases' and expert's opinions were very skeptical, discouraging interventions by amateurs...so against all odds the repair was sucessful!

Before

After

So I've corrected some of its unconformities, but still faraway from the end, and , as usual, it will be a never ending story ... but all of those historical bits (genuine Restall recliner seat, genuine John Aley rollover bar (back) , etc) will be kept obviously.

Fot the time being I've beggined by the engine bay compartment...and being one MCR (Mini Cooper Register) member, I've exchanged some e-mails with Cooper S MKII Register, Nick Hunter, who helped me with some photos of its unrestored (!) MK2 S which engine bay  was as showed, an authentic time warp machine !

Mine...as it is now and 'under costruction'...

Keep tuned...