New Member Introduction

[Xtrac]

Heya Folks,

Just a quick introduction of myself (well, maybe not so quick)

I've got a 1962 Mk I Morris Cooper 997cc (the one with the 7" discs) genuine Irish car, EPI reg. It's kinda half stripped at the moment, there was nothing major wrong with it 12 years ago when I bought it, but wanted to make it mint. so for the last 10 years I've probably put 10 hours into it! The car is in the parents house in Clonmel and I was living in Dublin. I went all over the country in it to follow the tarmac rally championship, 1995, the year Frank Meagher (RIP, my hero) won it.

I've just packed in the job up here to take a few months off, and move back to the 'mel, and the mini is going to be the thing I spend my time on. The plan is a full bare metal rebuild, well thats the plan anyway! I'll be setting up a website for pics and hoping for a bit of feedback and advice during the build. I'm fairly handy on the tools, but you cant beat a bit of expert knowledge!

There is almost no rust on the car, just some signs of bubbling, and chrome rust on the bumpers, so hopefully not too much work on body shell to be done. The tax book says it was originally green, you know the one, real pale green, with a white roof (dont have it in front of me, not sure about the roof bit), but its now red with a white roof, I'm unsure as to move it back to green/white or stay with red/white, any opinions?

Also, the engine in it is 9FD SAH 6722 (I believe this is a 998cc cooper engine?) (I cant believe I remembered that after 10 years!)so I'm going to have to try and source and 997 engine, I would imagine this not being the easiest task in the world! (anyone got one lying around?)

To complete the intro, I do a bit of rallying in my spare time, and like to go for a few "sociables" :D

That's about it really, just checking in, in preparation for bombarding you folks with mini restoration questions :D

Regards

-Roy

p.s. Is the galway mini center on the board?

[Mini 850]

Welcome.
finding a 997cc engine will be mucho hard. if the 998 is a cooper item id stick with that if originality is not a very very high priority. the 998 was a much better engine than the 997 dispite there only being 1cc in the difference. lots of small problems with the 997 were sorted in the 998 and its still a cooper engine.

Hope to see the progress your going to make :wink:

[Xtrac]

Thanks 850,

I hear what your saying, but i'm one of those folks that like to do something absolutley correct, and if i stuck with the 998, (and I prolly will) it will just bug me not being able to have a genuine original. however, If I cant find the chassis numbers, or they dont match, then I wont care so much, and might just make it a 998cc cooper, i'll have to wait and see. the chassis number is not evident on the car, hopefully with it stripped I can find a marking somewhere.

Thanks

-Roy

[DaveC]

Best of luck with the Cooper, if you really want to go the 997 route try the Mini Cooper Register but I think they are as rare as hens teeth these days. You could also have a look on http://www.specialistminiforums where they have an early mini forum for cars built between 59 and 69

[Billy]

Hello Roy,

I've also got an Irish-assembled Cooper, a Morris '67 998 (PIM 91) built by Brittains in Dublin. The engine number is also 9FD- SAH. There's a photo of the car on our website below.

The contact in the Mini Cooper Register is Barbara Alexander. If you're particular about getting everything right, be sure to contact Barbara. I met her at the Mini 40 gig in Silverstone in '99 and she knows her stuff. She runs a 997 herself. Try minicooper.org.

I'm based not a million miles from you outside Fermoy. Feel free to call me at 087-4195640.

Billy Mulqueen
http://www.oldtrainhouse.com

[Xtrac]

Thanks DaveC (same DaveC as ipc?) will check it out.

Thanks Billy, I'm gonna get that stuff out aswell, but I think I really need to find the chassis numbers first, 'cause if I dont have that, I'll not go to the bother of making 110% original, and just get her as close as I can. I might take a run down in may some day and have a look at your car if you dont mind?

Regards

-Roy

[DaveC]

"Thanks DaveC (same DaveC as ipc?) will check it out."

Don't know - what is ipc?

[Xtrac]

Dave,

http://www.irishperformancecars.com , to its members its the 27th emergency service :D

Thanks

-Roy

[DaveC]

Very interesting, different DaveC though!

[Tony D]

[quote="DaveC"]Very interesting, different DaveC though![/quote]

I tought the same as Xtrac too, there's DaveC on there & a few other forums, mad into his old school motors! :D