Cooperman Retires

[Cooperman]

I just thought that I would mention that I'm officially retiring from business at the end of December (hooray - I've been waiting 50 years for this!). That means I'll have more time to play with my Minis and, if asked, to build some Mini engines for other people. So, if anyone needs an engine re-build I may be in a position to help for a reasonable price. Just privately email me. I can collect and deliver within an 80 mile-or-so radius of Cambridge.
Ted, I'm not really advertising, just offering a bit of help to fellow Mini-nuts.

[FWDRacer]

"Officially retiring from business" - goodness that sounds appealing. May I be the first PH based Mini nut to say have an enjoyable and healthy retirement. All that free time to tinker with something you are clearly passionate about. :looksonwhistfully:







Edited for Goddamn spellink!

Edited by FWDRacer on Monday 26th November 16:22

[molineux1980]

Congratulations! Enjoy it!

Only 38 years left for me..............

[Cooperman]

Well, thanks for that.
I've got the '66 Mini 850 to completely restore with my Grandson, my Cooper 'S' to keep in full rally trim and to compete in, my Rover 214Si rally car to keep prepared, my Grandson's 1061cc Mayfair+ to help maintain and improve bit-by-bit and, hopefully, some 3rd party BMC 'A-Series' engine building work to just add a bit to the old pension and investments and for somewhere to hide from 'her indoors'.
I reckon to build one to two engines for other people each month - everyone a bespoke unit to a pre-agreed specification - and, hopefully, that's not too optimistic as I won't be charging the £40+ per hour that I hear mentioned - nothing like that in fact. More like half that figure which, I think, is very fair (who agrees?).

[Skyedriver]

Good luck in your retirement Peter.
Just a word of caution though....everyone I know who has retired tells me that they are so busy now that they don't know how they found time to go to work. Theres decorating, grandkids, gardening, holidays, grandkids, decorating......
Tony H

[Extra 300 Driver]

Congratulations on your retirement.

Interested in a 970S engine and box? Also I will need an engine building for my Supercharged car soon, depends if I move house.

[miniman]

All the best for your retirememt, Peter. Sounds like you've got a good set of projects to keep you busy! Fancy painting a Dolly Sprint for me?

[Cooperman]

miniman said:

All the best for your retirememt, Peter. Sounds like you've got a good set of projects to keep you busy! Fancy painting a Dolly Sprint for me?

I've always fancied doing a Dolly Sprint engine build, but it's not an area in which I have specific know-how. However, my good friend Jim Hilton has what was described as the best Dolly Sprint in the World. Maybe you know of him. It's a dark maroon metallic car to concourse standard with a really good engine which he built himself.
Any engine work you have I'll be pleased to discuss with you.

[miniman]

Cooperman said:

I've always fancied doing a Dolly Sprint engine build, but it's not an area in which I have specific know-how. However, my good friend Jim Hilton has what was described as the best Dolly Sprint in the World. Maybe you know of him. It's a dark maroon metallic car to concourse standard with a really good engine which he built himself.
Any engine work you have I'll be pleased to discuss with you.

Have popped a note on the Dolly club forum to see if he's about. Engine is fine (at least, it was when I last ran it about 2 years ago!), it's just that it looks bloody horrible! Started prepping for paint and them ran out of spare time. Now miniman junior (is that miniminiman?) is on the way so looks like the poor old Dolly will be stuck in the garage for a while yet...

[dogfather]

hows it goin people ,im new to this site and i like wot i see...AT LAST a real mini site i can enjoy. Im also pretty new to minis but have allways had a love for them. About 3 yrs ago i got hold of a old Nreg mini 850 which was on its last legs. i knew very little about minis but my buddy who worked for me at the time did. He was also building a mini/mk1 so we decided to build the two together. we got to work on them straight away and was doing great in the matter of 1 month it was stripped to the shell and about 65% of the panles were replaced. it had a new front end complete ,battery box in bulk hed for my nice new carb,both front floor pans,a boot floor pan,sills, front and rear valence, boot lid, A panels the list just goes on. i bought a 1300i engine and recondition it with a new paint job ,port n polish,valves and more. I spend a few day on the sub frame and it was new again. Then.......we fell out...BIG TIME. So the shell went in my garden and my engine, sub frame and all my accessories went inside where they still remain to this day. BUT the shell had to go by orders of the wife and kids. My life got better 4 days ago when i came across a mint Lreg 1275 in red and it was for sale i dont know quite what she was thinking but she let me give her a tiny sum of £675. its in perfect working order, 2 old lady owners from new with 6mnths tax and mot. im over the moon but i need a little advice as its now time to start useing all this mini stuff that ive so stubbernly held on to for the past few yrs. if anyone is out there that dont mind answer a few questions for me i would be very gratefull. sory if i bored u all with my story but now u all know wot ive been through im hopeing someone is going to feal sory for me and help out. thanx for reading ...dogfather... p.s how do i post a pic of my mini.

Edited by dogfather on Tuesday 11th December 21:47

Edited by dogfather on Tuesday 11th December 21:48

[AndersonClassics]

Hi All,
I know we hate re opening a thread however I’ve got an important reason to do so, Is there anyone who can help me in getting in touch with Peter Valentine, as to my knowledge he was close with the late Peter Silva and still has knowledge of racing with him back in the 60s and getting his mini set up for rallying at his garage, “Peter Silva Motors” of which I’m writing up the history of and would very much appreciate Mr Valentine being involved with as he knew Mr Silva personally. I hope somebody can help me as I’m running out of luck getting in contact with him.
Many Thanks,
Henry

[Cooperman]

AndersonClassics said:

Hi All,
I know we hate re opening a thread however I’ve got an important reason to do so, Is there anyone who can help me in getting in touch with Peter Valentine, as to my knowledge he was close with the late Peter Silva and still has knowledge of racing with him back in the 60s and getting his mini set up for rallying at his garage, “Peter Silva Motors” of which I’m writing up the history of and would very much appreciate Mr Valentine being involved with as he knew Mr Silva personally. I hope somebody can help me as I’m running out of luck getting in contact with him.
Many Thanks,
Henry

Hello Henry,

I think you wanted to contact me. My personal email is [e-mail].
Peter Silva was indeed a close friend of mine and he and I had a lot of fun rallying.
Please let me know how I can help. I live not far from Huntingdon, so we could meet up if that might suit you.

Peter V.

[Cooperman]

Cooperman said:

Hello Henry,

I think you wanted to contact me. My personal email is [e-mail].
Peter Silva was indeed a close friend of mine and he and I had a lot of fun rallying.
Please let me know how I can help. I live not far from Huntingdon, so we could meet up if that might suit you.

Peter V.

Sorry Henry, I typed my email address in incorrectly.
My email addres is:

[e-mail]

Hope to hear from you soon.

Peter

[Cooper1999]

A little bit late to the party here (I'm not on here too much these days), but just to wish you Peter, a happy and enjoyableretirement.
You freely offered me advise a few years back on here which I was very grateful for. Hopefully you'll have more time to continue educating on Pistonhead's going forward.
All the best!

[Cooperman]

I just finished the very full restoration of my Grandson's 1985 Mayfair which has been rebuilt, with his help as well, as a tribute to the 1960's 998 Cooper. It went for MoT today and passed with no advisories. Now it just needs a bit of tweeking of the carbs and timing - fine tuning really.
We fitted sliding windows, a centre 3-gauge speedo, MK.1 Grille, rear lights & boot lid. It has 10" Exacton 5" wheels and 'S' 7.5" brakes.
Colour is Ford Radiant Red with a black roof.
Next year I want to build a bigger engine. Now that 1275 blocks are getting so expensive I intend to try something a bit different. I have a 998 block and rods and I also have a 1098 crankshaft. With well-oversize pistons I want to bore to give around 1180 cc, fit a 12G940 gas-flowed head, with the block pocketed for valve clearance, and an Evo001 cam. With the current twin HS2 carbs and Cooper 3 branch freeflow ex. manifold it should go well. Mid-range torque will be great and it will drive as well, or better, than a fairly standard 1275 at much lower cost.
So you can see that I'm not having a quiet retirement and it is my 81st birthday this week!
By the way, I never heard back from the guy who wanted to contact me about the late Peter Silva (Anderson Classics I think it was) - strange.