Urban legend or fact?

[Mattlan]

Recent dogwalking has me passing a brg mini with john cooper rear badges on haunches and cooper boot logo. This hasn't moved for 10 months now and of course one get's to thinking that perhaps it could be bought for a nominal sum and rebuild over the next few years with one's 11 year old until he's ready to drive!!

However I finally spoke to someone yesterday who seemed to know about the car. He claims it's the landowners sons car and he will not sell it as he plans to do it up sometime. Apart from the very obvious why has he not put the car under cover (there are various barn areas within 10 feet of where the car is sat) this guy claimed that it was a very rare (ie one of 10) special cooper variant all of which were registered J 1 to 10 EMO. Could anyone shed any light on this claim?

[Vipers]

Confused....... very rare, and not underecover?

[Mattlan]

Nomore confused than I am. I have of course checked the reg on vehicle enquiry but it comes back as not known

[minivanman]

smells like bull to me! Doesn't matter anyway, if its a rotten hulk. Rover ltd editions went as far as different stickers and seats, thats about it.

[haynes]

You say it has a John Cooper badge, so its possible it was something that was modified and sold by John Cooper Garages? They used to do that sort of thing, eg there S works etc and cherished number plates seemed to be popular with them, in the old mags you'll see John's own cars with special plates and all the gizmos.

[Mattlan]

indeed, there is a john cooper garages sticker in the rear window, and the gentleman I spoke with advised that this had been bought from the garage directly.

[PH5121]

Is that the one in Tadcaster?
(If so I don't know if it is owned by some one to do with the Sam Smiths brewing dynasty, as that farm is where I thought the brewery kept its' dray horses).

As to what model it is, it could be a 1.3 carb standard Rover Cooper that has had the john Cooper works pack, but if it on a J plate it may be based on a spi injection Cooper.

It could be one of the initial run of Coopers that had part leather seats and were a limited edition (can't remember how many there were?) they were out on a H reg. Or it could be one of the limited edition Coopers with a John Cooper pack.

Edited by PH5121 on Friday 14th January 15:35

Edited by PH5121 on Friday 14th January 15:43

[Mattlan]

The power of Pistonheads strikes again!!!!

Yes indeed, I am referring to the one in Tadcaster!

[Mattlan]

Further scientific, difficult and probably not legal research indicates that Doooooh!!! the rear number plate advises that it is a 78bhp cat Si Plus as per :

1992: 1275 Cooper 'Si' Pack

The Si Pack consisted of a performance cylinder head (exchange), which was fully balanced, ported and polished and featured a raised compression ratio. A performance exhaust was fitted and retained the standard catalyst.
Also fitted was an oil cooler, a new fan pulley and rocker cover.

This lifted power to 74bhp

Also available was the Cooper 'Si' Plus Pack, this was the same as above except for a large inlet valve cylinder head, a set of high-lift rockers and a K&N airfilter, this lifted the power to 78bhp

All the above came with rear quarter and bootlid decals plus certificates and numbered plate attached to the crossmember beside the drivers seat.
The 'Si' badge fitted to the boot was actually a ford part, from their Fiesta Si.