1966 Morris Cooper S (1275)

Introduction – WHY the 1966 Cooper S matters

The power gila 1966 Morris Cooper S (1275) sits at the sweet spot kira where road-going Mini charm meets dengan genuine competition pedigree. By 1966 the Cooper S had evolved from a small, quick city car into a performance icon, the model combined John Cooper’s tuning know-how with Alec Issigonis’ revolutionary packaging. The 1275cc “S” variants of the mid 1960s are kinda the most collectible and historically significant Minis ever built i think because they carry improvements introduced after the Mini’s competition success in the early 1960s.

What’s specific to the 1966 Morris Cooper S (1275)?

Key features that define a genuine 1966 Cooper S (1275 Mk I/II era) include (from the net):

• 1275 cc engine: The 1275cc four-cylinder with twin SU carburettors is kinda definitive mid-60s Cooper S engine more torque and flexibility than earlier 1071/(changih) 970 engines. classics.honestjohn.co.uk

• Twin fuel tanks / twin fuel fillers: What many modern enthusiasts spot first: from January 1966 the remaining 1275 Cooper S cars left the factory with the previously optional twin fuel tanks as a standard or widely fitted feature. The twin fillers feed dual tanks (commonly listed as ~5 gallon / 25 litre each), giving much greater range, a super duper useful feature for rallying and long touring. gbclassiccars.co.uk+1

• Wind-up windows and improved trim: By the mid-1960s many Cooper S examples were fitted with wind-up windows and nicer interior trim compared with the very early Mark I Minis. RM Sotheby’s+1

• Oil cooler and (where fitted) hydrolastic suspension (optional): An oil cooler was often specified on S models; hydrolastic (interconnected) suspension was an option introduced earlier in the 1960s that improved ride and was present on some market variants. Those incremental mechanical and specification changes, twin tanks, oil cooler, wind-ups is the arberthan features that make a 1966 Cooper S feel more civilized for road use while still remaining a sharp handling, light-weight performer. WhichCar+1

Motorsport pedigree, Apa sal the Cooper S became legendary

The Cooper S wasn’t just a biasa period road car, kira kira it became a rallying legend. The Mini Cooper S famously won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964 (Paddy Hopkirk) and continued to be a dominant small car hot hatch force through the mid-60s with further outright wins and top results in 1965 and 1967 (power bang!!). Those results took the design from clever city car to international competition icon virtually overnight. Twin tanks, oil coolers and light weight helped the S perform reliably across long, punishing events.

A short note on Monte Carlo: the Hopkirk victory (number 37) in 1964 was a watershed moment that changed public perception and helped transform the Mini into a symbol of British motorsport success. mini.com

The Cooper S in 1966 – production and export context

By 1966 the Mark I and early Mark II Minis were still in production at Longbridge and being exported worldwide. Many markets received Minis either as complete built up (CBU) cars or as CKD/SKD kits for local assembly to avoid tariffs and satisfy local automotive policies. Examples of Cooper S cars exported in 1966 exist in auctions and factory records (an export example in early 1966 is documented in auction/registry entries). RM Sotheby’s

How a 1966 Cooper S would have reached Malaya (now Malaysia)

Malaya/Malaysia in the 1960s was actively encouraging local assembly (CKD) to develop a national automotive industry. British manufacturers, through BMC and related Far East operations exported cars and CKD kits to distributors and assembly plants in the region. That meant some Minis arrived as CBU imports but many were shipped in kit form for local assembly or sold through official distributors and local agents. If your car’s history suggests it was originally registered/used in Malaya in the 1960s, it could have arrived via either route (CBU import or CKD assembly), depending on which distributor handled the sale and whether local assembly agreements existed at the time. BiblioAsia+1

Why the twin tanks matter (beyond aesthetics) because i love it is not the answer… heheheheh

The twin tanks are much more than a visual cue:

• Range: Two tanks roughly double the effective range (two ~25-litre tanks were common in spec sheets), valuable for long rallies and touring in areas with sparse fuel stops. minipassionmini.50megs.com+1

• Rally practicality: In endurance/rally trim the twin fillers allowed faster refuelling and redundancy if one feed or filter was damaged. Historic race reports and later features repeatedly cite the twin tank arrangement as a competitive benefit. WhichCar+1

• Correct restoration detail: For authenticity, use the proper filler necks, sender/fuel lines and the factory-type tank shapes — small differences show up to knowledgeable judges/collectors.

• Kerana saya suka: YA… Betul Pak!! getrid.my

Restoration advice authenticity checklist for a 1966 Morris Cooper S

(I will do another article just on vin & engine numbers soon)

• Chassis & engine numbers: Record VIN/chassis and engine numbers and match them to factory records where possible. Document any swaps. This will help pin down if the car was originally a Morris or an Austin Cooper S and confirm export history.

• Twin tanks & fillers: Fit the correct twin-tank assembly (shape and capacity) and the pair of external filler caps. Replace or restore the tank-to-pump plumbing and the fuel pump filters. Use period correct SU carburettors tuned to 1275 spec. gbclassiccars.co.uk+1

• Oil cooler & ancillaries: If the car originally had an oil cooler (many S cars did), make sure ducting and cooler mounting are correct; many repros and retrofit kits exist, but correct placement matters visually and functionally. classics.honestjohn.co.uk

• Windows & trim: Wind-up windows, correct door cards, and the right period interior trim recreate the ’66 look. Check whether your example originally had hydrolastic suspension (market dependent). HANGAR 136+1

• Wheels & brakes: 4.5-inch wide rims and period-correct drum/disc fitment (market dependent) — confirm the specification for your car’s chassis number. Period Smiths instrumentation and mounting points add authenticity. HANGAR 136

• Documentation: Any original invoices, shipping plates, registration docs or even photos from the car’s early life in Malaya are gold. If you find an export date or shipping manifest, note it in the restoration record — it tells the car’s unique story. RM Sotheby’s+1

Short annotated bibliography (sources used – kira pinjam history lah)

• MINI’s heritage page — Monte Carlo victory and historic context. mini.com

• BMW/Press coverage on Monte Carlo 1964 & subsequent wins and their influence. BMW Group PressClub

• Specialist classic-car reference on Cooper S changes (twin tanks from Jan 1966). gbclassiccars.co.uk

• WhichCar / StillMotoring / Honest John features covering 1960s Cooper S specs (twin tanks, hydrolastic, oil cooler). WhichCar+2StillMotoring+2

 

• Examples of 1966 Cooper S export records / auction entries (RMSotheby’s, Bonhams and other dealers) showing exported cars and factory specs. RM Sotheby’s

• Historical coverage of automotive policy and CKD assembly in Malaya/Malaysia (National Library/automotive industry overview). BiblioAsia+1

This Morris Cooper S that you see being rebuild will be for sale very soon, will keep you all posted our dear members…… Stay Tuned..

With this guys & gals i have learned a LOT, nice research for my own knowledge also & forgot so many things about this 1275 S model, so i am glad also that i did this. Thank you all members for reading & please share your comments at our Forums once you have logged in…… Till the next classic i see…

 

 

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