1965 | Morris Mini Cooper S 1275

 It is not the usual Mini: it is one of the rare Morris Mini Cooper S, sold new in Italy in 1965, precisely in Udine, which has raced both as a modern and as a historic car, with important results. It still appears in its original configuration, green with a white roof and grey-green interiors.

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In the early 1970s, driven by Alessandro Sandrini, it raced in the Italian Hill Climb Championship, mainly in the Triveneto area: it achieved excellent results at the Trieste-Opicina, the Vallecamonica Trophy, the Bassano climb, the Nevegal, the Pedavena Croce - d’Aune, the Vittorio Veneto - Cansiglio, the Agordo - Frassené and many other races. The complete list with photos and rankings is available.

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After the competitive period, the car was stored for about fifteen years, when it resumed its competitive career, this time among the historic cars with Luigi Tosolini at the wheel; in 1998 the green Cooper S achieved a rather unique result for a small engined car, winning the overall title in the European Hill Climb Championship.

After a few more appearances, the car remained in the garage until 2016 and was then purchased by the current owner, who had all the mechanics revised and updated (by the well-known Mini preparer, Conti) to race a few years ago in the Italian Hill Climb Championship: after the overhaul, the car was used only for the Bologna-San Luca hillclimb, in order to complete the bedding-in.

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This Cooper S, unlike other Minis that are distorted and transformed with modern components, is completely original: it's completely original, from the dashboard with additional gauges to the original heated windshield, pedals and mirrors. Mechanically, it retains the original S block, SU H4 carburetors, and MED cylinder head. It has a straight-cut ratios, a limited-slip differential, and finally, a safety tank, a Sassa roll cage, and a racing-approved seat.

Having retained all its original components, including the gray-green interior, carpeting, door panels, headliner, windows (replaced with Lexan), and everything else that was disassembled for racing, the car can be converted for road use while retaining its tuned mechanics, making it a real powerhouse.

Car ready to race, with Heritage and HTP ACI-CSAI still valid; it can be registered in Italy with original Udine plates.

The car could be seen by appointment in Bologna

Further details on www.gulfblue.it