One previously restored

Performance variants of any car inevitably draw the attention of the special tuners and the Mini Cooper was no exception. Speedwell Performance Conversions, for a time owned by Graham Hill, was just one of the companies that marketed an array of add-ons for the car, and it’s the aftermarket kit that makes this Mini so special — and valuable. 

The 1966 D-reg Mini Cooper S restored by The Mini Works in East Lothian was given a makeover by Speedwell in period. The comprehensive kit included a revised cylinder head and camshaft, bigger carbs and an exhaust manifold that raised power to somewhere around the 90bhp mark. 

Speedwell also fitted a twin-cannon exhaust and an oil cooler, while there’s also a rev-counter and competition bump stops. Restall seats and a Styla steering wheel completed what would have been a costly makeover by the original owner. 

“Cars with these kinds of tuning kits are what collectors go for,” says Mini Works co-founder Simon Drew. “And they want them to have been put on in period, rather than added later to create a kind of phantom car.

“The Restall seats were the best that money could buy and, with lumber support, quite trick for the time. The inside of car had just a sympathetic makeover to keep the originality.

“It is all the original parts that make this Mini so desirable. We have a lot of cars through our doors, but this is one of the best we have built.”

The Mini Works, Longniddry, East Lothian, Scotland. Tel: 07764 196530. theminiworks.com