Austin Mini Cooper 970 S

The more powerful Mini Cooper S appeared in 1963 and quickly established itself as the basis for competition-focused models. Larger disc brakes, more luxurious upholstery and discrete ‘S’ badges on the bonnet and boot were subtle upgrades with the real changes made to the adaptable A-series engine. In 1964, with competition in mind, Cooper produced two S models specifically for circuit racing in the under 1,000cc and under 1,300cc classes respectively (rated at 970cc and 1,275cc). The road-going 970 S was a real homologation special, specifically produced with the under 1.0-litre class of the BSCC in mind. Its specialist short-stroke engine produced 65bhp but was expensive to manufacture, so BMC made it a special-order model, and consequently, very few were sold (with even fewer remaining today). The 970 S was only produced from June 1964 until April 1965, with just 963 examples supplied, making it one of the rarest and most sought-after Mini models.

The car presented here is a right-hand drive, home market-supplied Austin Mini Cooper 970 S manufactured on 25th November 1964, originally in Old English White with a black roof, and sold through H.A. Saunders Ltd of Hertfordshire (the registration KUR 605C was issued in Hertfordshire). Being an expensive specialist model, the records suggest it may not have been first registered until the 10th August 1965. The history file proposes it was subsequently bought by a Mr B.L. Francis of Warminster near Bath, supposedly after he saw it advertised for sale in the Clifton area of Bristol, regularly taking his Mini to watch the racing at nearby Castle Combe circuit.

In the early 1980s, Mr Francis moved to Aldershot, taking his beloved Mini (by now painted red) with him, only selling it in September/October 2001 to Mr M.R. Brown of Southampton. By December 2001 it had been acquired by Mr C.P Harris also of Southampton, who was a real Mini enthusiast and set about tracing the car’s history and requesting a Heritage Certificate. A handwritten note on his business headed paper describes him inspecting the car for the first time – ‘I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. To look at the engine with the rocker cover off revealed an AEG 163 head and forged rockers. All the numbers checked out, this little gem was a 970 Cooper S’. He bought the car and set about a thorough restoration of it, and by 2005 the bodywork and paint (now Surf Blue with an Old English White roof) were completed, and a new wiring loom fitted. The restoration took a number of years, with the car passing through a couple of owners, before being bought and enjoyed by Chris Middlehurst – a talented young racing driver and son of Andy Middlehurst, the former British Saloon Car Champion.

KUR 605C was acquired by the Collection in 2019 and fettled and detailed to bring it up to the standard of the rest of the cars, remaining beautifully presented in Surf Blue with a Powder Blue / Gold Brocade Grey interior. The 970 S was not much quicker than the 997 Cooper really but, as they were only available to special order with just 963 eventually released, they developed a certain cachet in period which still applies to this day. We invite and encourage your inspection of this very rare Cooper at our BRDC sale at Silverstone.