I have to admit, this one might never be truly finished. I’ve been building it since well before this website or YouTube started even! As a recognized expert and builder of show winning classic Minis, this has been my “proof of concept” showpiece for improvements to the classic Mini Cooper. There is far too much to “list”, but you’ll get a good idea after you watch the 20 or so videos in the playlist below! Then you’ll still have questions.
It’s an intense and demanding car to drive. It absolutely will not be for everyone. The driver must understand and manage the high compression engine with skill and attention to avoid destruction. The close ratio gearbox is geared for ‘reasonable’ RPM at highway speed. First gear is tall making slow driving or starting on a hill challenging. More so with said high compression engine!
The pay off? This is one of the most exiting and exhilarating classic Minis to drive without resorting to Honda power (and weight). It sounds and revs and builds power like few classic Minis could imagine. The legendary Mini driving experience, enhanced with nearly two decades of my relentless (and documented) improvements make this one of the most remarkable MK1 Cooper S cars on the road today.
The trade off? It’s not original. Before you start telling me I shouldn’t have done this or that, or that it is a “hodgepodge” of parts, you better see a few “before” photos. You will notice how straight and rust free the body was even then.
That’s right, it came from a barn! And mostly before every phone had a camera. My lovely assistant had one of the first iPhones in 2006 for those pics. I might have some dusty prints of the original acquisition around 2002!
I never had any intention of being restrained by originality. Indeed I wouldn’t bother. Dare I admit that to a performance enthusiast like myself, most standard classic Minis are quite pathetic! There’s not much appeal in winding through several gears just to get through an intersection! No such trouble here.
This also could be a never-ending-post. I already have a long playlist of videos on YouTube, and dozens more to be edited of recent work as I built the car to it’s current state. There are a number of improvements to the suspension, steering, sub-frames, brakes, and engine that I have not yet mentioned. This playlist goes back many years, so I hope you’ll forgive the quality of my early “single take” clips. There is a lot of history here:
This is a chance to own this car and finish the interior to suit your taste, not mine or anyone else’s. It turns out that I’m much better at building the mechanical side and would much rather change sub frames than install door panels! You can see that I do not have the door sliding windows installed…. I personally find them absurd in our Summer climate! You can see that the velocity stacks are open to the sky. Another reason to avoid rain!
It also turns out I’m better at building cars and have several more in the works. Passing stewardship of this one will give me the attention span, the time and space to work, and some financial bandwidth for the next project. I built every single piece of this authentic California Cooper S, and the next owner will have my ongoing technical support and advice. And should you want the next engine to have the latest Multi-web crank and make even more power, we can do that too!
https://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.png00Jemalhttps://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.pngJemal2023-08-16 16:52:002023-08-22 11:49:23THE Cooper Road Mini, Jemal's 66 MK1 Cooper S For Sale?
Classic car guys understand how hard it is to turn down a project. Even when we have a garage full already, and find a new one under a tarp covered by spiders, our mind’s eye sees us driving in it’s fully rebuilt glory. We resist reality for as long as possible, but there is only so much time and space to work. Life has a way of shifting priorities, so it really is time to pass some on, to let fate decide, as I said just before COVID came along.
First the update, the 74 Mazda REPU survivor pickup, the 70 Mini Van, and the Yamaha R1 have indeed gone on to new owners. I was suffering some seller’s remorse, when I accidentally found the Porsche 911 in hibernation for 10 years. It was too irresistible for resurrection, and now that’s running great too and added to the mix!
So here we go with the list, the first time I have considered selling most of these:
1976 Porsche 911S Widebody Cabriolet conversion, 3.0 liter 5 speed 1974 Chevrolet K5 Blazer, owned 30+ years, Big Block, major upgrades 1971 MG Midget, new engine, 5-speed, big brakes, major upgrades 1968 Pontiac GTO. owned 40+ years and still a project, see what I mean? 1966 Mini Cooper S, THE Cooper Road Mini, Awesome but needs finishing 1964 Lotus Elan, S1, the 8th LHD US model, all numbers matching, only 27K miles
Obviously MUCH more detail is forthcoming about all these, but if something jumps out at you, get a hold of me and be the first to hear the scoop BEFORE I post it for all to see!
I’ll talk about each one of these in future posts. All have been built exclusively by me. Most have major mechanical upgrades over decades of ownership. If you’ve been with me for a while, you know I seldom just fix things when I can make them better!
https://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.png00Jemalhttps://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.pngJemal2023-05-31 07:47:002023-08-22 11:26:41Seriously, too many projects!
I was very sad to hear that one of my long time customers and friends passed away over the summer. Phil came by Mini Mania for many years when I worked there, and it was one of the pleasures of the job to go out and see this very van and help with whatever he needed. Phil’s wife is not so much a car-gal, and as we all know, it takes a car-person to own and drive something like this!
So we want to help find a new owner that will enjoy this lovely little piece of history, and cherish it like Phil did. It’s just about to turn 65, but not ready to retire! I’ll tell you some my own history with this 1959 Morris Minor panel van. I knew the previous owner as well! Watch the videos!
I’ll also detail it’s features and upgrades, and the extras included in the sale. Phil’s family contacted me to get the spider webs off and freshen up the mechanicals, and as usual, I did a lot more! Watch the videos!
The Mechanical stuff:
Rebuilt 1275cc engine sourced from an MG Midget, twin 1 1/4″ SU carbs, Pertronix electronic ignition, Alternator conversion, performance exhaust. Runs and sounds great. Watch the driving video!
Later Ribcase 4-speed transmission, also from a Midget, this one I personally built for Phil a few years ago. Watch the Videos on my YouTube channel, linked below.
Standard 4.55:1 ratio rear axle. Don’t let anyone talk you into changing this! Makes it a joy to drive.
Front disk brakes from a later Midget. Yes I mention that the entire running gear is mostly the same as the MG Midget and the earlier Austin Healey Sprite.
If you want any more details about any of this, please ask me. That goes for the videos as well. And anything else I haven’t thought of.
The photos:
Click on any to see full size image
The videos:
I’ve added new videos as I’ve made repairs and upgrades. The video below is the start of the entire playlist (about 6 videos) on YouTube, with several driving clips!
The Extras:
Like any serious British car enthusiast, Phil gathered all manner of extra “spares” as he improved the van with my help over the years. Some photos of all the extra goodies that are included for the new owner.
Yes, quite a collection of extra goodies: Full set of larger tires and wheels for “highway gears”, complete HS4 single carb set up with several extra intakes, A new speedometer with fuel gauge, extra starter and generator, clutch and flywheel, most of the available books for the Morris and the A-series engines, and a tub with tools and all the useful parts for roadside repair! Phil was never once stranded in his travels!
We’d love to find a new steward for this panel van. It will never cost less to own this. You could not build one to this state for anywhere near our asking price! It can be driven anywhere. And it takes full advantage of it’s QUARTER TON commercial rating! How about a travel companion and mobile garage for your MOTORCYCLE! Any small businesses out there that make “minor deliveries”, or perform “minor repairs”? Driving this van gets thumbs-up from people in new Teslas!
And of course, it comes with lifetime tech support from ME! Nobody will ever know it better! And I’d like to continue my decades of association with this van!
The deal:
If you already had a complete, original running van (like the green one I showed when I brought it back to life after 25 years in a barn!), it would still take more than $20K to get it near the level of this one. It is ready to enjoy NOW and would earn it’s keep just parked outside your business (and it has as a beer dispenser for “Cooper’s Bar And Grill” in a former life!). It makes a most memorable billboard!
And Phil’s wife gets all the proceeds from the sale. Phil was not a wealthy man, and this is my way of honoring our friendship and helping his family at a time of loss. Please simply email me: Jemal@CooperRoadMini.com or comment on any of the videos on YouTube. If you want to see something specific, ASK ME!! I’ve owned and built just about all versions of the A-series equipped British classics (currently a couple of Classic Mini Coopers and an MG Midget), and very few people know them like I do. I’m easy to contact and talk to, and I guarantee you will learn something!
Thank you for looking!
https://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.png00Jemalhttps://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.pngJemal2023-02-10 16:49:582023-08-22 11:12:57Morris Minor Panel Van needs a new home
You may have noticed I’m paying overdue attention to this website and my YouTube Channel with lots of new content. I found a short clip I hadn’t seen with one of my engines doing rather well at the 2019 Mission Raceway BC Historic Races this past August. I hope to post the stories of some of these engines, and other builds here, but there is much more from the last few years on My YouTube channel with the same name. In fact, I’ve shown so much of my work that if you look for “Jemal shows” in any search engine (or “jemal mini” I’m told, tho I don’t care for that one as we do so much more!) you should find me and my videos.
Meanwhile, enjoy the sound of this beast and Karlo’s driving to first place!
https://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.png00Jemalhttps://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.pngJemal2019-12-22 17:27:262019-12-26 09:36:15Found a video on YouTube with one of my engines
I know I’m the type that never wants to get rid of anything. When it comes to cars, that becomes a bit of a problem! I’ve hung onto survivors for decades, sometimes with the intent of restoring them, but always for the pleasure of owning and driving (and fixing!) unusual and interesting vehicles that become more so with the passage of time.
But with a just-turned-five year old, and with (very) long time horizons for my projects, an honest assessment of what I can hope to accomplish requires I narrow my focus, and perhaps give someone else a chance to take over stewardship of the history I have preserved.
This page is for profiling and “perhaps” offering for sale some of my collection of cars and parts. Fate is who might come along and hear the story, realize the value and really want one of these unique vehicles… or not! If some find homes that can give them more attention, I will have time and space for other projects.
1974 Mazda Rotary Pick Up
Jemal’s 1974 Mazda Rotary Engine Pick Up (REPU)
One of the most unusual vehicles anywhere – in more than 15 years of driving this truck, I’ve only SEEN one other on the road! Don’t take the owner’s word for it… Both Google and YAHOO place the Mazda REPU in their Top Ten most unusual vehicles list!
Of course it has a story! I spotted it in the mid 1990s in the driveway of a nearby property. I don’t think I’d ever seen one, but knew it had the big 13B engine which I craved for my Gen 1 RX7. So I went a-knockin’. Turned out the original owner had moved from Bakersfield in Southern California to Nevada City to start a Winery. But no, he wasn’t ready to sell his truck to a long haired kid (remember… 25 years ago…) who wanted to swipe the engine out of it!
Nearly 10 years and a couple of RX7s later, I was working on my green Cooper S (tho it was reddish then) listening to our small town radio station “Swap Shop” when a raspy sounding caller said “74 Mazda Pickup”. My Rotary Radar must have activated, and I heard “it’s got some kind of rotor engine”. That afternoon, I was testing the warning beeper in the tach. It still worked at 7000 RPM!
Turned out the fellow had just bought the same truck from the same original owner. Right away he hated it! The rotary was hard to start, got horrific fuel “economy”, wouldn’t stay parked on a hill where he lived, and simply was NOT the little economy truck he thought. After flooding it the first few mornings, he called the “garage sale of the airwaves”, looking to get his money back. As I recall, he had not yet registered the truck, so I’ve always said I’m the second owner.
About 15 years later I was shopping at our A to Z hardware store when I was paged! “Would the owner of the yellow Mazda Truck come to the front of the store”. I though oh no, I forgot to set the brake and it rolled out into the road… but no, it was the ORIGINAL OWNER who spotted it and wanted to say hello! He was amazed that the truck still looked just as good as when he sold it.
It runs a lot better though! The original 13B had nearly 140,000 miles on it and was still driving a dead AC compressor and one of those absurd “smog pumps”. Within weeks of buying the truck, I had the original engine rebuilt by a rotary expert with the best available parts. As it was a truck and needed bottom end torque, we only did some “street porting” to the 4-port 13B, and I kept the stock truck flywheel.
I drove it that way for many years. I added the custom exhaust system and Toyota Tundra wheels – the Rotary Pickup has the same 6-lug pattern as 1/2 ton Chevy and Toyota 4-wheel drive, so many wheels will fit. No other compact truck had anywhere NEAR the strength of the REPU running gear.
If you follow me here or on YouTube, you know that I can’t just “fix things” when I can make them better! I had trouble with the stock 4-barrel Hitachi carb (more mandated vacuum fittings and crap than any other carb EVER!), and the ignition was easy to modernize and improve (like engineers wanted but Marketing wouldn’t!) You’ll have to watch the playlist of videos I’ve put on my YouTube channel over the many, many years I’ve enjoyed owning this truck.
I’ve shown the car here and on my YouTube channel to all of you that know me. You can see what I’ve done as well as ongoing improvements as we get ready to list the car to a wider audience.
The new owner will enjoy the benefits of the many upgrades I’ve done with my usual attention to detail. I think you’ll agree that our asking price is looking better and better!
Clearing a plugged pick-up tube
https://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.png00Jemalhttps://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.pngJemal2019-12-14 12:53:092019-12-14 12:53:15More of the work preparing the Mini Van For Sale
There’s more detail about the underside, dash, and even ongoing improvements in this video. If you subscribe to my YouTube channel, or check back here, you’ll get the latest updates.
https://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.png00Jemalhttps://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.pngJemal2019-12-04 19:21:222019-12-16 13:43:55Update about Morris Mini Van For Sale
This one is very nostalgic for me as my childhood family car was a little Austin Mini Van. In fact I keep referring to this one as an Austin out of habit, but they are virtually the same. It’s been at the Cooper Road Mini compound for a few weeks after the very nice restoration, as I tended to a few details and made some improvements. Unlike my father’s old 850, this has been upgraded with a rebuilt 1275 engine, 4-synchro gearbox (now with the Cooper Remote-shift linkage as one of my upgrades), new aluminum radiator, fan, and shroud, Cooper S disk brakes and all new front wheel bearings.
I’ve been involved with the restoration for several years providing help and advice. I test-ran this engine on my stand a couple of years ago (I’m sure I have a video!) while the car was being painted. Recently, I acquired a complete “Remote” shift linkage from another project to replace the goofy 1970s “magic wand” shifter that was still in the car. Here is a short video with me talking about the work just completed, and a quick walk-around
The Mini Van has become one of the rarest Minis, as most were well used up work donkeys in jolly harsh old England. A Morris Van like this with it’s side-panels intact is even more unusual. And it’s very well equipped, unlike the bare-bones vans from the factory. Could a small business have a more memorable billboard? Too damn cute!
Here’s a list of features and recent work completed:
1275cc rebuilt 4 cylinder engine
4-syncro gearbox with “Remote” shift as used on Cooper and Cooper S
Front disk brakes as used on Cooper S
New Yokohama 008 tires on powder coated Cosmic wheels
New front wheel bearings
New aluminum radiator, fan, and 2-piece shroud
Auxiliary electric fan, auto or manual override switch
NOS late model 1275 cylinder head with performance valve job
New bronze valve guides and late model “Viton” valve seals
Pertronix electronic ignition
Alternator conversion (from old Lucas generator)
New SU electric fuel pump
Reconditioned fuel tank with new gauge sending unit (works!)
LCB header and new “twin box” exhaust system
New roof rack for mandatory surfboard
Pop-up tinted glass sunroof
New seats, carpet, and interior panels
New compact T7 Heater (same as my Cooper S)
Wood grain dash with dual glove boxes, tach, oil pressure and temp gauges
Nicely finished rear compartment with “Boom Mat” soundproofing installed throughout (remember, vans were bare metal!)
Very nice sound system
Black California plate “2 DM SMAL”
Now, let’s go for a drive! Oh, there is a slight exaggeration when it comes to passing power…. see if you notice it!
With snow on the way, I did not have a chance to install the grille for these photos, but I will do so and post more. I also have more video detailing the work I did over the past few weeks.
2 DM SMAL INDEED!
The value of these Classic Minis is raising eyebrows around the world with the sale on “Bring-A-Trailer” of a model known as the “Beach Mini” for an unbelievable $230,000. That’s about 200 times what it cost new! The good news is that this lovely little Mini is being offered for much less than 10% of that.
The asking price of $18,500 is arguably less than the cost to duplicate this very complete restoration. The fact that it includes so many upgrades (and done properly by me!) makes it even better. Without doubt, this Classic Mini Panel Van will appreciate in value with the passage of time, and for the right person, it’s ready to be enjoyed right now, and along the way.
If you’d like more information – as much as you can stand – there are a number of ways you can reach me. You can comment right below, or on my YouTube channel after any of the videos (you can see all my recent videos from the tab above). I’ll add more photos and video in subsequent posts If you want to see something specific, just ask me!
You can reach me directly by sending me an email. If you absolutely want to buy this car, please do email me. I’ve gotten in trouble before when more than one party made full price offers, and I did not realize who was first. In such case, the date and time of the email will decide the order! Thank you for understanding!
https://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.png00Jemalhttps://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.pngJemal2019-11-29 18:19:222019-12-15 14:27:581970 Morris Mini Van For Sale
Very overdue for an update here! Yes I’ve been very busy with our delightful now 18 month old Son Xavy Cooper! Getting a good start as a young ‘car guy’, he loves our Rotary Pick-up and points and says “TRUCK” whenever he sees it, AND he points to the hibernating 66 Cooper S in the garage and says “MINI”, so we’re off to a very good start!
In the meantime, we HAVE done a few projects, and I have continued to put short videos up on Cooper Road Mini’s YouTube channel… you get to those by clicking on the “Videos” tab above, nearly 150 in all, dealing with all sorts of automotive projects, fixes, and how-tos!
One of the most interesting, and with fantastic dyno results to boot, is the Austin Healey Sprite race engine I built over last Summer and Fall. I spent considerable time developing a fantastic package that included exotic Billet bottom end components from MED Racing in England, including longer, ultra light weight connecting rods and forged flat-top Omega pistons. I’ll talk about the details of this engine and the incredible power it makes, and show the ultra-trick aluminum head I built for it, with some very special components to allow more than 1/2 inch of valve lift with our nearly 1 1/2 inch intake valves!
Here is a short clip showing the bottom end and discussing the advantages of longer connecting rods:
https://i1.wp.com/cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Xayven-slider.png?fit=1500%2C392&ssl=13921500Jemalhttps://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.pngJemal2016-03-03 17:21:172019-11-29 18:35:52Cooper Road Mini Update
These days CooperRoadMini is in a bit of a holding pattern as my lovely assistant is due to give birth to our son, literally at any moment now! Little Xaven (or Xayven?, Xayvyn?, Xavyn?….still working on it!) is due day after tomorrow as I write this. Perhaps to help in that regard, we are tempting fate by taking a picnic and the 4-wheel drive up to a nearly 8000 foot peak about an hour away. Yes we live in a wonderful place! We’ll escape early August 90s for spectacular views of several lakes and balmy 70s, and see if the terrain might help expedite Xavy Cooper’s arrival! OK, you can have some fun with our choice of middle name, but someday, he may inherit this mess!
Well, that’s the “life and times” update, but back to our title…. the question has come up again about whether it’s possible to pull the engine unit from a servo equipped Mini without disturbing the hydraulics. A ‘servo’ is what a power-brake booster is called for a Mini. They were installed at first only on the Cooper S models with disk brakes, different than most cars in that the unit is remote from the master cylinder. In the Mini, it is mounted on the right side of the tiny engine compartment, right in the way of getting to the clutch adjustment, and generally making many maintenance and inspection procedures much more difficult. That’s why I chose not to run one on my 66 S…. the pedal pressure is just not significant, even with late 8.4″ disk brakes and 13″ wheels with an early single line master. In any event, they are widely used and viewed as an upgrade from the S model.
So the answer is YES! In this short video taken just before I re-installed the engine in our last project, we can see how the servo unit is pulled up and tilted backwards with just a slight twist of the two brake pipes that connect it back to the three way junction on the bulkhead. I show a little trick for tightening up a small brake fluid leak…. finesse instead of brute force!
Finally, this last week I’ve been helping our friend Steven back in the great state of PA figure out what he needs to assemble the brake pipes to his Mark 1. He acquired the car in milk crates and coffee cans, so bits like the “three-way connector” are just “junk in a box”! Here you go Steven, you can see the layout of most of the engine compartment brake plumbing, and your car will be very much like this one!
https://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.png00Jemalhttps://cooperroadmini.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cooper-Road-Mini-Logo2-1.pngJemal2014-08-02 15:02:102017-06-11 20:27:33Engine out without disconnecting the Brake Servo?
THE Cooper Road Mini, Jemal’s 66 MK1 Cooper S For Sale?
/0 Comments/in Cars, Classic Mini Cooper, For Sale, Special Cars For Sale /by JemalI have to admit, this one might never be truly finished. I’ve been building it since well before this website or YouTube started even! As a recognized expert and builder of show winning classic Minis, this has been my “proof of concept” showpiece for improvements to the classic Mini Cooper. There is far too much to “list”, but you’ll get a good idea after you watch the 20 or so videos in the playlist below! Then you’ll still have questions.
It’s an intense and demanding car to drive. It absolutely will not be for everyone. The driver must understand and manage the high compression engine with skill and attention to avoid destruction. The close ratio gearbox is geared for ‘reasonable’ RPM at highway speed. First gear is tall making slow driving or starting on a hill challenging. More so with said high compression engine!
The pay off? This is one of the most exiting and exhilarating classic Minis to drive without resorting to Honda power (and weight). It sounds and revs and builds power like few classic Minis could imagine. The legendary Mini driving experience, enhanced with nearly two decades of my relentless (and documented) improvements make this one of the most remarkable MK1 Cooper S cars on the road today.
The trade off? It’s not original. Before you start telling me I shouldn’t have done this or that, or that it is a “hodgepodge” of parts, you better see a few “before” photos. You will notice how straight and rust free the body was even then.
That’s right, it came from a barn! And mostly before every phone had a camera. My lovely assistant had one of the first iPhones in 2006 for those pics. I might have some dusty prints of the original acquisition around 2002!
I never had any intention of being restrained by originality. Indeed I wouldn’t bother. Dare I admit that to a performance enthusiast like myself, most standard classic Minis are quite pathetic! There’s not much appeal in winding through several gears just to get through an intersection! No such trouble here.
This also could be a never-ending-post. I already have a long playlist of videos on YouTube, and dozens more to be edited of recent work as I built the car to it’s current state. There are a number of improvements to the suspension, steering, sub-frames, brakes, and engine that I have not yet mentioned. This playlist goes back many years, so I hope you’ll forgive the quality of my early “single take” clips. There is a lot of history here:
This is a chance to own this car and finish the interior to suit your taste, not mine or anyone else’s. It turns out that I’m much better at building the mechanical side and would much rather change sub frames than install door panels! You can see that I do not have the door sliding windows installed…. I personally find them absurd in our Summer climate! You can see that the velocity stacks are open to the sky. Another reason to avoid rain!
It also turns out I’m better at building cars and have several more in the works. Passing stewardship of this one will give me the attention span, the time and space to work, and some financial bandwidth for the next project. I built every single piece of this authentic California Cooper S, and the next owner will have my ongoing technical support and advice. And should you want the next engine to have the latest Multi-web crank and make even more power, we can do that too!
Seriously, too many projects!
/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by JemalClassic car guys understand how hard it is to turn down a project. Even when we have a garage full already, and find a new one under a tarp covered by spiders, our mind’s eye sees us driving in it’s fully rebuilt glory. We resist reality for as long as possible, but there is only so much time and space to work. Life has a way of shifting priorities, so it really is time to pass some on, to let fate decide, as I said just before COVID came along.
First the update, the 74 Mazda REPU survivor pickup, the 70 Mini Van, and the Yamaha R1 have indeed gone on to new owners. I was suffering some seller’s remorse, when I accidentally found the Porsche 911 in hibernation for 10 years. It was too irresistible for resurrection, and now that’s running great too and added to the mix!
So here we go with the list, the first time I have considered selling most of these:
1976 Porsche 911S Widebody Cabriolet conversion, 3.0 liter 5 speed
1974 Chevrolet K5 Blazer, owned 30+ years, Big Block, major upgrades
1971 MG Midget, new engine, 5-speed, big brakes, major upgrades
1968 Pontiac GTO. owned 40+ years and still a project, see what I mean?
1966 Mini Cooper S, THE Cooper Road Mini, Awesome but needs finishing
1964 Lotus Elan, S1, the 8th LHD US model, all numbers matching, only 27K miles
Obviously MUCH more detail is forthcoming about all these, but if something jumps out at you, get a hold of me and be the first to hear the scoop BEFORE I post it for all to see!
I’ll talk about each one of these in future posts. All have been built exclusively by me. Most have major mechanical upgrades over decades of ownership. If you’ve been with me for a while, you know I seldom just fix things when I can make them better!
Morris Minor Panel Van needs a new home
/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by JemalI was very sad to hear that one of my long time customers and friends passed away over the summer. Phil came by Mini Mania for many years when I worked there, and it was one of the pleasures of the job to go out and see this very van and help with whatever he needed. Phil’s wife is not so much a car-gal, and as we all know, it takes a car-person to own and drive something like this!
So we want to help find a new owner that will enjoy this lovely little piece of history, and cherish it like Phil did. It’s just about to turn 65, but not ready to retire! I’ll tell you some my own history with this 1959 Morris Minor panel van. I knew the previous owner as well! Watch the videos!
I’ll also detail it’s features and upgrades, and the extras included in the sale. Phil’s family contacted me to get the spider webs off and freshen up the mechanicals, and as usual, I did a lot more! Watch the videos!
The Mechanical stuff:
If you want any more details about any of this, please ask me. That goes for the videos as well. And anything else I haven’t thought of.
The photos:
Click on any to see full size image
The videos:
I’ve added new videos as I’ve made repairs and upgrades. The video below is the start of the entire playlist (about 6 videos) on YouTube, with several driving clips!
The Extras:
Like any serious British car enthusiast, Phil gathered all manner of extra “spares” as he improved the van with my help over the years. Some photos of all the extra goodies that are included for the new owner.
Yes, quite a collection of extra goodies: Full set of larger tires and wheels for “highway gears”, complete HS4 single carb set up with several extra intakes, A new speedometer with fuel gauge, extra starter and generator, clutch and flywheel, most of the available books for the Morris and the A-series engines, and a tub with tools and all the useful parts for roadside repair! Phil was never once stranded in his travels!
We’d love to find a new steward for this panel van. It will never cost less to own this. You could not build one to this state for anywhere near our asking price! It can be driven anywhere. And it takes full advantage of it’s QUARTER TON commercial rating! How about a travel companion and mobile garage for your MOTORCYCLE! Any small businesses out there that make “minor deliveries”, or perform “minor repairs”? Driving this van gets thumbs-up from people in new Teslas!
And of course, it comes with lifetime tech support from ME! Nobody will ever know it better! And I’d like to continue my decades of association with this van!
The deal:
If you already had a complete, original running van (like the green one I showed when I brought it back to life after 25 years in a barn!), it would still take more than $20K to get it near the level of this one. It is ready to enjoy NOW and would earn it’s keep just parked outside your business (and it has as a beer dispenser for “Cooper’s Bar And Grill” in a former life!). It makes a most memorable billboard!
And Phil’s wife gets all the proceeds from the sale. Phil was not a wealthy man, and this is my way of honoring our friendship and helping his family at a time of loss. Please simply email me: Jemal@CooperRoadMini.com or comment on any of the videos on YouTube. If you want to see something specific, ASK ME!! I’ve owned and built just about all versions of the A-series equipped British classics (currently a couple of Classic Mini Coopers and an MG Midget), and very few people know them like I do. I’m easy to contact and talk to, and I guarantee you will learn something!
Thank you for looking!
Found a video on YouTube with one of my engines
/0 Comments/in Jemal's special projects /by JemalYou may have noticed I’m paying overdue attention to this website and my YouTube Channel with lots of new content. I found a short clip I hadn’t seen with one of my engines doing rather well at the 2019 Mission Raceway BC Historic Races this past August. I hope to post the stories of some of these engines, and other builds here, but there is much more from the last few years on My YouTube channel with the same name. In fact, I’ve shown so much of my work that if you look for “Jemal shows” in any search engine (or “jemal mini” I’m told, tho I don’t care for that one as we do so much more!) you should find me and my videos.
Meanwhile, enjoy the sound of this beast and Karlo’s driving to first place!
Let Fate Decide
/1 Comment/in Cars, For Sale /by JemalSome of Jemal’s cars FOR SALE!
I know I’m the type that never wants to get rid of anything. When it comes to cars, that becomes a bit of a problem! I’ve hung onto survivors for decades, sometimes with the intent of restoring them, but always for the pleasure of owning and driving (and fixing!) unusual and interesting vehicles that become more so with the passage of time.
But with a just-turned-five year old, and with (very) long time horizons for my projects, an honest assessment of what I can hope to accomplish requires I narrow my focus, and perhaps give someone else a chance to take over stewardship of the history I have preserved.
This page is for profiling and “perhaps” offering for sale some of my collection of cars and parts. Fate is who might come along and hear the story, realize the value and really want one of these unique vehicles… or not! If some find homes that can give them more attention, I will have time and space for other projects.
1974 Mazda Rotary Pick Up
One of the most unusual vehicles anywhere – in more than 15 years of driving this truck, I’ve only SEEN one other on the road! Don’t take the owner’s word for it… Both Google and YAHOO place the Mazda REPU in their Top Ten most unusual vehicles list!
Of course it has a story! I spotted it in the mid 1990s in the driveway of a nearby property. I don’t think I’d ever seen one, but knew it had the big 13B engine which I craved for my Gen 1 RX7. So I went a-knockin’. Turned out the original owner had moved from Bakersfield in Southern California to Nevada City to start a Winery. But no, he wasn’t ready to sell his truck to a long haired kid (remember… 25 years ago…) who wanted to swipe the engine out of it!
Nearly 10 years and a couple of RX7s later, I was working on my green Cooper S (tho it was reddish then) listening to our small town radio station “Swap Shop” when a raspy sounding caller said “74 Mazda Pickup”. My Rotary Radar must have activated, and I heard “it’s got some kind of rotor engine”. That afternoon, I was testing the warning beeper in the tach. It still worked at 7000 RPM!
Turned out the fellow had just bought the same truck from the same original owner. Right away he hated it! The rotary was hard to start, got horrific fuel “economy”, wouldn’t stay parked on a hill where he lived, and simply was NOT the little economy truck he thought. After flooding it the first few mornings, he called the “garage sale of the airwaves”, looking to get his money back. As I recall, he had not yet registered the truck, so I’ve always said I’m the second owner.
About 15 years later I was shopping at our A to Z hardware store when I was paged! “Would the owner of the yellow Mazda Truck come to the front of the store”. I though oh no, I forgot to set the brake and it rolled out into the road… but no, it was the ORIGINAL OWNER who spotted it and wanted to say hello! He was amazed that the truck still looked just as good as when he sold it.
It runs a lot better though! The original 13B had nearly 140,000 miles on it and was still driving a dead AC compressor and one of those absurd “smog pumps”. Within weeks of buying the truck, I had the original engine rebuilt by a rotary expert with the best available parts. As it was a truck and needed bottom end torque, we only did some “street porting” to the 4-port 13B, and I kept the stock truck flywheel.
I drove it that way for many years. I added the custom exhaust system and Toyota Tundra wheels – the Rotary Pickup has the same 6-lug pattern as 1/2 ton Chevy and Toyota 4-wheel drive, so many wheels will fit. No other compact truck had anywhere NEAR the strength of the REPU running gear.
If you follow me here or on YouTube, you know that I can’t just “fix things” when I can make them better! I had trouble with the stock 4-barrel Hitachi carb (more mandated vacuum fittings and crap than any other carb EVER!), and the ignition was easy to modernize and improve (like engineers wanted but Marketing wouldn’t!) You’ll have to watch the playlist of videos I’ve put on my YouTube channel over the many, many years I’ve enjoyed owning this truck.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLf9CYi_IUYZnJEtku_xSVyLzHaJDvjFkc
More of the work preparing the Mini Van For Sale
/0 Comments/in Cars, For Sale /by JemalI’ve shown the car here and on my YouTube channel to all of you that know me. You can see what I’ve done as well as ongoing improvements as we get ready to list the car to a wider audience.
The new owner will enjoy the benefits of the many upgrades I’ve done with my usual attention to detail. I think you’ll agree that our asking price is looking better and better!
Update about Morris Mini Van For Sale
/0 Comments/in Cars, For Sale, Jemal's special projects /by JemalI’ve had a few questions and requests for photos of previous work. Here’s a link sent by the owner:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/a2UjazGHQfdA9YpK9
There’s more detail about the underside, dash, and even ongoing improvements in this video. If you subscribe to my YouTube channel, or check back here, you’ll get the latest updates.
1970 Morris Mini Van For Sale
/0 Comments/in Cars, For Sale, Jemal's special projects /by JemalThis one is very nostalgic for me as my childhood family car was a little Austin Mini Van. In fact I keep referring to this one as an Austin out of habit, but they are virtually the same. It’s been at the Cooper Road Mini compound for a few weeks after the very nice restoration, as I tended to a few details and made some improvements. Unlike my father’s old 850, this has been upgraded with a rebuilt 1275 engine, 4-synchro gearbox (now with the Cooper Remote-shift linkage as one of my upgrades), new aluminum radiator, fan, and shroud, Cooper S disk brakes and all new front wheel bearings.
I’ve been involved with the restoration for several years providing help and advice. I test-ran this engine on my stand a couple of years ago (I’m sure I have a video!) while the car was being painted. Recently, I acquired a complete “Remote” shift linkage from another project to replace the goofy 1970s “magic wand” shifter that was still in the car. Here is a short video with me talking about the work just completed, and a quick walk-around
The Mini Van has become one of the rarest Minis, as most were well used up work donkeys in jolly harsh old England. A Morris Van like this with it’s side-panels intact is even more unusual. And it’s very well equipped, unlike the bare-bones vans from the factory. Could a small business have a more memorable billboard? Too damn cute!
Here’s a list of features and recent work completed:
Now, let’s go for a drive! Oh, there is a slight exaggeration when it comes to passing power…. see if you notice it!
With snow on the way, I did not have a chance to install the grille for these photos, but I will do so and post more. I also have more video detailing the work I did over the past few weeks.
The value of these Classic Minis is raising eyebrows around the world with the sale on “Bring-A-Trailer” of a model known as the “Beach Mini” for an unbelievable $230,000. That’s about 200 times what it cost new! The good news is that this lovely little Mini is being offered for much less than 10% of that.
The asking price of $18,500 is arguably less than the cost to duplicate this very complete restoration. The fact that it includes so many upgrades (and done properly by me!) makes it even better. Without doubt, this Classic Mini Panel Van will appreciate in value with the passage of time, and for the right person, it’s ready to be enjoyed right now, and along the way.
If you’d like more information – as much as you can stand – there are a number of ways you can reach me. You can comment right below, or on my YouTube channel after any of the videos (you can see all my recent videos from the tab above). I’ll add more photos and video in subsequent posts If you want to see something specific, just ask me!
You can reach me directly by sending me an email. If you absolutely want to buy this car, please do email me. I’ve gotten in trouble before when more than one party made full price offers, and I did not realize who was first. In such case, the date and time of the email will decide the order! Thank you for understanding!
Jemal@CooperRoadMini.com (or just go to Contact)
Cooper Road Mini Update
/0 Comments/in Jemal's special projects, Sprite Engine Rebuild /by JemalVery overdue for an update here! Yes I’ve been very busy with our delightful now 18 month old Son Xavy Cooper! Getting a good start as a young ‘car guy’, he loves our Rotary Pick-up and points and says “TRUCK” whenever he sees it, AND he points to the hibernating 66 Cooper S in the garage and says “MINI”, so we’re off to a very good start!
In the meantime, we HAVE done a few projects, and I have continued to put short videos up on Cooper Road Mini’s YouTube channel… you get to those by clicking on the “Videos” tab above, nearly 150 in all, dealing with all sorts of automotive projects, fixes, and how-tos!
One of the most interesting, and with fantastic dyno results to boot, is the Austin Healey Sprite race engine I built over last Summer and Fall. I spent considerable time developing a fantastic package that included exotic Billet bottom end components from MED Racing in England, including longer, ultra light weight connecting rods and forged flat-top Omega pistons. I’ll talk about the details of this engine and the incredible power it makes, and show the ultra-trick aluminum head I built for it, with some very special components to allow more than 1/2 inch of valve lift with our nearly 1 1/2 inch intake valves!
Here is a short clip showing the bottom end and discussing the advantages of longer connecting rods:
Engine out without disconnecting the Brake Servo?
/0 Comments/in Classic Mini Cooper /by JemalThese days CooperRoadMini is in a bit of a holding pattern as my lovely assistant is due to give birth to our son, literally at any moment now! Little Xaven (or Xayven?, Xayvyn?, Xavyn?….still working on it!) is due day after tomorrow as I write this. Perhaps to help in that regard, we are tempting fate by taking a picnic and the 4-wheel drive up to a nearly 8000 foot peak about an hour away. Yes we live in a wonderful place! We’ll escape early August 90s for spectacular views of several lakes and balmy 70s, and see if the terrain might help expedite Xavy Cooper’s arrival! OK, you can have some fun with our choice of middle name, but someday, he may inherit this mess!
Well, that’s the “life and times” update, but back to our title…. the question has come up again about whether it’s possible to pull the engine unit from a servo equipped Mini without disturbing the hydraulics. A ‘servo’ is what a power-brake booster is called for a Mini. They were installed at first only on the Cooper S models with disk brakes, different than most cars in that the unit is remote from the master cylinder. In the Mini, it is mounted on the right side of the tiny engine compartment, right in the way of getting to the clutch adjustment, and generally making many maintenance and inspection procedures much more difficult. That’s why I chose not to run one on my 66 S…. the pedal pressure is just not significant, even with late 8.4″ disk brakes and 13″ wheels with an early single line master. In any event, they are widely used and viewed as an upgrade from the S model.
So the answer is YES! In this short video taken just before I re-installed the engine in our last project, we can see how the servo unit is pulled up and tilted backwards with just a slight twist of the two brake pipes that connect it back to the three way junction on the bulkhead. I show a little trick for tightening up a small brake fluid leak…. finesse instead of brute force!
Finally, this last week I’ve been helping our friend Steven back in the great state of PA figure out what he needs to assemble the brake pipes to his Mark 1. He acquired the car in milk crates and coffee cans, so bits like the “three-way connector” are just “junk in a box”! Here you go Steven, you can see the layout of most of the engine compartment brake plumbing, and your car will be very much like this one!