1966 Austin Mini Cooper S – Downton Tuned – LHD
This Austin Mini Cooper S is a highly desirable slice of 1960s performance history, distinguished by an array of period-correct Special Tuning and Downton upgrades. It is powered by a professionally rebuilt 1,330cc transverse four-cylinder engine—believed to be the original matching-numbers unit—paired with a close-ratio, straight-cut four-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels.
Originally delivered to the United States, the car was later imported to the UK, where it has remained with the current owner for the past nine years. The odometer shows 61,377 miles, though this figure is not warranted.
Finished in a vivid red with a contrasting black roof, the Cooper S has a wonderfully evocative cabin trimmed in red and grey vinyl, with period gold brocade inserts on the door cards, rear bench, and dashboard, complemented by red carpets and black vinyl-trimmed bucket seats.
It rides on its original Dunlop LP883 10-inch steel wheels, painted white and capped with metal hubcaps, and fitted with Yokohama Advan HF A008 tyres.
The car features a leather bonnet strap, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, period Les Leston Microcell bucket seats, a retrofitted rev-counter, Smiths gauges, and classic sliding windows. According to the seller, it retains its factory body shell, engine and gearbox, with all tags and plates present as originally fitted.
Its specification includes competition-grade ‘S’ Hydrolastic blue-band displacer units, a Downton Stage Two cylinder head, a Special Tuning close-ratio straight-cut gear set housed in the correct 22G333 casing, and twin H4 1.5-inch carburettors.
The engine bay also features a dynamo with the rare AEG 535 competition pulley and original Petroflex oil cooler lines.
The car is offered with its original seats and steering wheel, two keys, extensive paperwork including the V5C, maintenance invoices, a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust factory record, dyno documentation, and a written statement from a former Downton employee confirming the period upgrades.
The seller notes that the roof, boot lid and rear panel were refinished in period-correct cellulose to correct bleaching caused by long-term exposure to the Californian sun.
The interior trim is said to remain original and carries the gentle patina one would expect from age and use. The most recent MOT was recorded in May 2018 at 54,644 miles, passing on the first attempt without advisories.
Recent maintenance brought the car mechanically back to peak form. In 2024, at around 61,000 miles, Mini specialist Dan Howell Classics overhauled the engine and gearbox and completed a rolling-road tune, resulting in a corrected output of 100.8 bhp.
The same workshop had previously serviced the car in 2017, rebuilding the carburettors, fabricating new fuel lines, setting the ignition timing, replacing the speedometer cable and gear-lever bush, shimming the gear-selector mechanism, and fitting a new copper washer to the oil-pressure relief valve cap.
Overall, this Mini Cooper S presents as a compelling and authentic example of the marque’s motorsport-inspired icon. With its blend of originality, documented performance enhancements, and recent expert mechanical work, it promises tremendous enjoyment and would make a charismatic addition to any collection.
