1967 Mini Cooper 1275 S

• Classic 1967 Mk ll 1275S finished in Almond Green with an OEW roof and a full-length matching Webasto
• Sold new in the UK and enjoyed before ending up in 1980 back at John Cooper Garages in Brighton
• For several years it was used by John Cooper as his transport in the Brighton area
• American Phil Reed was a London to Brighton run enthusiast and would regularly visit the UK with his wife Joyce to attend this event
• In '82 or '83 he wandered into John Cooper's business whilst over here and was enamoured with this 1275S
• He duly bought  it and shipped it back to join his growing collection in California where it was to remain for the next nearly 40 years
• By pure coincidence, Mike Brewer was viewing the collection after Phil Reed passed away and recognised the well known (in the UK) Cooper S
• Now back in the UK, fully recommissioned, and for sale
• Lots of interesting provenance including the original key fob, set of driving gloves found in the door bin, UK Logbook, original invoice from JCG, shipping paperwork, a photograph of John and Phil with the car, an uncashed cheque signed by JC, the Heritage Certificate and magazine articles.

Whilst filming in Long Beach, California, Mike Brewer and his wife Michelle were invited to view the collection of the recently deceased, Phil Reed, who had been a lifelong ‘petrolhead’ with a passion for early ‘brass age’ cars. Phil had been a regular participant in the London to Brighton Run and had never let 5,000 miles and an ocean get in the way of enjoying the long-running Veteran car event.

When he passed away the collection was left to his sons who were the first to admit to not sharing their father’s passion and had decided that the cars were to be sold off. Mike agreed to go along and have a look, not expecting to find two Minis sitting amongst the Cadillacs, Delahayes and Hartfords. The first car was a 1961 Austin Seven, an older restoration in good condition that had been bought in Brighton (Lot 336). The second car was an Almond Green Austin Cooper S in super condition and standard other than a pair of, not very sporty, wing mirrors and a set of Minilite-style alloys.

Mike thought that he vaguely recognised the registration number (it was still on UK plates having remained in the collection) and ,after some investigation, it transpired that the car had been purchased by Phil Reed from John Cooper Garages on one of his Brighton Run trips in 1982/83. It had been sold new in the UK and at some point had been a part-exchange on a later car. It was in such super condition that it was JC's choice of daily transport when he was in the Brighton area. After further research, inspection of some documents and photographs with the car and conversations with Mini expert Andy 'Ace' Harrison and John Cooper's son Mike, the car's provenance was established beyond doubt, the deal was done and LUF 849F returned home.

With the Mini are lots of interesting bits and pieces including the original key fob, a set of driving gloves found in the door bin, UK Logbook, original invoice from JCG, shipping paperwork, a photograph of John Cooper and Phil Reed with the car, an uncashed cheque signed by JC, the Heritage Certificate and magazine articles. The non-original wing mirrors have gone, as have the eighties alloys, and the Mini now sits on its refurbished original wheels wearing a set of new Dunlops.

The final words are from Mike; "It's a fabulous thing to own and I'm delighted that I found it. It's just beautiful to look at and be in, especially knowing that John Cooper used the car himself".