Master Class

Back when concours restos were on the fringe of the mainstream scene, Roy Gudge joined a small band of visionaries who made their Mini Coopers better than new. He tells us about his stunning twice-restored 998cc Mk2 Cooper.

- Roy Gudge

I must confess to not being an avid follower of the BMC Mini Cooper during the golden years. In the very early 70s I became aware of a local ‘Mini Ace’ by the name of Paul Gaymer. He had been the Mini Seven ‘King’ of 1969. One day, I asked him for his thoughts on the Mini Coopers, as I was thinking of seeking one to purchase. His response was emphatic: “The best Mini Cooper ever made was the Mk2 998.” He did state, as we would all agree, that the 998 should have had S brakes and, nearly as significant, would have had 4.5” reverse rims as standard.

Although both of my Minis’ engines have been balanced, my friend Jeff Leyden always said, as he drove my S to shows and had had his own Ss, that he felt the 1275 resembled a tractor and, car for car, the 998 was like a Mini Rolls Royce. The Mk2 Cooper front seat cushions were like a coachbuilt car’s compared to the Mk1. (My Morris Mini Cooper 1275 S Mk2 was in MiniWorld’s March 2015 issue).

To be honest I am not sure, with the passage of the years, how it all came together but I was working at a Leyland dealer near Haslemere, in West Surrey, at the time. One day there appeared a superb-looking 1969 Mk2 998 Cooper in standard format, even with the 850 wheel embellishers. Best of all was the colour: the highly favoured Island Blue and Snowberry White. I fell in love with it straight away, and approached the member of staff who owned it, but it was not for sale. It was a couple of years before it became mine in May 1977.

In those days the S was insurance group six rated and the 998 at group four. We all know it doesn’t have the oomph of the 1275, or the stopping power, but it did cut the 850’s 0-60mph time effectively in half and, as most will be aware, the S did not quite cut this in half again.