Rover Coopers

When you think of a Rover Cooper, what do you think of? M.P.I, Mainstream, S.P.I, red or green and with a white roof! The last time we tried to work out how many variants of the Rover Cooper there are we gave up at seventeen! That’s a heck of a lot of production changes and particulars for us to encompass and sometimes individual models do get overlooked or indeed mistaken for another one.

This year obviously is a significant year for the Mini in general, next year though is very significant to all us Rover Cooper owners, and we hope to organise some events to celebrate this. Fifteen years ago next June the initially widely resented Rover Cooper took to the streets for the first time. With this in mind we want to try to do an article on each and every variant ever to roll forth from Longbridge, including those that we sadly never had here in Blighty.

So how did it all begin? The first sign of the rebirth of the great Cooper name was in the shape of the John Cooper conversions (MCC542). These were conversions based on the 1000cc engine. They coincided with the Racing Green, Flame Red and Check mate L.E's and also the Mini 30, whilst initially only available in Japan in kit form soon became available in the U.K and had full factory and warranty backing. These were a great forerunner of what was to come. More on these at a later time because technically I think only a handful were ever registered as Mini Coopers.

While the world was revelling at the Cooper name being back to the fore, Mr. Graham Day, M.D of Rover was also working with John Cooper on a full-scale reintroduction of the Mini Cooper. Many Mini Mayfairs and Cities were modified to this end, the first of which we have on the register and is often to be seen at club stands. From this point the Rover Mini Cooper was being developed in conjunction with Rover Special Projects.

Thus, the first Rover Cooper since 1972 became known as the R.S.P. for obvious reasons. Sadly we have very few of these on the register. Considering officially only 1650 were built, 1050 for the home market and 600 for the rest of the world, it is surprising just how many do still exist, as like all Minis they rot! R.S.Ps for some reason seem especially prone to this and suffer badly around the scuttle area, and the front end, and the doors and the boot!

So what is so ‘Special’ about the R.S.P? I am of the opinion they were probably cobbled together with whatever was left in the parts store at Longbridge! That is only my opinion so don’t quote me or sue me! One thing though, is it a coincidence that R.S.Ps are the same colours as the Racing Green, Flame and Checkmate all of which ceased production at the time of the R.S.Ps introduction!

Seriously though, these were and indeed still are a brilliant Mini, boasting the M.G Metro 1275cc engine, which produces 61 B.H.P at 5550 R.P.M. giving a 0-60 time of 11.2 seconds and a top speed of 92M.P.H. The engine also sported an oil cooler and a modified exhaust system.

Body wise the R.S.P came in three colours, British Racing Green, Flame Red and Black, all topped with a white roof. Standard trim also featured a Tudor Webasto glass sunroof, body-coloured wheel spats and rear number plate light, white door mirrors, winged Mini Cooper badge on the bonnet, white Cooper Laurel decals on the boot lid and also the side quarters with twin white coach lines down the sides. Also fitted were twin driving/spotlights, which are very similar to those on the mainstream Cooper; these sat in front of a Mk2 Cooper style grille. The R.S.P also had twin white stripes on the bonnet with black John Cooper signatures on them. These were actually a separate decal on top of the white stripe. The stripes were also placed higher up the bonnet, fitting the top ridge and leaving a gap before the bonnet lip. Another distinguishing feature of the R.S.P is the wheels. They are actually the same wheels as featured on the Mini 30 and also the second generation Racing Greens etc. On first glance these appear to be the same as the mainstream wheels but actually the stud holes are in line with the spokes on the Mini 30 type wheel and interspaced on the mainstream.

The Mini 30 theme continues in the interior, with re-badged Mini 30 half leather seats and lightening Mini 30 trim panels! Also inside was fitted a Stereo cassette player, red carpets and red rimmed steering wheel.

All this led to a very formidable car, and one which now is often copied and there are a great many fake R.S.Ps out there! The chassis number on a genuine car should start, SAXXNNAMBAD...... One other significant thing the R.S.P. led to was the reintroduction of another Mini legend....the Cooper 'S'. Once again the Cooper legend makers came up with a kit of parts, (MCC 1275 ND), comprising, modified cylinder head, new exhaust system, twin 1.25 inch SU carbs and modified air box; all this combined to increase power to a quoted 78 B.H.P. Other Cooper conversions and modifications were also available for the R.S.P. but I will go into all the many and varied conversions some other time, as they are an article or four in their own right!

So, the R.S.P a classic among Minis; funny really when you consider when launched almost 15 years ago it was berated and many people would not accept it as a proper Mini Cooper, I must admit it took me a good number of years to accept them for what they are. So all you MINI owners reading this don’t panic! The Rover Coopers had all the same problems with being accepted and yet no-one bats an eyelid about them now.

That was an easy Rover Cooper report to do! Some of the 17, (at the last count), other Limited Editions might prove a little more challenging.