MINI COOPER S

The favorite hunting ground of the small British racing car was the tortuous route of the Monte Carlo Rally. Already in the 1962 edition the Finnish driver Rauno Aaltonen came close to winning, which he then lost due to retirement during the last special stage while he was leading. In the same year Patt Moss, sister of Stirling Moss, drove it to victory in the Tulip Rally and Baden-Baden Rally. From 1964 to 1967 the Mini Cooper S won the overall ranking of the Monte Carlo Rally, making it uncatchable for anyone driving another car. The first success of '64 was achieved by the Hopkirk-Liddon duo. The snow was also decisive in 1965, with the Scandinavian Timo Mäkinen and the navigator Paul Easter who brought the Mini Cooper S to success in a very tough edition. They were helped by a new engine with a displacement increased to 1275 cc, but it was the driving ability of the Scandinavian that made the decisive contribution. In 1966 the three Cooper Ss of Mäkinen, Aaltonen and Hopkirk dominated the classification from the start, but the victory was canceled by a questionable decision by the race management, who declared the headlights not compliant with the regulations. The ransom was not long in arriving. In 1967 Rauno Aaltonen was supported by Henry Liddon, Paddy Hopkirk's co-driver in the victorious 1964 Monte Carlo Rally, in driving his Mini to victory by 12 seconds. In the same years the Mini also won the Mille Laghi Rally, achieving another memorable feat.

The car in question was built on 28 June 1966 at the factory “British Motor Industry Morris” with the following codes identified:

• chassis number 851654

• car number K-A2S4-L

• engine number 9F-SA-Y/42049.

The car was exported to Italy in Treviso (TV) on 5 July 1966 and was registered in the same place on 20 October 1966. The car had several owners, many of whom used it as a racing car for rally competitions. The first owner who used the car to compete was Mr. Concina Gilberto, who participated in the 6th Eastern Alps Rally in June 1970 and who subsequently purchased it in 1971, also participating in the 7th Eastern Alps Rally. The car was later sold in 1972 to Mr Bonadonna Maurizio, who also raced with it. Subsequently, in 1973, the Mini was purchased by the current owner, De Giacinto Paolo. Since De Giacinto was a minor, the car was registered to his adult sister. Despite an already indissoluble emotional bond, De Giacinto Paolo was forced to sell the car to Mr. Screm Ivano, who subsequently sold the car to Carli Walter. The latter, after having used the vehicle for a few years, left it in a state of disuse and abandonment. Mr. De Giacinto Paolo bought the vehicle back a few years later given the incredible emotional bond in 1993 and re-registered it in the same year with license plate UD735410. From that moment until today the car has been meticulously cared for by Mr. De Giacinto Paolo and was used to compete in rally and speed competitions until a few years ago.

The car has participated in numerous Italian and foreign rallies, always proving successful and reliable as can be seen from the "eWRC results" website and numerous accompanying documents.

BODYWORK & INTERIORS

Reinforcements and welds as per size 2 specifications / Roll cage with race seats / Lightened front and rear bonnets / Lightened doors with aluminum "skin" covering / Plexiglass windows excluding front glass / Modified size 2 dashboard / Spacers on front wheels and long columns / Coils for size 2 configuration

MECHANICS AND ENGINE (1293 cc)

Balanced engine with lightened crankshaft, “H” connecting rods, forged pistons / Cylinder head with “Longman” preparation / Copper clutch / Lightened flywheel and pressure plate / 45 mm “Weber” carburettor with long steel manifold / Race distributor with electronic sensor / Double timing chain with adjustable crown / Oversized oil and water pump / Small alternator with large pulley / Oversized radiator with steel fan / Non-inertial starter motor / Oversized oil radiator / 296 camshaft / "Dog box kit" gearbox ” with cascade of straight tooth gears and front clutches / Bevel gearbox 4.6 / Reinforced race half-shafts / Race brake pads / Large exhaust manifold / 2 liter (litre) oil recovery tray / Reinforced oil filter support / Electronic ignition with high-speed coil performance / Self-locking differential with discs and clutches.