1967 Morris Mini Traveller (Downton Cooper ‘S’ Specification)
The Morris Mini Traveller occupies an unusual corner of the Mini lineup, a wood-trimmed estate built on the longer wheelbase Minivan floorpan, offering genuine practicality without sacrificing the handling that made the saloon famous.
Unlike the Morris Minor Traveller that inspired its styling, the timber framing on the Mini was purely decorative. The Mini estates used rubber cone suspension rather than Hydrolastic throughout their production run, which lasted until 1982.
What elevates this particular Traveller well beyond standard specification is its Cooper ‘S’ drivetrain. While the Cooper S benefited from cylinder head development work by Downton Engineering under Daniel Richmond, the production Cooper S engine was a BMC design developed in collaboration with John Cooper, meaning the Downton connection here runs deeper than a simple aftermarket conversion but was not solely a Downton creation.
The 1275cc Cooper S was factory rated at 76 bhp in MkIII form, fed through twin 1.25-inch SU carburetors. The Stage 5 conversion fitted here represents the upper range of Downton’s performance offerings, with the thick-flange 1275cc block retained throughout.
Downton became an officially recognized BMC tuner and was involved in sanctioned engine development and competition programs through the 1960s, giving their conversions a factory credibility that few independent tuners could claim.
The rebuild was carried out by Steve Harris, a former Downton engineer, with the gearbox, body, and suspension all addressed in a bare-metal restoration completed between 2016 and 2018.
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