Thanks for all the replies.
So to sum up, yes the body is original for a GTS, my main concern when I purchased, not then knowing any of the SA details.
Block and head definitely later, 12HEH stamped with no hammer drive rivet holes, not an 11 stud head. But worked for sure, it goes like a cut snake off the mark. Perhaps not enough carburation at higher revs, but unlikely to be an issue at this stage.
Interior is not to my taste, but again tastes vary and if known to possibly be original may stay a while. Won't be binned. Could well be from a 1275E. Instruments are original.
From what I was told, the exporter was in SA at the time purchasing luxury vehicles when this was for sale, and was included in a shipment. He knew the former Mini specialist who first bought the car from him, and later advertised it for sale through a local club prior to a display day where I first saw it. I saw a 1996 Rover Cooper 35 LE at that show which I was interested in (the seller didn't know what he had, having purchased it from Texas as a 1976 car). My "cash plus cafe racer" offer on that was knocked back (I suppose I was too honest telling him what his car was) so I went back to have another look at the GTS. In a way, it found me as prior to the display day, I wasn't looking for anything. The only other person interested wanted to cut it up a little for his own take on automotive genius, so it came my way. It has remained at my house as a kind of curio until I moved it recently to do some work on the verandah, and my interest was revived.
I have been able to contact the exporter who now has passed on the details of the former owner, an architect in Cape Town who I have emailed for some more details on the car. So progress.
So far have also emailed Ryno re purchasing his book, another car tragic here has a copy but it is in storage. So within a month I should be a little better informed.
My first thoughts were to paint it yellow with a wide blue racing stripe down the centre, then later metallic light blue with silver or grey roof, but it may well be white, having pulled out the back seat and found the crayon marker and wavy plate "Opal White" was the result.
Big issues now are ID for the body, firstly I need to find where the car number is stamped as that needs to be verified for registration. (Body number was for ID during manufacture). So if someone can shed a light on that for SA cars, it will help. (It may be in the rearmost bonnet drain lip, ie remove bonnet and search.)
The other thing I need to do for my own reassurance is positively identify the vehicle's age either by comparison with production data from known vehicles, or by date stamp on minor components that may be original to the vehicle.
Thanks Again.
A.
So to sum up, yes the body is original for a GTS, my main concern when I purchased, not then knowing any of the SA details.
Block and head definitely later, 12HEH stamped with no hammer drive rivet holes, not an 11 stud head. But worked for sure, it goes like a cut snake off the mark. Perhaps not enough carburation at higher revs, but unlikely to be an issue at this stage.
Interior is not to my taste, but again tastes vary and if known to possibly be original may stay a while. Won't be binned. Could well be from a 1275E. Instruments are original.
From what I was told, the exporter was in SA at the time purchasing luxury vehicles when this was for sale, and was included in a shipment. He knew the former Mini specialist who first bought the car from him, and later advertised it for sale through a local club prior to a display day where I first saw it. I saw a 1996 Rover Cooper 35 LE at that show which I was interested in (the seller didn't know what he had, having purchased it from Texas as a 1976 car). My "cash plus cafe racer" offer on that was knocked back (I suppose I was too honest telling him what his car was) so I went back to have another look at the GTS. In a way, it found me as prior to the display day, I wasn't looking for anything. The only other person interested wanted to cut it up a little for his own take on automotive genius, so it came my way. It has remained at my house as a kind of curio until I moved it recently to do some work on the verandah, and my interest was revived.
I have been able to contact the exporter who now has passed on the details of the former owner, an architect in Cape Town who I have emailed for some more details on the car. So progress.
So far have also emailed Ryno re purchasing his book, another car tragic here has a copy but it is in storage. So within a month I should be a little better informed.
My first thoughts were to paint it yellow with a wide blue racing stripe down the centre, then later metallic light blue with silver or grey roof, but it may well be white, having pulled out the back seat and found the crayon marker and wavy plate "Opal White" was the result.
Big issues now are ID for the body, firstly I need to find where the car number is stamped as that needs to be verified for registration. (Body number was for ID during manufacture). So if someone can shed a light on that for SA cars, it will help. (It may be in the rearmost bonnet drain lip, ie remove bonnet and search.)
The other thing I need to do for my own reassurance is positively identify the vehicle's age either by comparison with production data from known vehicles, or by date stamp on minor components that may be original to the vehicle.
Thanks Again.
A.
![[-]](https://samini.co.za/images/collapse.png)