GTS in OZ

[GTSPhil]

Hi Guys

This is my 2 cents.

The seats and door cards have been changed/modified. The Cooper type brake master cylinder is used and not the dual circuit, thus year model should be pre July 1975 when they changed to 12 inch wheels. I see no brake booster as the GTS with 10 inch wheels and 7.5 inch brakes was supposed to have a brake booster, but different than the Cooper's brake booster. Do you know the size of the discs fitted?

The wheel arches have been changed and is not GTS correct anymore.

Now looking at your wiper switch on the LH of the steering wheel that change was made in April 1977. Further your centre console should have the following rocker switches four-way hazard lights, lights, heater and fan and heated rear window.

In the engine bay your original Air filter housing has been changed to I assume some form of performance air filters like K&N. The carb linkage is GTS correct and I see the LH Carb (standing facing the engine) has had it's float bowl top changed. The washer bottle is at the right place and the right shape. A oil cooler has also been fitted looking at the adapter under the oil filter. An extra engine stabilizer was added to the thermostat housing.

The dash has been changed and the steering wheel and rocker cover (do you know if hi lift rockers are maybe fitted).

Still nice car I reckon.

[minitim]

Browse through the below link for more pics of the car:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37685950@N...otostream/

[askalbert]

The first pictures show the car at Killarney outside Shawn Bester and Stephen Whiteheads garage. The red GTS and gray mini belong to Stephen. I'll ask them if they know the car.

Thanks Dion. Due to the marvels of the internet :-

I have had a reply from Marthinus Potgieter the prior owner, who mentioned he used the car at track days and as a weekend club driver.
He purchased the car from a Gareth Decker who was a building contractor, and perhaps the second owner. The first was a lady.

I am amazed at the moment as I have opened the first image sent and found I may already have a related picture, captured from the site here. (First two pictures from the forum.)
My first thoughts on paint were a light metallic blue with silver or grey roof, wheels and stripe similar to the first red car shown (but in blue).
I have a set of five "Mini Light" 12 inch wheels which I had decided to use as they suit the vehicle with the Clubman front.
Later as the initial colour became apparent, I am leaning towards white, similar to the second car shown. Oddly it has the wheels I had chosen.

       

The third photo Marthinus emailed to me, a similar vehicle to that which his wife used to own and also similar to the photo from this site. A forth shows them together. My car was originally similar in appearance, monotone white.
Not really sure what to do now...  I will take some time to digest it all.

       

Signing off for now,

A.

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Thanks GTS Phil for your detailed reply.

Although I know little, the vehicle has been described as both a '74 and a '77. Likely parts were changed. I now know the carburetters were changed during Marthinus' ownership, along with the block and head. I probably need "the book' to help. Either way, what I have is just that.
Brakes are single circuit with 8.4" discs. Wheel arch extensions removed but spot welding depressions remain on underside. Yes an oil cooler fitted.

       

Mini Tim, many thanks. Spot on. I had a feeling it would be recognised.

A.


Marthinus' Photostream:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37685950@N...900572563/

M's Mini Folder:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37685950@N...2230021796

M's Mini Run Folder:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37685950@N...2068552495

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Original Correspondence:


Dear Marthinus,

I have purchased your old Mini GTS which was exported in 2014. It remains in the condition you had it in, and the history file with service record has been passed on. It went from the exporter to a former Mini specialist, and then to myself.

I am interested in collecting the story of the car from prior owners, and thus collected your details from the exporter. I hope that is OK with you.

I am a serial Mini collector, and own vehicles from 1961 through to a mid 90's Rover Cooper. Most are projects requiring substantial work, but the main thing for myself is to preserve and to pass on when that time comes, so I see myself as a custodian more than an owner.

If you are happy to, I would welcome any more history you may know, or recall including that of prior ownership if that is still known, so I can fill in the vehicle's story as is possible.


Regards

Andrew Kerridge
askalbert@yahoo.com



Marthinus'Reply:

Hi Andrew
 
Happy that the GTS has found a good home with someone who has a passion for mini's.
 
I purchased the mini in approximately 2007, owned it until Dominic purchased it from me I think in 2014.
 
I purchased it from a chap Gareth Decker, Building Contractor - but not sure where he is at present. I can try and locate him for you as he might have some interesting stories. I believe he bought the mini from the original owner - a lady. The car was originally white - you will see that the British racing green is a new colour and in the engine bay you will be able to see traces of the original white.
 
I used the car mainly for mini club rides/functions, weekend drives and the odd day to work if the weather was good. It was always stored either under my carport or in my office basement so I managed to keep it rust free and in reasonable condition.
When I purchased the vehicle it was in a more original state. I modified it slightly to take part in a few track days with the historic cars at Killarney track which is the premier racetrack in Cape Town.
 
I had the engine redone, new block and pistons. refurbished head and new valves. I purchased fin drums for the rear, I think spax type adjustable shocks. Purchased a new twin SU carburettor, and some exterior modifications - stainless steel mirrors, stainless steel seam covers, stainless steel exhaust, gearknob, stearing wheel, bucket seat and Luke belts, and when a part or item needed replacing then I had it fixed and serviced as you will know with old cars that problems can spread to other areas rapidly.
I probably  travelled between 1500-2500km per year and the rest of the time I disconnected the battery from the positive terminal and kept it parked. I would sometimes visit family in a town called Heidelberg about 300km's from year and take a scenic trip with the kids there and stop at the roadhouses along the way. At that specific time of all the vehicles I owned the kids wanted to travel in the mini as their first option.
 
I will attach some pics for you in the meantime and forward a few more with additional photos. If there is anything specific that you need to know then pls email me - I miss driving the mini but had to sell it as I had become too busy with other more pressing things and could not spend enough time driving it.
 
There was a time when I thought I might have an accident or injure myself as the mini did not like to be driven slowly - it kind of turned me into a bit of a hooligan and I would always get myself in trouble either going in too hot into a corner or out but the mini always delivered and of course many people with much faster and more modern cars were constantly upset when I left them behind. I now have a more sensible Merc W123 230CE coupe which prefers to be driven more sedately.
 
To my knowledge the GTS was only manufactured in South Africa in limited numbers at a local Leyland BMC factory in Blackheath Cape Town. I have seen possibly 2 or 3 others in my travels here in SA. Leyland left the country with economic sanctions imposed due to political matters and unfortunately with the closure then parts became scarce.
Mini's then became sourced mainly by collectors and enthusiasts here - I still do however see the odd student or old couple driving a Mark 1 or 11. I have also seen about 3 or 4 rover mini's here and I once spotted a Mini van den Plas which was a limited run mini with higher spec finishes, seats and interiors. My wife also had a white mini GTS with black stripes when I met her - and we used that mini as our day to day mode of travel. I have attached a pic below of what the minis should look like in their original condition.
 
let me know if you need any other info,
 
regards
Marthinus

[Enzio]

That white GTS is/was/could be Kollie's one

[askalbert]

Some progress. As described below an old Licence Disc was located in the vehicle with the old engine number.
Format is "12HGTSH35xx".
As described in the former owner's letter, it was replaced by a later block (which was done when a crack appeared between the bores).

If that is Kollie's Auto Body in Pretoria, he may be a good person to ask about SA paint codes, and may have an idea if the car number was stamped on the shell. I am beginning to think it wasn't. Likely date for the vehicle is 1977. The previous owner believes the interior to be original, perhaps a special request.

http://www.mates7.co.za/kollies/2013/ind...-resto-gts

I had a good look under the carpet on the cross member today and didn't find anything in the way of numbers. (Photos a little blurry.)

       

Also emptied out the two rear companion bins and found a few things, some spare plug leads and old vinyl race numbers in one side, a fuel docket and kids toys in the other, but more importantly an old licence disc from 2006 with the original engine number.

       

Front floors are well "uplifted" but not rusty.

       

Handbrake bracket has been torn from the shell and rewelded. A repair to the floor under the driver's seat has been made.

       

My current thought is to paint the vehicle blue, with the original Opal White on the roof. The left photo shows a 1974 SA built  Rover in Corsica Blue, the similar colour of Zircon Blue is to the right (a repaint). These differ a little car to car but have a tinge of green, and vary in appearance when going from strong light to shade.

       

[askalbert]

Two other Leyland blues shown, perhaps not used in SA - Teal Blue and Lagoon Blue metallic.

       

[Vinay-RS]

Zircon blue looks really good and should set off the white roof nicely. Glad that you found more info on the original engine

[Jared Mk3]

I really like that Lagoon Blue metallic!

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Interior has definitely been redone at some stage.

[askalbert]

I have just corrected my prior assumption on one of the photos above which I am told by Marthinus was similar to his wife's car but not the same vehicle, mainly was used to illustrate the factory white appearance which my car was originally and he appreciates.

A long way to go before any colour choices are made. I need to focus on what needs to be done to get it back on the road first. I am using an article written locally on a SA GT over here as an initial reference, it in turn references some of Ryno's book. I should scan that some time so it can be read by others.

I noticed a GTS for sale in the UK in Shropshire when looking at the April issue of "Mini Magazine". A few pictures here, I think that may have been a private plate. Advertised price was 8750 GBP, now sold. Here it is on Car & Classic.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C701402    Text as follows:

Bought from a friend of mine in Pretoria, South Africa last year. He had owned it for approx. 17 years. It has been on many Mini runs and shows in SA during his ownership. Car is not concours but is in nice condition. It is all original spec. except for the wheels and the engine has a stage 3 head with polished ports etc. Good set of Yoko tyres fitted.
The 1275GTS is unique to South Africa. It replaced the 1275GT model in 1973 with improved engine performance and twin SU's. Total of 4200 units were built up to 1979.
I have checked the car over and changed oil & filter and new antifreeze.
All customs duties paid with NOVA certificate. Car has been recently MOT'd. Easy process to register with DVLA.
This is a very rare Mini in the UK. Rarer than any Cooper S with similar performance.
Available for viewing anytime or see it at Bingley Hall on the BMC stand next week.

       

[GTSPhil]

Hi Guys

The above Red GTS used to belong to the late Frank van der Meer. He passed away in early Feb this year, MOCSA attended his funeral with some of our minis. Uncle Frank did inform me last year at Cars in the Park that the car had been sold to a UK based buyer.

It certainly was one of the best GTSs around as far as my knowledge goes in the Gauteng area. I did pester the uncle many times about the car and wanted to know as much as I could due to this fine specimen being on display at MOCSA events. He told me the following: "The interior was NOS that I sourced from Fernmin mini (if I remember correctly). Very long ago I gave the original 12 inch steel wheels and hub caps away, but regretted it when I wanted to take the car back to original. The air filter housing was also given away at some stage." The stripes on the bonnet has been painted on and was no longer vinyl (I will also be doing this mod to own GTS in the next few weeks when the paint fixing is on the cards). He also said the carbs (set of twin HS2 SUs) had to be fiddled with, but I cannot remember by whom. He was reluctant to open the bonnet as the engine was dirty. I saw the adds in the Miniworld and thought to myself that SA had lost a very good car indeed.