And just to add some more confusion to the drip rail conversation.  This is the drip rail on the earliest known '59 OZ export.

Nope, the slits continiued upto early 80ies (atleast) only drip rail was deleted in 76.

All Mini,s upto the end of import in 82 had the slits.

I should just point out that all Oz Minis (at least those post 63) have drilled holes (surefire quick check to identify Oz/imported shell)  and all my (5) Oz Minis (64 through 76) have drip rails....(in addition to the roof gutter).

Cheers, Ian

I'm headed to FL but Greg should be back from the vintage race at Mont Tremblant in the next day or two.  I'll have him go up to the shop and check for additional serial numbers.  I forgot about the one on the front panel.  On this car someone made the panel removable to make it easier to change engines and I have not seen it but perhaps its laying around somewhere.  There is a plate on the left floor panel but it is unreadable. 

Kerm

Kermit

It almost sounds like a super that someone turned into a cooper- a few of the

supers did make it in to the u.s. before they were discontinued.

a serial # which is hand stamped just in front of the cowel - 

would tell the story on what it is. contact me and I can help

                                             64cooperman

Early 62 sounds about right.  It also has an original full front skirt that I like much better than the cut out type.  Historians, you guys are.

Kerm

"As a result of this weight savings the Australian Coopers had a quicker 0-60 time and higher top speed than their UK built cousin's"

...I'm sure that's said with tongue firmly in cheek as I'm guessing that to be less than a pound in weight

I'd love to but not really interested in dealing with posting photos to this forum. I can email to you direct if genuinly interested. Let me know.

John

Looks like Kermit is MIA on his own thread.

I'll shut up and Kermit get back in here and continue on.

Okay ? 

Spitz, I now realise you're right.

I don't know so much about the later cars, as its only the outside hinge cars that interest me.

The drip rail WAS deleted in 1976, as were the punched drain slits.

After that the gutter was notched out by the vertical A and C post seam to make the drains.  If you trawl through Ebay and carefully examine the pictures, you can see the change from '75 to '76.

Seeing that the FE plate is still there..have you examined the bonnet slam panel (about 6" tot the left of the centreline) for a small rectangular plate.  This carried the body number.  Its lightly stamped and it only takes a few layers of paint to render the stamping invisible.

However, if its there, BMH can use it to produce an ID certificate (unlike the FE number .).

Cheers, Ian

Somebody at BMC must have wanted to confuse us all 50 years in the furure.  Even photos can be confusing when trying to ID early production Minis.  Just be happy it's a Mk1 and may be a hodgepodge of parts from the factory bins.

How about some pictures John

As an effort to continue this semi-thread hijack allow me to share with everyone that my CKD Australian assembled 1964 Morris Cooper has the earlier style rain gutter with holes drilled (rather than slits punched) at each corner and no "drip rail".  As a result of this weight savings the Australian Coopers had a quicker 0-60 time and higher top speed than their UK built cousin's. Not to mention how much nicer they look without the drip rail spoiling the profile of the Mini's.

John

 Well hell olddad if you're throwing monkey wrenches let me toss mine. Some dealers also used chisels to punch holes in the gutter rather than drill.

//1959miniregister.com/variations-shell/

Love to add to the confusion.  Earliest '59s had no drain holes on the gutters at all. This proved to be an instant fail, so 1/4 inch round  holes were first drilled at the rear corners and then at all four corners.  Some cars had the holes drilled by dealers.  Some time in 1960 the drain holes came out with the shaped scuppers as found on most Minis.

lol...and to "clarify" more....it returned to the 59/early 60 type in 76 ( but had the drain hole of course )

To explain Spitz's pictures -

The blue car is an early 1959/60 with just the rain gutters formed by the roof panel and body side joint.

The red car is is post 1960 with the drip rail added to throw the water off rather than it running under the gutter and into the car.

EDIT

The drip rail WAS deleted in 1976, as were the punched drain slits.

See later post

Image Gallery

LOL...not really a "double".  The gutter has always been there...heres the diff. with "drip rail" added

I don't have a picture Dan but that piece of metal fits (spot welded) under the regular gutter on each side of a Mini not sure if it runs the whole length or just over the front doors. It is actually wider than the regular gutter and i believe was installed to let the overflow of water from the gutter drip off instead of it running under it into the door frame opening over the top of the window/door frame.