Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Cooper S Racecar

Owner: Rachel Nelson
City: Grimsby, Ontario
Model: 1965 Austin Cooper S
Engine: BMC A-Series 1275cc four cylinder
Prepared by: Andy and Rachel Nelson (a.k.a. Toybox Racing)

Rachel's Cooper S Vintage Racer: Car Number 68

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This is one of two Mini racecars owned and driven by the family racing team of Rachel and Andy Nelson. It's usually driven by Rachel, while Andy usually drives a 1965 Mini which wears racing number
921. What really stands out about Rachel's Mini, as you'll see in the photos below, is a level of detailing and aesthetic perfection one might associates with a show car. It carries a bit more trim than is
strictly necessary, but don't let that fool you. This car has been raced since it was brand new in 1965, it's a serious racecar, and its pretty quick!
Rachel and Andy purchased the number-68 Mini in February 2005. Between November 2005 and August 2006 they completed its very extensive restoration. Since then, the Nelson's have typically raced
between two and four weekends a year. They've have raced with Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada, the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, and the Vintage Racer Group at venues
including Laguna Seca, River's Edge (in British Columbia), Mosport, Brainerd, and Watkins Glen.

1965 Austin Cooper S badges.

Austin records (available from The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust) show that this little car was built on April 8th, 1965 and dispatched to a dealership in Portland, Oregon on April 25th. The original
purchaser was Gordon "Red" Schimberg, of Ashland, Oregon who raced the car extensively from the time it was new. He qualified to race in the 1966 ARRC at Riverside (placed 9th in CS), the 1967
ARRC at Daytona (CS, 9 laps before a DNF), and the 1968 ARRC at Riverside (placed 14th in CS). Red also raced the Mini at Cotati, Pacific Raceways, Sears Point, Newport, Shelton, Portland
International Raceway (West Delta Park), and many other venues between 1965 and 1970.
Our photos show Rachel's Mini as presented in June 2010. Since then, rules have shifted and so have priorities. Now that VARAC allows roller rockers in the engines valvetrain and Heim joint type rod
ends on suspension components, Rachel and Andy are able to race under either VARAC or SVRA rules so they decided to put the number 68 Mini on a tough diet. It was a hefty 1450 lbs without driver or
fuel. Now they've taken out trim such as door cards, carpet, rear seat, boot liner, license plate holder, lamp assemblies, etc., and also switched out the Hydrolastic suspension. They've added fender flares
so they can run CMW 6" rims, which are lighter than Minilites. So far, weight reductions have totaled up to about 100 pounds.

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

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Features and Specifications (as photographed in 2010)

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Engine:

stock copper and brass downflow radiator. Stock style engine driven cooling fan. 13-row oil cooler.
Maniflow large bore, long center branch header. Ceramic header coating. RC40 center exit muffler.

BMC A-Series 1275cc four cylinder engine, bored to 1312cc. Ivey forged EN40B crankshaft. Fortech Racing center main bearing cap. Swiftune front & rear main bearing caps. Pauter
chrome moly alloy billet connecting rods. Omega forged pistons (+0.040") with a custom 5cc dish. Swiftune cylinder head. Swiftune SW23-SP "Historic Race" 300 degree billet camshaft,
drilled for pressure oiling. Swiftune 1.5:1 roller rockers. Match-ported intake manifold. Dual S.U. HS4 (AUD 135F and AUD 135R) carburetors. ITG foam air filters. Lucas distributor with
Pertronix Ignitor breakerless module. Lucas "bumble bee" spark plug wires with NGK terminations. Accusump, with electric solenoid actuated valve.

Exhaust:

Cooling:

Rear Susp.:

Front Susp.:
Hydrolastic suspension. Anti-sway bar. 0" toe-in. 0.5 negative camber.

Hydrolastic suspension, with fluid pressure pumped up to 240psi. KONI telescoping shock absorbers. 1/8" toe-in. 1.5 negative camber. 4.5 positive caster.

Transmission: Swiftune straight cut gears. Evolution (Salisbury type) limited slip differential. Swiftune Featherlight flywheel. CV joints.

Brakes:

(master) stock Lockheed master cylinder. ATE Super Blue racing fluid.
(front) Lockheed Cooper S single piston calipers. Goodridge braided stainless hoses. Solid rotors.
(rear) stock drum brakes.

Electrical:
(left to right) AutoMeter Sport-Comp II tachometer (0-10000rpm) with programmable shift light, Smiths oil temperature gauge (0-140C), Smiths speedometer (0-130mph), Smiths dual oil
pressure (0-100psi) and water temperature gauge (0-230F).

Odyssey PC680 sealed drycell battery (15.4lb). Lucas alternator.

Wheels/Tires: Minilite 10x5 8-spoke aluminum wheels. Hoosier T.D. 165/70-10 tires.

Instruments:
Fuel System: ATL SP105-AC fuel cell. Holley "red" electric fuel pump. Mr Gasket fuel filter. Holley low pressure adjustable fuel pressure regulator.

1450 lbs

Safety Eqmt: Pyrotech five point cam-loc safety harness. Cobra racing seat (recovered to match other interior trim.) Momo suede covered ergonomic steering wheel. Firecharger 2.3L AFFF centralized
fire suppression system. Amerex hand-held fire extenguisher. Wink mirror.
Weight:

Engine Installation

BMC A-Series 1275cc four cylinder engine.

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Downton Engineering Works of Wiltshire was the most successful and respected performance
tuner of Minis and other BMC products from the fifties through shop closure in 1976.

Dual S.U. HS4 (AUD 135F and AUD 135R) carburetors. ITG foam air filters.

Holley low pressure adjustable fuel pressure regulator.

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Ignition coil.

Lucas distributor updated with Pertronix Ignitor breakerless module.

Lucas "bumble bee" spark plug wires, installed with NGK terminations.

Lucas alternator.

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Stock style copper and brass downflow radiator and engine driven cooling fan.

Lucas windshield wiper motor.

The Mini's distinctive finned aluminum gearbox case.

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

13-row oil cooler.

Two liter plastic oil catch tank with drain.

Original engine steady bar, but with urethane bushing.

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Accessory engine steady bar.

ATL SP105-AC fuel cell.

The ATL fuel cell is available with either a steel or an aluminum cannister.

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Battery disconnect switch. Notice that this device has extra (unconnected) spade terminals. Internally
it has a separate switch contacts for grounding the ignition coil and alternator as appropriate.

Odyssey PC680 sealed drycell battery.

Holley "red" electric fuel pump and Mr Gasket fuel filter.

Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Front Suspension / Etc.

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For the 2011 season Rachel upgraded inboard connections on the lower control arms from stock rubber
bushes to Heim joints. Result: more precise set-up and handling with some weight savings as a bonus.

Lockheed Cooper S single piston calipers. Goodridge braided stainless hoses. Solid rotors.

Classic Mini suspensions never relied on steel springs! Minis built from 1965 through 1971 were equipped
with Hydrolastic suspension systems whereas earlier and later Minis were suspended on engineered
rubber cones. Hydrolastic bags provide some compliance but this high pressure system mainly relies on
transfer of fluid between corners of the car. Bonus: the Hydrolastic suspension system is self-leveling.

Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Rear Suspension

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

The shaped rubber cones used on Minis for most of their 1959-2000 production life were engineered
to achieve a rising wheel rate and natural dampening. Ride quality wasn't great, but it was deemed
acceptable. Simple, lightweight, and space-saving, the rubber cone suspension gave the Mini its
famous "go-cart handling". Both suspensions were co-developed with Moulton Developments Ltd.

Through 2010, Rachel Nelson's Mini was one of only a very small handful of Minis racing in
North America on a Hydrolastic system. Most 65-71 Mini racecars had already been converted
to rubber cones. After we took our photos, Rachel switched over too.

Valves on the control lines allowed Rachel to defeat the transfer of Hydrolastic
fluid between front and rear. With valves closed the system was more go-cart like.

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RC40 center exit muffler.

Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Interior

Cobra racing seat (recovered to match other interior trim.)

Specialty Engineering in Delta, British Columbia installed this six point roll cage.
It has two side-intrusion protection bars on the drivers side, and one for the passenger.

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Extended pedals.

Smiths oil temperature gauge (0-140C), speedometer (0-130mph), and dual

oil pressure (0-100psi) and water temperature gauge (0-230F).

AutoMeter Sport-Comp II tachometer (0-10000rpm) with programmable shift light.

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Since both Rachel and her husband drive the car, they needed an adjustable seat mount.
It wasn't much harder to have eight installation positions instead of just two.

Amerex hand-held fire extenguisher.

Bottle for the Firecharger 2.3L AFFF centralized fire suppression system.

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Shoulder harness straps wrap neatly around one of the rollcage's horizontal bars.

Minis came with sliding door windows through the 1967 model year.
(Obviously Rachel's door windows have been removed for racing.)

Accusump, with electric solenoid switch.

Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Exterior

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

We enjoyed watching Rachel compete in VARAC's 31st International Vintage Festival at

Mosport International Raceway on June 20, 2010. She lapped the challenging 2.458 mile
circuit quite quickly at 1:52.48 for an average speed around the circuit of 78.67mph.

The fastest lap time set by any Mini that weekend was 1:44.57 by Rachel's husband Andy
who drives a much more highly modified and developed car. Twelve Minis participated.

This car has been raced since it was brand new in 1965!

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Rachel's Cooper S is shown here with its original Oregon license plate: number GBA688.
(Rachel was skeptical, so she wrote the Oregon D.O.T. and verified the plate's authenticity.)

Convex mirror.

Valvoline Racing Oil - Participant - 1967 AARC Daytona

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

VRC: Vintage Racing Club of British Columbia

Polished stainless steel fuel filler cap.

Emergency battery disconnect switch.

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Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Austin Cooper S badging. The name "Mini" encompasses all the many variants of this hugely popular car.
At launch, Austin called their version the "Austin Seven" and Morris used the model name "Mini Minor".

Rear window glass is heavy, so since this photo was taken Rachel has replaced it with
Makrolon, which is a particularly scratch resistant plastic.

Minilite 10x5 8-spoke aluminum wheels.

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Hoosier T.D. 165/70-10 tires.

Rachel Nelson's 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S Racecar, Number 68

Bob Polak
'69 Mini Marcos

Walter Davies
'73 Ford RS1600

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All photos shown here are from June 2010 when we viewed the car at VARAC's 31st International Vintage Festival at Mosport International Raceway, near Toronto Ontario. Photos by Curtis Jacobson for
BritishRaceCar.com, copyright 2011. All rights reserved.
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