1969 Australian Morris Mini Cooper S Mk II - OCT 069 

Owners Bill & Cessie de Kretser 

Colour Jet Red......... Trim Black

Engine Number 9FXYEY53826

Body Code YG2S4.......Body Number 1170

Drain Channel Number  000668/06

Known History

The BMC Australia body plate ceased with the end of the Mark 1 range in 1969. For the Mini K (Mark 2) range, prior to the introduction of Australian Compliance plates, no body identification plate was fitted. The body number is the only relevant sequence (no more than four digits for an S). As with the Australian Mk 1 range, body numbers start at 501. Therefore, car number 1170 is the 670 th car to be produced. Other numbers and letters can be found in the engine bay drain channel behind the left hand bonnet hinge and on top of the radiator cowling. This car has 668 06 stamped in the engine bay drain channel. The body code (YG2S4) indicates an Australian Mark 2 Cooper S (refer Mk. 2 S Body Numbers Data Base) This particular car has a P&R Williams label in the engine bay, stamped 10/69 which would indicate a build or first sold date of October 1969. P& R Williams was  a well known Sydney dealer of Mini's of that era. I am indebted to Mark Paget, an authority on the history of these cars for such information.

Angus Croning of Annerley purchased this car in 1988 from Mrs. Kathryn Mary Lee- Berstein of Pullenvale. The car had been bought by her husband (John Lee-Berstein) from Sydney and had two previous owners. Queensland Registration number up to 1988 was 947 NBG. The speedometer reading of 112,000 was genuine. Engine is original. Head was reconditioned by Barry Bromhall Motors. Source of information - John Lee - Berstein. 

The car was deregistered with the intention of a minor restoration and paint. However, Angus Croning never got around to commencing the restoration and the car sat outside exposed to the elements until his death in 1997.

I purchased the car in early 1998 for $4000 and moved it to my residence where it was stored in a spare garage. The car as it was then, after a general clean up is shown below.

The car  was acknowledged as probably being one of the most original they had seen when examined by several of the Mini enthusiasts in the Club. Every interior and exterior item was as manufactured.

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