Estimated Price: £60,000 - £70,000

Fresh to market, this early Morris Mini Cooper S boasts a documented period competition connection to Harry Ratcliffe and the British Vita Racing Team. With an extensive historical archive and a painstaking restoration by its previous owner, Simon Joslin, RTD 270C offers a compelling combination of competition provenance, period character and enduring Mini appeal.

The accompanying British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificate confirms this example as a 1963 Morris Mini Cooper S 1071, right-hand-drive home-market car, chassis number K-A2S4/384644. Dispatched on 23 May 1963, it was originally finished in Tartan Red with a black roof. We’re informed that the car was built in 1963 but remained unregistered while serving as a competition car. Registration became necessary in 1965 when it was prepared for racing abroad, by which time it had been repainted in Connaught Green, the team colour of British Vita Racing.

The car’s history is closely associated with Harry Ratcliffe, a successful racing driver and respected Mini preparer who became a central figure in British Vita Racing during the 1960s. Backed by Vitafoam, the team progressed from domestic competition to major international events, including the Targa Florio and Spa 24 Hours. Ratcliffe combined his own competition driving with considerable technical knowledge, helping establish the Mini Cooper S as a formidable force in saloon-car racing.

RTD 270C’s period competition story is supported by a substantial collection of historical material. Four history files bring together race results, newspaper cuttings and other documentation relating to Ratcliffe’s career, with further race programmes and photographs of RTD 270C competing among the material being assembled. Period photographs show the Mini wearing its familiar registration at Goodwood and other circuits. Given the breadth of this archive, it would be impossible to do justice to all the material within a catalogue entry. Interested parties are therefore warmly encouraged to examine the history files at the auction, where much more of the car’s story can be explored.

The restoration is another significant aspect of this Mini’s appeal. Undertaken by previous owner, Simon Joslin, a dedicated Mini enthusiast with a clear appreciation of the marque’s competition heritage, the work was approached with the aim of recreating RTD 270C’s period racing appearance. The Connaught Green finish reflects its established identity as a British Vita competition car, rather than its original factory colours, and the restoration has been guided by period photographs and the car’s documented history. The results of Simon’s painstaking work are impressive, and prospective buyers are warmly encouraged to view the car in person to fully appreciate the quality and attention to detail evident in the restoration. The car is accompanied by its British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificate and four history files.

Combining its early Cooper S origins, documented association with Harry Ratcliffe and British Vita Racing, extensive competition archive and painstaking restoration, RTD 270C represents a rare opportunity to acquire a Mini with a tangible connection to the golden age of British motorsport. Fresh to the market, this evocative competition car offers enthusiasts and collectors the chance to own a fascinating piece of Mini racing history.