Sometime in the 90s I was at a the local British Car Show(columbus,Ohio) with my wagon. I noticed a guy with his early teen son standing next to my wagon looking it over.I approached them and it turned out to be Bobby Rahal(yes that one) He said his son just bought a mini but was to young to drive it.Bobby said it was sitting in the parking lot. I told him then I needed to see the car. Low and behold it was one of these Downton minis.I had remembered reading an article about them in Road and Track just before seeing their car. I believe it was green but age has stolen the details...LOL...as for which son I don't believe it was Graham.

 A few years ago I stumbled on a thread and the owner of the "rahal" car was restoring the car. I recall it was a woman who owned it.

A friend of mine is helping to restore/rebuild one of these.

No connection with proper Downton at all except using the name and badges (I'm tempted to make an association with a Bini, but at least the R50 was partly a Rover product) and no way in Gods Green earth is it a '66.

So is this one of the five in this incredible story in 'MINI MAGAZINE?' It's pretty flippin awesome if it is.      Mini Estate

Instead of trying to prove him wrong, you should just screw with him and try to convince him it's a 68 or 69.

Judging by the number plate in the picture the shell is of 95/95 origin as Steve stated but as there was more than one built and this one has different arches (easily changed) who knows if this one is the "66" car now residing here in the US.

I've seen this car in person shortly after it was purchased from a West coast Mini specialist. I am not sure how forthright said specialist was regarding the true provenance of the car.  It's a VERY NICE car for what it is, but there is no way, other than the title, that it's a 1967. I pointed out to the owner the differences between it and my 1967, but don't know how much he believed me.  

It appears the Downton aspect was played up by the Mini specialist who sold the car, but as far as I'm concerned Downton died with the passing of Daniel and Bunty Richmond in 1976. The Downton of the 1990s was just someone capitalizing on the name of a once great tuning firm. 

Ian and Malsal. think the proper turn at DVLA is radial rebuilts, and using point system.. new shell is FIVE point.. new brakes  ONE point. steering rack, ONE points . new subs. ONE point, making EIGHT point.s  . then you can retail OLD V5c and old vin number.  QUITE legal in UK..  but NOT in USA..  ( here you would have to do MVR 55, kit car. MVR 31, state vin number.   MVR 5, chassis change. and MVR 92H.( title bond). But can be done. as this is what I do on the chinese mokes..

Noted Ian. I was just answering the posters question no debating the build. We are all to familiar with vin "discrepancies" and whether Downton or a subsequent owner used this to their/his "advantage" who knows. My guess is Downton did their work/ build correctly and it was re vinned to get into the US but as implied that is just a guess.

Want to bet how many "old" parts Downton would have used???... Reproduction grilles and rear tail lights don't earn many (any ??) points.  And it would be very interesting to see the ID numbers... 

While you get to use/keep the old number plates (if you amass enough points) changes the body/chassis numbers are still illegal.  Something I strongly doubt that Downton would indulge in.

Cheers, Ian

//www.rwclassicminis.co.uk/files/mini_mag_article.pdf

sounds a similar deal like the margrave 50 by WP

Interesting Steve, apparently Downton made a small series of them, the "Downton Club Sport40", only several were made.

Built in 1999 from SPis, special ECU chip by Slark, just as you said.

Thread, no pics: //forum.minicooper.org/forum/rover-coopers/limited-editions/4795-downton-sport40

So the question then is... is it really a "reVIN" if it's a "reissue"?

Minis have DNA. You can take a single cell from any part of any model old Mini, mutter the magic words "Jurassic Park"...wave your "magic wand shifter" pull out your credit card...and hey presto!!! You have an original Mini...(fill in the blank for the model & year) of your choice. Original Mini Coopers emerge from DNA from a 2000 MPI. No problem. Just googled it and the entire magazine article and test is there.

Yes if the work was done in the UK. They have a points system and you receive a certain amount of points from each part used off the old car and it enables you to register the new one legally (in the UK) as that car.

At that point I wonder what it really is then,  can it be titled as a 66?

Found it, mini magazine Aug 97 cover story Downton Clubsport. Built on a 94/95 shell for Downton's 50th. A 1.3 i with seats and up grades pads and shoes. Slark freshened 1310 SPI. MK1 front and rear treatment to include boot lid and hair lipless bonnet. Steve (CTR) 

Wait, it's not even that but a knock off of that what some people will do. 

It does not matter, and likely he will not listen. I have an old mag. around with an article about those cars. It's just what it appears to be, very late shell made into a car. Not being a car show guy I did take a race mini to a local show as a favor. A late sport pac had won classic mini for the last three years. When I ask the owner why it was listed as a 67S he explained it was a 67 rebuilt with all new parts. When I suggested that may not be correct I was told I clearly knew nothing about minis. Still having the state troopers card from when my car was inspected for correct title info I handed it to him and suggested he have the trooper look the car over and see what the DMV knows about minis. Steve (CTR)

From the description, perhaps Downton simply bought a new Heritage shell and assembled a mini?

Well in that case, He'll either change his mind after it breaks down & he gets the "wrong" parts or there'll be a bargain "66" available in your neighborhood.

Like I said earlier,  I don't care.  The problem is he will order 1966 parts and wonder why they don't fit.  Another guy told him the later doors will not fit on a 66 and he spent 5 minutes telling the guy that it was a custom job to get rid of the external hinges because "they rust"  I said I'd get rid of the sign advertising it as a 1966 and just enjoy the car as it sits.  If you're worried about it getting impounded, you wouldn't have a sign saying its a 66 in the window....