The Roaring Season

There must be plenty of 'retired' Mini 7s around that could be relatively easily refitted to become classic race cars. If I wasn't busy flushing all my money away on a scruffy old Lotus, that's what I'd do....

Totally agree Paul. I still have a warm 1300cc engine under my bench, but alas, age and other projects that took far to long and cost far too much will inevitably mean that it will soon need to go to a new home.


What many don't seem to realise is that a handful of Minis or similar at the theoretical slow end of the grid will be able to race amongst themselves, with or without the handicaps, so the more the merrier. Totally agree about the huge horsepower elsewhere (and huge cost) when Classic motorsport sport is still about participation - or should be.

A level playing field is not created by 15" wheels alone!

Looking forward to running my mini. Have been a Datsun Zed guy for the 20+ years it will be very different to drive on the track with 60% of the weight of a zed and about 60% less power. The reason for the change was simple. This time last year I was out of work and looking at my almost complete Datsun 260z 2 seater race car and doing the numbers to complete the project plus Ricky a 240z racer ask if I had a spare 260z stub axle. Finding 40 year old stub axles for zed is hard work and bespoke new are expensive. So I changed tactics sell the 260z and with the money for 90% rego on hold zed I purchased a mini k turned into a cooper s replica + a trailer and had some money left over. Also parts can still be purchased new for a lot less than for a Datsun. I still have one Datsun but as this my first classic mini looking forward to giving it a blast around the track this weekend.

And Ray I will take some of those parts from under your bench

Another reason for selecting a mini was simple. There weren't any racing in AES anymore so why not bring back a car that has not been seen in the class for a few years.

Hello nzeder........yes is going to be a different kettle of fish driving the Mini compared to the Datsun. What is the state of tune with the engine, and could you post a picture of the car........always interested in looking at another race Mini.
Perhaps your entry will start a resurgence of interest in Minis competing in ERC's excellent race group.

AMCO72 wrote:Hello nzeder........yes is going to be a different kettle of fish driving the Mini compared to the Datsun. What is the state of tune with the engine, and could you post a picture of the car........always interested in looking at another race Mini.
Perhaps your entry will start a resurgence of interest in Minis competing in ERC's excellent race group.

I'd like to see a photo too. I love the Minis, Imps, and Elfs.

I have a static photograph of Mike's car whilst at Motorsport Fabrications but I'll be driving a camera this weekend at Icebreaker so hopefully, will get one or two action shots and also pics of other new registrations.

We also have on hold, Ken Haycock's Mini Clubman and John Ure of Jaguar fame has purchased an ex Ken Haycock Mini Cooper (not S) that he is hoping to run. We have had a few Minis over the years but never as many as I would have expected, given the availability of parts, from bodyshells to everything else. Pity my 2 Elf projects had to be abandoned 12 years ago. One was going to be a concours 998cc and the other was going to be my version of what the Broadspeed Mini would have looked like had it been based on a Riley! No doubt it wouldn't have got a CoD 'cos it wasn't done in period'... (Posted a pic on the Mini/Imp thread.)

I don't think we have ever had a Hillman Imp registered with the series, which has always been open to Imp and Mini powered cars, such as Davrian, Clan, Ginetta G15, De Joux, GTM, Unipower etc. The nearest we got to that was Adrian Blackburn's Targa Mini Marcos for a season. I think there is a Mini Marcos for sale on Trade Me at the moment.

Just to bring you up to date with the registrations for this season, we are now up to 84 drivers - well over 95 cars - with two or three paying at the moment to get in before the weekend.

One or two more recent cars accepted include ex U2K Cup 205 Peugeots who have found the restrictions of U2K not to their liking. That only goes to show that U2K rules are being introduced or enforced to keep it the way they want but European cars can still move into another class.

No doubt I'll get pilloried for allowing them in, along with a newer thoroughbred, but we are now getting a higher percentage of cars that could be deemed newer, but without more Minis, Imps, Hillman Hunters, Triumph Spitfires, Lotus Elans, Daimler SP250's, Riley 1.5s, Wolseley 1500s, Morgans older Jaguars, MG Midgets, Reliant Scimitars etc. joining the fray, which they are not doing in sufficient numbers, I don't see that we have a choice.


So far we have a grid of 19 AES cars and 10 Arrow Wheels for Icebreaker. Quite why so many always enter late is anyone's guess... That is only a third of those paid up and if numbers do not hit a total of 30, then we will combine the groups to assist in a faster running meeting - but also to provide a better spectacle for spectators. To not do so would make me a hypocrite, as cars on track are still the only thing that will ever make spectating attractive.

ERC wrote: I think there is a Mini Marcos for sale on Trade Me at the moment.

Yes you are right: http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/specialist-cars/competition-cars/auction-922567381.htm

The Mini Marcos belongs to my friend Robin Greenland. Robin is well known in Mini circles and I have raced with him a few times. Amazingly the Marcos is new, brand new......it was a body that was never completed. Robin has been playing around with it for some years, but due to a change in direction of life it is for sale. It needs completing but everything is there. The colour would not be my choice but everyone is different. I think the asking price is $20,000, but I know that Robin would 'negotiate' !!!!!!! He had quite a collection of Minis but they have all gone except the Marcos.

A bit of history here. Whangarei Street race 2000 - ex TV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzSpdncPE6Q

Robin's Mini Marcos is very nice - I had a quick look over it when I picked up the trailer I purchased from Robin. After I decided not to race a Datsun Zed in the ERC I did think about a Ginetta G15 - a imp powered kitcar from back in the day. But then thought like the Marcos not a lot of race history from back in the day and given NZ festival's all seem to be salon's as was raced in NZ then a Mini was the good choice.

A Ginetta G15

Ice Breaker this weekend and a fair few 'new faces'. About 41 in total across our two groups at the moment which is about half the current paid up membership. Pretty good for the first round of the season. A slight imbalance between the slower group and the faster group - about twice as many in the slower group, which I am not exactly unhappy about.

We could have a look at the lap time split, to even up the group numbers - but I know that if we do, all that will happen is that we may lose some of the faster ones in the slower group, so a bit pointless really. As long as we can get a total of over 30 cars out there, I think we are probably justified in keeping the two groups separate.

I may have some good news about the Festival shortly... But first, I have to poll the current drivers. I may be dictatorial, but some decisions are best made after consultation with the membership!

Was have fun this morning learning to drive the mini just before #2 decided it needed to cool down and throw it's self out of the side of the block. Never mind these thing happen with engines in unknown condition.

nzeder......did I not say that driving the mini would be a different kettle of fish to the Datsun !!!!!!! perhaps you need a more accurate rev counter........some old engines dont take too kindly to 8,000 rpm..... You may have a saviour in Ray with his 'spare' engine, otherwise its lots of $$$$$$$. You may be lucky if the damage has confined itself to the block and not spread to the gearbox as is so often the case with a Mini, so something will be salvageable, but a whole lot of work before the next outing. Ah, the joys of Motoracing.....

Posted a pre blow up pic on my Mix of Pics thread... Car sounded great and looked good, so very sad that it let go so quickly.

nzeder wrote:Was have fun this morning learning to drive the mini just before #2 decided it needed to cool down and throw it's self out of the side of the block. Never mind these thing happen with engines in unknown condition.

True I don't know how accurate the Rev counter is even if I did not go past 6000. Was going OK started to get hot quickly then I start to get out of it and drive back to the pits. Then started to smoke up a bit then it went bang before I could get back to the pits. I will remove and strip and see what bits are OK and if the block could be repaired if the hole is below the bore then have a spare engine once Ray and I can sort out a deal on the one under his bench.

Congratulations to Rex Ferrall on his renewal today - he's our centurion of the year! In other words, he's the 100th driver signed up for the season, making it 7 years on the trot we have had over 100 drivers and 9 out of the last 10 years. There are still 3 drivers who are down to race shortly who haven't paid and a few taking a break for various reasons.

Added to the obvious attractions of U2K, BMW, Alfa, MG and Classic Japanese, it just shows the real strength of numbers in the classic categories in this area.

Not getting at you NZeder, but why do so many folks with car maladies they are aware of try to get back to the pits? Surely much cheaper to stop on the track side, or has the propensity for race officials to stop races made folks feel guilty about getting off the track?
Often times means there is a trail of some form of slippery stuff making it a whole lot worse.

Getting off the battlefield and out of the falling off zone ?

nzeder has taken possession of my much loved 1293cc engine. The state of his original engine beggars belief. No wonder it went bang. Either someone needed a stronger arm or a torque wrench or better still, should leave building engines to those who know what they are doing. At least my engine was originally built by someone trustworthy and I sincerely hope that as a spare engine, it serves Mike well. I never even got beyond the running in stage with it, so looking forward to seeing how well it goes. Not a race engine but built for fast road use.

Welcome to the renewals and the new drivers. We are now on 108 paid up for the year. Slightly up on this time last year.

Entries for the Porsche Festival are a little lower than the promises, but still great grids for each weekend. Some are doing weekend 1 only, some weekend 2 only and as fair few doing both weekends. Friday will be as last year, with a morning practice and an afternoon scratch race. The other four races will be handicaps, as they proved to be very popular last year and no winner is ever guaranteed.

As at end November, 28 for weekend 1 and 39 for weekend 2 - and one or two known tardy ones no doubt...

The man to watch from scratch will probably be Bruce Manon - again, but this time in his own car, not Mike Sexton's.

Welcome back to Racing Ray Williams, who has bought the Neil Tolich Perana Capri.

Rob Berrgren has rejoined with ex Bob Groves Perana Capri.

Dr John Elliott is also now also part of the ERC, running with Arrow Wheels with his Holden Torana.

All are experienced drivers with great cars - though Rob had to scratch from Sunday's event due to cracked brake rotors, discovered at the Friday track day.

I believe that Paul Halford may run the 250GTO Ferrari recreation on weekend 2 of the Festival, where our grid is now totally full... (46 car maximum. I think we have 50) Weekend 1 there are only a couple of spaces left. Great support for the Festival.