The Roaring Season

Thanks to Laurie Axcell for the following images of his various road and race Minis, owned during the last 39 years.

This is his beautiful 1964 1,071cc Austin Cooper S which he still owns:

More Laurie Axcell pics. These are from his Mini 7 racing days during the 1980s:

Here is Laurie's beautiful Britax Cooper replica he currently races:

Here in California I get a lot of people that laugh at my 1962 Mini Cooper and do not believe that they could compete in a race with
Mustangs and Camaros etc.. I have this picture on my desk at work to show that Minis were competitive.
I am not sure when it was but I do know it shows the Mini and the Mustang climbing the hill to approach Druids Corner at Brands Hatch and you can see how the crowd is enjoying the race.
(It looks like the "Britax" Mini in NZ and the "Kent Cams" Mini in England had very similar paint schemes )





(Ken Hyndman )

Brilliant photo Ken!

Fantastic photo here by Steve Twist, from Pukekohe during the 1968 New Zealand racing season, and the first under Group 5 rules. This was the year the PDL Racing Team was formed, with Robert Stewart and Clyde Collins running a pair of PDL Minis.

Stewart ran the 1001cc-1300cc class, while Collins was in the 0-1000cc class. Stewart finished second in his class in the championship, behind Angus Hyslop, who I think is pictured here in the green Cooper S sat right up Stewarts tail pipe.

Does anyone have a photograph of the ex-works 4WD Mini that still resides in NZ? I know who owns it, but I have never seen a pic of it. I might have to lean on him to see if I can see the car some time...

ERC wrote:Does anyone have a photograph of the ex-works 4WD Mini that still resides in NZ? I know who owns it, but I have never seen a pic of it. I might have to lean on him to see if I can see the car some time...

ERC, would be great to see, They ran one in the Targa Florio, back in the 60's and John B from SPR models had a 1;43 in the range which I missed getting hold of.
Have found a few more pics of Mini's racing this time at Dunedin Revival Street Races in 1984 ; must get them scanned and posted

Roger Dowding wrote:Can't find my photo's of the Minisprint but have found the negatives ; have found this in the book / magazine " 30 years of Grand Prix Racing, Ardmore and Pukekohe 1954-1983..

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and another from the same magazine ; Ron Brown, who was a mate of Alan Boyles, and became Auckland Car Club president for a time .. the reverse meeting at Pukekohe, the one and only as too dangerous !!.

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Have found my own photos of these two incidents The Minisprint after the accident,NZ Grand Prix meeting January 1968

and Ron Browns Mini, both before and after .The Reverse direction meeting April 1966

As it arrived, and below, how it left.

John McKechnie wrote:Rodger- I left Papakura Rodders and joined the Triumph Sports Car club 4 months later for club gymkanas.
Hot Rod magazine had a fantastic action pic of Marwood blasting off the line in his Camaro- anyone got it and want to post it>

Not at Wiri but here is that Camaro at Pukekohe GP meeting a bit earlier that year.


and Croydon Thompson's F100 - as has been mentioned in threads.



neither a Mini nor an Imp but as Spgeti said, " sure these things had Mini or Imp parts ..." somewhere, wiper blades perhaps ?

Probably the drive shaft judging from the way it broke at the Drags at Wiri

How to repair a Mini exhaust system when you are in a hurry !
The Austin Cooper 1275 S, of Paddy Hopkirk and co-driver Ron Crellin, being worked on during the 1967 Acropolis Rally in Greece.
Paddy did not need to worry as they went on to win this event. Even though the engine had worn out bearings, it just made it to the finish line in first place. Perhaps this repair work drained the oil away and when the engine was restarted the bearings were damaged.(Ok I am rambling )
British Motor Industry Heritage Trust photo.





( Ken Hyndman )

ERC wrote:Does anyone have a photograph of the ex-works 4WD Mini that still resides in NZ? I know who owns it, but I have never seen a pic of it. I might have to lean on him to see if I can see the car some time...

There are two Austin Ant 4wd prototypes and a factory Moke 4wd in NZ. And the two ex Heatway Special Tuning Clubmans - and there was an ex-works rally Mini in Dunedin many moons ago. Do you mean one of these?

The Heatway Hyslop/Langley Clubman is in Hawkes Bay-it was on display at the end of the Targa in Havelock North last Friday.
There was a rumour years ago that the 4WD Moke was on Stewart Island.

As far as I am aware, no, not an Ant or a Moke, but a 4WD Mini saloon.

#366-Just seen in NZ Hot Rod mag Nov 1971-
Ex-Croydon Thompson F100 pickup , new motor bored to 292 $1700 o.n.o.
Craig Hedley Henderson.

Took this pic many years ago - at Bay Park or environes I think. Anyone know who, how, etc?

Kevin Clark?

Mini 7s on the Club Circuit trying to decide what is the correct line.