Minis and Imps

[Roger Dowding]

Thanks Nigel. I remember racing in 91-94 and Dons Mini was always there. Man this car is a time warp, it hasnt changed at all. And I had an orange DeJoux back in 1975...no wing Reg FG 8393, indicators front of front guards, 1100 motor,twin fillers at the back- could this be the same car?

Nigel and John - would be good to catch up with you both and Donn .. he is a local !!

[Roger Dowding]

Would that be Don Whites Aussie Clubman GT -a real historic racer- next to the Orange De Joux

John must send the photo to Don[n] White .. may have it in another shot of the De Joux - now I have some looking up to do !!

[John McKechnie]

Roger...see #155 for my DeJoux in 1975 as a comparison Sold it for $2500 to get a brand new house in Pakuranga-no. not Nappy Valley- for $25,000-no garage, no driveway , no letterbox,Mr Stripes carpet for $5 per metre from Joes Bargain House in Ponsonby- you would remember that place.
Would be great to see you and Donn again.
Still have the pix of the Packard to show you as discussed 6 (? ) years ago

[Spgeti]

Roger...see #155 for my DeJoux in 1975 as a comparison Sold it for $2500 to get a brand new house in Pakuranga-no. not Nappy Valley- for $25,000-no garage, no driveway , no letterbox,Mr Stripes carpet for $5 per metre from Joes Bargain House in Ponsonby- you would remember that place.
Would be great to see you and Donn again.
Still have the pix of the Packard to show you as discussed 6 (? ) years ago

Sorry just gossip, but John, I remember Joes Bargin House in Ponsonby Road. It was an old picture theatre...
Yes I sold my 64 MGB Roadster to buy my first home in Massey. No letterbox, no fences, no driveway, no carpet but it had a basement garage and no concrete floor all for $22000....a Harmony Home ....wasn’t..

[John McKechnie]

Bruce- yes, a new house is just that.What you do there makes it a home. Mine was a Neil House. Wife hated the new house in Pakuranga, wanted a cottage in Henderson. So I bought her a cottage on Waiheke...all this before I was 25. Bought and sold 5 Minis, you could make money on them then ( this is a Mini thread). I even put a fibreglass clubman front on a frontal damage 1965 850 MK1.
Try doing all of that now.
My Mini racing friend- Alex Isbey- not with us for many years now- said I should have bought in Ponsonby, but banks wouldnt loan on old villas to youngsters not earning much.
Gossip is good, I can do this

[Spgeti]

Yes John, I sold my 64 Morris Mini, DZ3774, Surf Blue and White roof for the B, I was 19.....and 22 when I bought in Massey and was I who hated the house .....should of bought in Ponsonby. Lived at 90 Jervois Rd....great days.
Next Mini was an Aussie Clubman GT....went like stink...next Mini was a 77 1000....then came the Elf’s x 2.....

[Roger Dowding]

Roger...see #155 for my DeJoux in 1975 as a comparison Sold it for $2500 to get a brand new house in Pakuranga-no. not Nappy Valley- for $25,000-no garage, no driveway , no letterbox,Mr Stripes carpet for $5 per metre from Joes Bargain House in Ponsonby- you would remember that place.
Would be great to see you and Donn again.
Still have the pix of the Packard to show you as discussed 6 (? ) years ago

John and Bruce, yes knew Joe Adams quite well, he was a customer of ANZ bank in the 1970's 80's and i worked there 1978 -80, was known as the "unofficial Mayor of Ponsonby " a real character and a generous bloke !!
John the Packard photo - was on Bribie when you mentioned that .. we must try to gather .. us TRS guys
Cheers

[Roger Dowding]

I took a photo of Alans Mini " Violet " race # 51 back in 1967 or 68 at Pukekohe GP meeting.

Alan posted a couple of photos of his cars which I thought I would share - with a few details from Alan - who featured in an article in Classic Driver by Allan Dick a couple of years ago.

My photo ;

Alan was a signwriter graphic designer who worked for "Coca Cola " the sponsors of his Mini later on and his Viva - some of those products beside the car

Alans colour photo of Violet - looks like Pukekohe
Alans notes on Violet : " genuine 1964 Morris Cooper S 970 cc .. painted with many coats of translucent metallic Violet coloured lacquer.. ‘the violent Violet’ "

Tomato his other racing Mini ;

Notes on Tomato ; " ‘Tomato’ was the first mini, a standard 850 early model.. into which we grafted a 997 short block assembly, I worked on the head porting and valves, twin SUs, manifolds, cam, suspension etc etc
It was a very smart car with its custom upholstery trim and mahogany Dashboard and Chromium plated reverse rim S steel wheels..
it acquitted its self in many events Hillclimbs, Circuit racing, Club events, often beating Cooper and S models ".
Alan got FTD at the NSCC's first Hill Climb at Cosseys Farm in February / March 1967.

[Roger Dowding]

The Alan Boyle Mini " Violet " at Pukekohe - in the photo is another Mini Race number 4 Registration CZ9567 - which is still around under that Registration; a 1965 1275 Cooper S.
" Year: 1965
Make: MORRIS
Model: COOPERS
Colour: White
Second Colour: Black
Body Style: Saloon
Plate: CZ9567
Engine No: 36501
Chassis: F659435 "
" Plates History

Plate Effective Date
CZ9567 26-Mar-2014
PT8422 22-Mar-1991
HIFI 17-Apr-1989
NZ6728 11-Nov-1988
EC1631
Registration

Registration Status:
Plate: CZ9567
Plate Type: Special Issue
Origin: NZ New
Used as: Private Passenger vehicle
Cause of Latest Registration: New
NZ First Registration: 21-Jun-1965
NZ Last Registration:
Was Registered Overseas? No"

Would seem that the car has gone back to it's original plates

Wonder if it is the Hugh Kettelwell 1275 which was one of the first in NZ. now to find some other photos and info.

CY4440 " Violet " and BL 60 " Tomato " Registrations are no longer listed - would that that BL 60 Plate would be a Personalised plate for some BMC / BL owner.

[Roger Dowding]

Canadian version of the Mini introduced there in 1974 and later had even more " Safety " features fitted, not quite the USA rules.
This from "British Leyland Chronicles " recently - there was an article and this and other photos..
seen in comparison with the UK 1976 Mini 1000.

Link to the article ;

" https://jalopnik.com/canada-had-its-very-own-strange-mini-variant-1833924950? "

[Paul Wilkinson]

https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1995023526

Rough shell of a racing Imp for sale on Trademe. Wonder if it has any interesting history?

[ERC]

The only Imps I know of in white/blue were Murray Hart's, but I suspect that his may have gone to Japan. He has moved away from just around the corner, so I can't verify it.

There was another blue and white car racing at Hampton Downs two years ago but that seemed in perfect condition.

[Spgeti]

The Rush Imp is now down south with Tony Mann in his Imp collection.

[Roger Dowding]

An Auckland Car Club event - their Hill for many years ; some photos by Graeme Lindsay which I " borrowed ".

First the Support Ute from Dominion Motors - where Ron Brown worked for many years - he is in the photo as is Lynton Ryan Alan Boyle and Rons Mechanic back in the day !

Some known and unkown or lesser known drivers here !!.

Peter Batten Morris Cooper S

John Crombie in his Cooper 998

A Morris Mini-Minor the original name for the Morris Mini, known as the 850 in Australia, meanwhile in New Zealand and the UK the Austin version was originally an Austin Seven .. or is it " Se7en "

My Mate Barry Moon - before I met him [ that was around 1980 ] - in an Austin Mini.

The set of photos of the event had Fords, Anglia, Escorts and Cortinas, Glen Jones in his Chev Coupe a Torana, a Humber 80 or two and some Specials - have a look at " Old New Zealand Motor Racing " Fb page for Graeme's photos.

[Roger Dowding]

Sports Car World - the Australian Motoring Magazine - a Road Test of a slightly modified Mini 850 in the October 1961 Issue
Car was good for 79 - 80 miles per hour.
..

The car in Standard form was available at Pounds 630 - plus Sales Tax at the time.

Fitted Twin SU's a freeflow manifold and straight through Exhaust - pipe out the middle -not kinked to the left, mods done by Rob Williams of " Allard " " Ford V8 coupe " and Formula Junior fame
- as well as Wide " Jolly Wide " wheels to the front of my Austin Seven 850 Mini a 1960 model in 1967.
Don't think it had this performance - just used more Petrol !

Petrol / Gasoline / at less than 5/- = 50 cents a gallon NZD currency .. 10th July 1967.. D C Day !!

To come a Test of a Highly Modified Mini 850 from the era that had a top speed of 105 miles per hour in old money !.

[Roger Dowding]

Alan Boyle #6, Ron Brown #73, John Fahey a bent #42

Paritutu Circuit, New Plymouth, Taranaki - a tight small course.
John Fahey hit the drums seen behind Alan in Tomato - first photo

Alan 1965 The Mini a twin carb 850 ..

John Fahey - after. 1965

1965 - the entry list - Graham Woods archives

Alan again 1966 #28 now running a 997 Cooperised motor in the Mini

Evweld racing Team - Alan Boyle and Ron Brown - think Ron was in the 1000 and over class

[Roger Dowding]

a bit of a story - from Donn White who still has the car, but it did have a break in his ownership - as seen in the quote ;

" I renewed my NZ motor racing and rally licences yesterday and going thru the log books I noticed that it's 30 years ago exactly today that I started racing the Mini Clubman GT (for the second time). I repurchased the car in a very shabby state back in July 1990. 21 months later the car - with much help from Roger Payne who rebuilt a great engine and gearbox was race ready - more or less! A couple of weeks earlier I had entered to race in the BMC Classic Car Series heats at Taupo held at a National race meeting there on 05 April 1992 - but it was a close thing. The morning of the official practise day still saw me in Tauranga fitting bits and pieces and modifying things to work properly at the last minute. I then ran the car in on the road going to Taupo and after quickly performing an oil and filter change in the pits I just made it by a few moments to compete in the final qualifying session. The car immediately showed potential and I remember instantly being very happy with it - the only problem was brake fade as the correct competition brake pads were temporarily unavailable. Things became rather a handful after 10 or so laps! Anyway the strategy was to change the pads before each heat and I managed to win the Category One or Production Class first time out. A couple of weeks later there was a repeat performance at the Baypark Raceways Easter National meeting and the rest is history. Even when performing challenging jobs on this little car at 2.00am in the morning on race day - I've not had Buyer's Remorse. I've had a ton of fun and met some great people along the way (sadly some of them are no longer with us) but here's to a few more years of enjoyment!

" GM4679 ".

A few photos.

before restoration - a small image ;

after restoration - a bigger image ;

Photo from the Baypark Meeting - 30 years ago, with as Donn noted
" 30 years ago taken at Baypark Raceways.
- Shown here leading the Late Tony Sturm -MGB Roadster and the Late Jim Chrystall - Wolseley 1500. There's also another driver tucked in behind me but I can't make out who it is. "

The photo;

Another photo of the Car - Holland Road Sprints - Hamilton Car Club in 1973 - car was New .. Richard Armstrong photo.

[Roger Dowding]

Knew about the Minisprint that Frank Hamlin of Hamlin and Charles Garage built and raced in 1967 - 68 but didn't realise there was a second one built.

My photo of the Original at Pukekohe Grand Prix meeting 1967 I think..

Front view of the nose ..

Another - colour - photo of the original - photog not noted.
Now with stick on number plate

The second Minisprint with standard bonnet - nose.
from Bruce Dyer archives .. SPgeti.

[Spgeti]

Owned by Marvin Turton in Wellington. Marvin has a very interesting Mini collection, a historic Mini Clubman Australian Sports Sedan, an ex Bob Gibbons Australian Cooper S totally restored and a Clubman GT racer. Lot of cool Mini speed equipment as well.

[Roger Dowding]

John Cooper built one, or several, he had a bad incident in one of them.
One competed in the Targa Florio.

This is article about 8 Cylinder Minis, - 2 times 4 cylinder Motors. I mentions several versions including the BMC and the John Cooper versions - Targa Florio car

Interesting that it appeared in a Magazine called " Worlds Fastest Sports Cars " but it is a Saloon - then again, in the 1970's there was at an AGM of Northern Sports Car Club a remit to change the name of the Club and drop the word " Sports " as most members had saloons - It was defeated, and the comment that was made was the the cars of Club Members were used in " Sports " - Motorsports