Minis and Imps

[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

[Roger Dowding]

Some new photo have emerged of the Gilbertson Minisprint - a genuine UK version, which was copied by Frank Hamiln - posted earlier.

These from Bruce Dyer SpGeti archives .. and in colour - a couple of them.
Unsure of the location of the track - not Pukekohe ??





From Pukekohe - the Grand Prix meeting 1967 [ I thought it was 1968 as marked on my photo - but that was done many years later ] - just before the his big offf !! - John Larry Lawton photo B and W - JLL says 1967.



Car has the shrouded headlights - not just reversed headlight bowls like many did - the Sabrina look !!
A few interesting cars in the background Morgan Lotus Cortina and one of the A40 Farina's - is it the Ron Rutherford car

A bit later in the day - my own photo..