The Mini-Max, later run by John Pettit and Ross Hollings, was built by Max Rutherford in New Plymouth
The McDonald car was callled the Mini-Minus, and later just The Beast. It was said to be Cooper-based, but the late 500 guru Max Fisher claimed it was a special
David- Thank you for this gem.Now I see it in front of me , I remember it was The BEAST. And Merv seemed positive it had Cooper origins. Thank you for your clear memory on this.
Yes. You are correct (as usual) David. My apologies if I put anyone wrong. And apologies to Max Rutherford for not giving him the credit for building the "Mini Max".
Yes. You are correct (as usual) David. My apologies if I put anyone wrong. And apologies to Max Rutherford for not giving him the credit for building the "Mini Max".
Thanks for that correction David.
For the record the MiniMax ended its life in the Nelson/Blenheim area and the owner used it on speedway (It was built as a duel purpose car) in Christchurch until they banned rear engined cars so he chopped it up and dumped it! When I contacted him some years later to see if I could restore it for our Vintage Speedway Club he was just as up set as me that he had done that! Max Rutherford
Yes you are correct about the demise of the Minimax,I went down that track years ago and was told that all that was left was the steeringwheel.
Max, I have never met you but just let me say here what a fantastic little car it was.To me the crowning achievement was beat Jim Boyd[in the Lycoming] at the Gold Star Event at Chamberlain Rd.Jim had a habit of coming up last just to make sure of FTD,This day i decided that that was not to be the case and started fiddling around with the car at the start line ,he thought he had it in the bag,now Chamberlain Rd was home turf to me and I new there was one corner that i could just go that little bit quicker ,at the bottom of the hill,from that i got FTD. Jim was pissed and threw all his gear in the Lycoming and took off home,didnt even stay for a beer. !!!
Was a great car Max,will publish some photos when i return to NZ 2013, from our sojurn in Australia.
Ross H
Photos of the MiniMinus/Beast taken over a few years showing how much it changed from 1975 to 1979Originally Posted by David McKinney
BMCBOY-thanks for posting these.Looks like young Steve driving it. Merv built it , but didnt drive it. .After this car, Steve, who was a family friend of Mervs, never raced, had a family instead.Merv was my neighbour and friend for 5 years .A keen hot rodder, loved motor racing, and did things his own way.After Steve stopped racing Merv gave it all away and threw all his energies into BMX until he passed away last year. A real family man with no family of his own.
Last edited by John McKechnie; 12-19-2012 at 06:57 PM.
Regards previous post from Ross Hollings. Thanks for that Ross. Look forward to those photo's as I have very few of the car. I only did one hillclimb (second to Cooper Porsche) and two speedway meetings before selling it and going to UK to do my big OE. See photo of me later in this thread.
Max
From my "Just a Mix of Pics" thread, featuring Merit car kits of the 60's.
Not many kit manufacturer's have bothered with the Cooper and other 500cc cars, yet there were many different full size models deserving of reproduction in plastic.
Attachment 14733
Last edited by ERC; 01-04-2013 at 07:02 AM.
Hi Chris, Thanks for your post, it is great to hear of more 500's still being cared for in NZ.
If you are interested, Max and I will be in the South Island next month with our two JBS's so would like to meet anyone who has an interest in the half litre racing. So we will be at Ruapuna on the 1st - 3rd February, then Timaru on the 8th - 10th and finally if all is still going well, we will be at Teretonga on 15th - 17th.
Hi Laurie
May see you at Teretonga.
Problem for the Kiefts for your group is that they were always fitted with 1000cc Vincents as they are today.
Chris
What a great forum this is for information. On another posting by Stu (in R.I.P) I found the following clipping which listed a S. Williamson 3rd in the Puhipuhi Goldstar Hill Climb in 1966. Stu Williamson was an owner of my JBS after my father had it so it fills another gap on the cars history, thank you.
Well done Laurie and Max and the rest of the half litre club for keeping this history alive. Little did I know it, but when a youngster and my dad took me to a hillclimb, that I saw some of these very cars in action. Great to see they are still part of our heritage due to the enthusiasm and love of a few dedicated people.
Cheers
These pics are from NZ library archives. OK to be reproduced here.
First photo is dated 7 Dec 1959 "Wellington Car Club hill climb with two unidentified men working on a racing car engine, location unknown, Wellington Region"
Second one reads "Unidentified driver in racing car, Houghton Bay, Wellington"
Photo 3 is from 7 Dec 1959 reads, "Wellington Car Club hill climb with an unidentified man being push started in his racing car with a crowd looking on, location unknown, Wellington Region
Last photo 21 Sept 1959 "Car Club member, car number 39, racing down Palmer Head, Wellington"
Last edited by bry3500; 08-12-2013 at 07:48 AM.
Car #1 is Bob Gibbons Cooper Mk5 with V twin 1100cc Jap engine.
Great photos with period feel. The top one looks almost like a younger Jim Boyd sitting on the rh rear wheel, but that is a VERY random thought.
Post #52 mentions Roskilly whose son has been a new acquisition on TRS.
Last edited by Oldfart; 08-12-2013 at 08:50 AM.
next 3
First photo reads
22 October 1956. Photograph taken by Bruce Davis.
Row 1: No 14, Arnold Stafford (Cooper Mk IX); No 15, Ron Frost (Cooper Mk IX)
Row 2: No 5, Syd Jensen (Cooper Mk IX); Bruce Webster (in checkerboard helmet, Cooper Mk VII)
Row 3: No 18, Ross Jensen (Austin-Healey 100S);No 21, John Mansel (Alfa Romeo Tipo B); No 3 (Cooper)
Row 4: obscured; Buckler, driver probably Jim Boyd.
second photo
"Unidentified driver in a racing car, with attendants, Houghton Bay Road, Wellington 1955"
The third photo:
"Unidentified man driving a racing car up Houghton Bay Road, Wellington 1955"
Last edited by bry3500; 08-12-2013 at 10:12 AM.
. Photographs taken ca 1956 by Bruce Valentine Davis.
more
According to my copy of ''The Twenty Year History of the Levin Motor Racing circuit 1956-1976'', competing at the 22/10/1956 meeting was Syd Jensen in #5, Bruce Webster in #9, Bob Hugill in #3,Arnold Stafford in #14 and Len Gilbert in # 12 (mk7 Cooper).
Great pictures, i'm sure David McKinney will identify the Wellington hill-climb cars, he was probably there on the day.
Garry Simkin.
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