Thursday 17 October 2013

Unipower register updates

I received some nice updates on my Unipower GT listing (click here). Thanks for these! In the first place I understand that the car registered NGH 8D is the same as れにち57 ん66-81, so that's one car less in Japan. However, another one now fills the gap as I have been sent some mysterious pictures of an orange coloured GT in a Japanese warehouse. Unfortunately there's no information whatsoever coming with them and I have no idea where exactly they were taken or by whom. There's a big white block obstructing a part of the image. The car appears to be in good company though, as it rubs shoulders with a Mini Marcos, a Lotus Mk4 and a Mini registered JAN 4, which was used for a famous Janspeed race car. Could the Unipower be another Janspeed tuned car?

Next, there appears to be a 4th Unipower GT in Spain. Miguel Plano from Quebec, Canada, knows about another Spanish registered Unipower. He sent in two pictures of a yellow Mk1 which was photographed in Madrid with the registration M-778 776. The pictures come from a book named 'Enciclopedia del Automovil' that was published around 1970. The question now is if the car survives...

Last but not least Francois Tasiaux from Brussels, Belgium, tells me that the ex-Janspeed car, chassis number 12669 (also for sale here, scroll down), was offered at an auction in Berge's in Brussels on Monday October 7th. The estimate was set at 30-35,000 Euros and bidding started at 20,000. Or actually, it didn't as not a single bid was made to buy this nice car...

Another Unipower GT in Spain. Does this Madrid registered car survive?
Picture courtesy Enciclopedia del Automovil 
Judging by the rear lights this is a Mk1. Anyone who recognizes the yellow badge?
Picture courtesy Enciclopedia del Automovil
Mystery in Japan. This place hides a Unipower plus what looks like a famous Janspeed racer
Picture source unknown 
Mk1 or Mk2- it's hard to tell from this point. Black windscreen surround may be a clue
Picture source unknown 
Speaking of Janspeed - this ex-Janspeed Unipower didn't sell at auction in Brussels
Picture Francois Tasiaux

4 comments:

  1. I have just purchased the yellow Janspeed Unipower GT which is chassis number 9 built in December 1966 and one of the very few competition versions ever made (hence the wider body, which isn't extended so much as an entirely separate mould from Specialised Mouldings). It was painted red by Janspeed who prepared it from new for Geoff Mabbs to race throughout 1967. It had an aluminium front air dam fitted by them to try and curb it's tendancy to wander at high speed plus uniquely on this car ali air scoops on the rear (both now missing) and a small vent behind each front wheel arch to improve airflow (still present). It was fitted with J.A P mag wheels. The car was raced several times in the UK and also at Jarama supporting the Spanish GP where it did rather well. It was then sold to Brian Harvey of Grand Prix Models and Cars and Car Conversions who raced it with C&CC support in 1968. Brian remembers asking Jan Odor to sell it him whilst over at Janspeed writing a piece on Unipowers for C&CC, he also remembers the car having a conventional Mini gearchange pattern (Unipowers were usually back to front in this respect) which Janspeed adapted and also having no handbrake, which it still doesn't ! Brian also sprinted the car at Brands and hillclimbed it at several venues. C&CC sold it to new Unipower boss Piers Weld Forester in early 1969 who then must have sold it to the next owner Graham Goodman who entered it in races thereafter, usually Snetterton. It went through several other owners in the UK, including Paul Weldon, Alan Nicholson and eventually Chris Alford who then sold it to Belgium where I understand it has been ever since, having done the Spa 6 Hours on several occasions.

    Pete

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is very good news and I guess the car couldn't have a better new owner. Looking much forwards to seeing it next year!

      Delete
  2. Thanks Jeroen. The car will be at Blyton on May 4th along with the ex Le Mans Unipower GT of Gerry Hulford. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Here's a thread all about the car....

    http://mk1-forum.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8760

    ReplyDelete