Maximum Mini: American mystery racer remains a great mystery

Friday, 2 October 2020

American mystery racer remains a great mystery

Its is over eight years ago since I posted this message about an American racer totally shrouded in mystery. Unfortunately the code remains uncracked so far and the car made it to Maximum Mini 3 simply as 'American mystery racer'.

Meanwhile, however, I have been in regular touch with the car's current owner Steve Steeb of Michigan, and last week Steve flashed over a number of new detail pictures. From his messages: "Jeroen, I am the current owner of the blue Mini variant sports racer on page 96 of Maximum Mini 3 book. I have had no luck trying to identify it. I contacted a number of Vintage Racing people and a lot of Mini Cooper racers but have struck out. I was talking to a person at a local car show about my 1963 Austin Mini Cooper (997) and he sent me info on your books and suggested I check in with you. I wonder if anyone has ever offered you more information on the car I have."

"I'm not convinced it has ever been completed due to the lack of wiring and brake lines. On the other hand - it is so complete that I think it more likely someone took it apart to paint the frame or something and never put it back together. And pay no attention to the 997 engine /transmission that is sitting in place. That did not come with the car, it is a spare that I bought for my very original 1963 Mini Cooper. I have had a few people contact me that want to put a motorcycle engine in it but I am afraid it is some rare part of Mini history and had best not allow it to be butchered (Hoorah! - JB). I will continue to keep it for a while and continue to try and find a bit more information so I can restore it or let it slip away."

I also wondered how Steve got hold of the car and this is his answer: "A friend of mine who was an awesome welder had it; he said he took it in exchange for a bunch of welding he did for some guys. He had raced motorcycles in his younger days and I think he was looking for something to get him back on the track that was a little safer than bikes! He knew I had Mini stuff and had raced a Bugeye Sprite in my younger days. He had made a new oil tank for the dry sump for my Lola and asked me to help him assemble it and help him find missing parts (like an engine assembly). I loaned him my spare 997 just so he could see if it fitted - it did! About then he was diagnosed with cancer and got really sick and died. When he was first diagnosed he told me to come and get it and we would get to work on it so he could race it one day. But then he quickly got really sick and just before he died he told me to keep it and think of him if I ever got it together and raced it. So like my Mini Cooper - here's another car with a story and some personal history. I'm not sure if I am up to assembling it and getting it race ready with all the other projects I have but..."

Quite a story, isn't it? It would be really good to find the car's missing history in order to motivate Steve to restore it, so if you recognize the car, please do drop me a line.

UPDATE 14:30. Louis Lempereur, who is restoring the sole Mini powered Mean Sonora (click here), writes: "Hi Jeroen. This is a very strange car. I wonder about the huge rear wheels. About my Méan Mini, someone from the club told me it was "the Méan which could not run in fourth gear". Indeed, it was fitted with 13" wheels and big tyres. This was too much for the original 850 engine made for 10" wheels and small tyres! Now I have a 1275cc and many short gear ratios are available from the UK, so handling the bigger wheels should be no problem. So, I wonder why and how this racer was fitted with such huge wheels. Thanks for your mails! Louis."