Friday 27 May 2016

Whatever happened to JDB 260E?

One story leads to another, here on GTM-week. Richard Hawcroft wrote to me regarding yesterday's Cox GTM: "I think you are getting old Jeroen. The Japan red Cox - it's an early one. Flat back, one-piece engine cover, no door handles, early front. Don’t forget that the sills are longer on a Cox, so if you fit a Cox front to a later car you would either have to make the sills longer or mess with the front." Ahem. Well. He must be right!

But it also lead to a message from former Cox GTM oner John Thornburn. He dropped a line about his old car registered 'JDB 260E'. That number rung a bell and I found some nice old photographs in the files, with it being the aluminum bodied prototype, factory demonstrator, press car, plus the one raced by Howard Heerey. There's a brief spell of it in this 1967 video, too. Quite some history! John wrote: "I have written before in response to a request for info on early GTMs. In 1970 or '71 I purchased from a friend, son of a garage owner in North Wales, a yellow GTM, JDB 260 E, a most interesting piece of 'kit'. GTMs as well as other kit cars, being very much of a hands on pastime I soon became aware that although the front end was fiberglass while the rest of the car was aluminium. One issue I had with the car was that the hubs on the rear (front) subframe were held in place by the steering arms bolted to the subframe, okay when first done but very soon works loose resulting in variable tracking when taking the power off causing the car to snake at the rear for a moment, interesting at speed. I contacted Heerey Engineering, living about 6 miles from Midland Garage, to be advised that they had resolved the problem with, from memory, (this was when I was 19 and I'm now 64), a lower wishbone tapped into the hub at 2 points and fixed with bushes to the subframe. The reason for the preamble is that the may be if some use to someone. One of the Engineers made a comment that some part of the body where he was working near was aluminum to which I replied that with the exception of the bonnet it was all aluminum, only then to be told after he checked some more that it was the original aluminium body that that the moulds were taken from and the bonnet was damaged beyond repair in London when being driven to be exhibited at the Motor Show. No mention was made of other metal bodied GTMs."

Now that is most interesting. It leads to two questions: how about Nick Beaumont's part-aluminium bodied car? And also: whatever happened to JDB 260E?

That's it - JDB 260E was the aluminum bodied Cox GTM demonstrator and press car
Picture Jeroen Booij archive

It was also raced by Howard Heerey, seen here chased up by a Ginetta and a Tojeiro Jaguar I think
Picture courtesy Richard Heseltine

 Reader John Thornburn owned it and says only the front had been replaced by GRP
Picture courtesy Richard Heseltine

Another venue, but clearly the same car once more. Silverstone perhaps?
Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Ingham Engineering also used the car for advertising the Cox GTM. Where is it now?
Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Thursday 26 May 2016

A Japanese Cox GTM - or is it?

It's still GTM week here at Maximum Mini, now with a little stunner from Japan. Our Japanese reporter Eiji Watanabe visited this year's (24th) Japan Mini Day at the Tsukuba circuit. In between tons of gorgeous Mk1 Minis he spotted another little gem: a stunning Cox GTM. But hang on. Is it really a Cox or does it only use an early bonnet? Eiji wrote: "The rear body looks like that of a GTM Coupe of the 1970s or 1980s. It is wide arched and the rear end is not flat like that of the Cox GTM. What is your judgment? In any case, it is done beautifully." I think he's right there as the car's rear certainly seems later, while fronts shouldn't be too difficult to swap. Over to you…

That surely looks to be a Cox GTM - seen at the 24th Japan Mini Day at Tsukuba
Picture through Eiji Watanabe

But hang on - the rear says something different. Could it be a much modified and retro'd car?
Picture through Eiji Watanabe


Update 30 May 2016: Oh yes, it is a Cox. And I am indeed getting old! See here (click)

Wednesday 25 May 2016

Belgian Heerey turns out to be familiar car

It's GTM week at Maximum Mini, now with more about a Heerey GTM that was seen by several (but not me) at the IMM in Belgium. Thanks to Rolf Roozeboom and Benoit Rebetez I now know more about it. In fact it turns out to be the same car Rolf saw back in 1994 when it was for sale in The Netherlands. And he was not on his own. I had a look at it, too, at the time but did not buy it as it needed lots of work. It did get sold though, but languished with several more owners before ending up with Pierre Devillers, who runs Garage Flémalle close to Liege in Belgium.

The car is a 1972 Heerey GTM 1-3 to be precise and from what I can see Pierre did a fantastic job in restoring the car. Rolf wrote: "He made quite a few modifications but kept them all in style. To remain faithful to Heerey's concept the radiator still is situated next to the engine, which means there's not much storage space left in order to get rid of the hot air. The Cortina rear lights were fitted because Benoit preferred these over the ones that came with the car and they are now beautifully frenched into the rear bodywork." Thanks to Rolf for the information, and well done Pierre! Tomorrow: a GTM from Japan!

Mystery solved: the Heerey GTM seen in Belgium turns out to be a familiar one
Picture courtesy Rolf Roozeboom

The car was fully restored by Benoit Devillers of Liege, which must have been a tough job
Picture courtesy Richard Porter

This is what the car looked like back in 1994 when it was imported from the UK to The Netherlands
Picture courtesy Rolf Roozeboom

Both Rolf and I had a look at the car but turned it down at the time. Fortunately Benoit did not
Picture courtesy Rolf Roozeboom



Tuesday 24 May 2016

An early Cox in action

Last week I got in touch with Nick Beaumont who used to hill climb a Cox GTM. The car appeared to be a very early example and rather then all fiberglass, some of the upper body (front bulkhead, half the A-pillars and its lower windscreen scuttle) was made in aluminum. Nick told me he believes that Cox originally built a batch of around 10 cars with this feature before changing to fiberglass. I must say I do not know about this, but have seen other Coxes with more steel before. Maybe somebody else will be able to tell us. Or perhaps you know what happened to Nick's car?

To show you what it was like Nick was so kind to dig out some old film footage of his Cox in action, taken during the Harewood hill climb somewhere inn the late 1980s. He wrote: "As requested some video of my early Cox and some other A-series motors. This was done for my degree. Go to about 3:00 mins and you will see why I went onto 13" wheels!"

Go to 1:42 and 3:15 to see Nick Beaumont's early Cox GTM enthusiastically driven at Harewoood
Video courtesy Nick Beaumont


And now again without going off road - in action at 1:27 (start) and 2:33. Where is the car now?
Video courtesy Nick Beaumont

Wednesday 18 May 2016

IMM 2016 - all of the rest

After yesterday's flood of Mini Marcoses and Midases, now over to the rest of the Mini derivatives that made it to the International Mini Meeting in Lommel, Belgium. Quite an eclectic mix of Mini variants! Oh - and missed the show, but want the book? Then simply go here.

Happy to have served you from my humble tent! On display some unique cars: a Barclay Minibug (left), the Twini Scamp (right) and a lovely little Schmitt behind
Picture Jeroen Booij

Mean Sonora BMC owner Louis Lempereur was one of many to buy the brand new 
Maximum Mini 3 book at the spot.
Picture courtesy Louis Lempereur


Proud owner Dylan Doek with the unique Twini Scamp he is now almost finished restoring. There'a a 998 engine in the front and an 848 in the back, just like it was built by McLaren engineer John Hornby in the mid-seventies
Picture Jeroen Booij

When the bonnets are closed the double rev counters and temperature gauges may give you a clue to its unusual mechanicals…
Picture Jeroen Booij

And another proud owner… Andre de Wit with his Barclay Minibug. Andre knows his Dutch Mini derivatives. He is currently restoring a Dutch-built Siva Moonbug, too
Picture Jeroen Booij

His Minibug could well be the only one surviving. A handful is believed to have been made, but I have never come across another with the Barclay name moulded in its bonnet. Nor has Andre
Picture Jeroen Booij

The Schmitt is owned by Bart Vanreusel of Belgium, but I forgot to photograph him with the car. But here is a shot of it that I took some years ago in Antwerp. Thanks for attending Bart!
Picture Jeroen Booij

Everyone who restores an early Jimini deserves my full attention. This one was just superb
Picture Roald Rakers

It came from Austria and was on display just two stalls from the Maximum Mini stand
Picture Roald Rakers

Mengers four-door Mini is one of three built by Dierk Mengers of Oldenburg, Germany. He was there, too, and collected his book from the Maximum Mini stand
Picture Jeroen Booij

This nice convertible Mini is not a Crayford Mini Sprint, but a one-off built in 1968 in Bexhill, East Sussex. The owner's son and daughter both have several Mini variants, too
Picture Jeroen Booij

If you look closely you may spot this car wears the same registration as the Jiffy pick-up featured in Maximum Mini 2. But then it's the same car
Picture Jeroen Booij

It was converted into a Jiffy Romahome by its new owner Ivo Krul. And, yes, he spent the nights in it, too. Ideal for an International Mini Meeting!
Picture Jeroen Booij

Dutch Domino Pimlico. It's only recently that I found out that these cars were actually built in The Netherlands, too. I think this is a British built one, though
Picture Jeroen Booij

A Mini Meeting would not be complete without Chris Westgate and his Mk1 Scamp. No doubt he liked to see the Twini Scamp being restored!
Picture Jeroen Booij

More Scamps made it over from the UK. Here a pair of Mk2s in panel van guise
Picture Jeroen Booij

But this was an even greater surprise! A rare Scamp six-wheeler with unusual body modifications
Picture Jeroen Booij

And talking about six-wheelers - Robert Asselbergh brought over his Stimson Safari Six project
Picture Jeroen Booij

He's owned the car for some years now, but hasn't found the time yet to start its restoration. One day…
Picture Jeroen Booij

A Phoenix Estate won't rust of course, but this one appeared to have done just that!
Picture Rolf Roozeboom

I missed it, but my old GTM Coupe came over to the IMM, too. Who owns it now?
Picture Rolf Roozeboom

And this Heerey GTM was spotted by everyone but me, too. Nice car!
Picture Thierry Quertain

Powder blue paint and Cortina rear light suit the car well, I'd say. Who knows more about it?
Picture Thierry Quertain

All the way from Austria in a GTM Rossa convertible. Well done sir!
Picture Thierry Quertain

Tuesday 17 May 2016

IMM 2016 - Marcoses, Midases and a Jem

What a weekend it was! Selling books at the International Mini Meeting was an experience on its own. From a very humble gazebo tent, which only just managed to keep itself standing in the frequent storms, I sold a multitude of Maximum Mini 3s, Maximum Mini 2s and just a few copies of Maximum Mini 1, which I managed to find shortly before leaving for Belgium - the book is sold out now and skyrockets in price.
I had some exciting cars on display, but more on that later. As time to walk around the huge festival terrain was limited I rushed over it when the majority of 4,000 people attending was vast asleep. From some of the tents came snoring sounds unheard to me before! For today, a selection of Marcoses and Midases, which came out in a rather large quantities. For tomorrow the rest of the Mini variants that made it to Belgium.

the infamous 'Andy Guy Racing' team duo of Andy Tyndale and Guy Humpries
Picture Jeroen Booij

Devil in disguise. Actually the driver is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet!
Picture Jeroen Booij

This very nice Finish Mini Marcos Mk4 may well have been furthest travelled
Picture Jeroen Booij

It looked stunning with steel wheels, ice blue paint and no stickers for a change
Picture Jeroen Booij

Joost van Dien's Dutch registered Mk3 has a distinctive rear spoiler
Picture Jeroen Booij

Hans-Joachim Lenzen's Mk4 is a real stunner. It may look modest but hides 140bhp
Picture Jeroen Booij

Another German Mk4 Mini Marcos, this one in Hrubon's famous Le Mans colour scheme
Picture Jeroen Booij

And then there's this one! Also a Mk4, owned by Neil Bayliss. Note unusual rear lights in roof
Picture Jeroen Booij

I do not know much about this Dutch registered Mk3 car other then that I like it
Picture Jeroen Booij

A similar Mk3 car but now from Sweden. It had a full roll bar and racy interior
Picture Jeroen Booij

German duo of sporty Mini Marcoses - Mk4 on left and Mk3 on the right
Picture Jeroen Booij

Another Mk4 on Belgian plates. I missed it but a fellow Dutchman snapped it
Picture Rolf Roozeboom

This much modified Mk4 shell is for sale. Let me know when you are interested in the details
Picture Jeroen Booij

Richard Porter is the for many the face of the Mini Marcos Owners Club. This is his Mini Jem Mk2
Picture Jeroen Booij

Over to the Midases. This one was easily missed jammed between the Mini saloons
Picture Jeroen Booij

Another Midas, this one on French plates and with big racing seats
Picture Jeroen Booij

Another Brit on Q-plates like several other Midases. Note Triumph TR7 rear lights
Picture Jeroen Booij

Gulf still provides a popular paint scheme. This Bronze is owned by Hans-Joachim Lenzen, too
Picture Jeroen Booij

The Gold convertible is quite rare. Seen here with the factory hardtop
Picture Jeroen Booij

Ed 'the Hat' Darwinkel's Midas Gold was there, too, but I missed you Ed!
Picture Jeroen Booij

Another very clean Midas Gold, and again it's from Germany
Picture Jeroen Booij


UPDATE 18 May: And there were even more Mini Marcoses as pictures sent in by readers show:

How could I miss Jouke Boersen's Mk4? It's been treated with a new set of wheels
Picture Jouke Boersen

No idea where this one hid, but it looks to be a racing car. Was it in the BMW MINI tent?
Picture Christian Sanmartin Castro

This Mk4 is owned by Neil Kilbane of Ireland, who won last year's Maximum Mini Christmas puzzle
Picture Christian Sanmartin Castro

This one is owned by Marcel van Eenennaam and comes with 7-port cylinder head
Picture Christian Sanmartin Castro