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Thursday, 2 March 2017

Autocrossing an early MiniJem

We saw Mike Brown's MiniJem moulds and possible works racer earlier this week, but how about this photograph, sent over to me by Nick Yarrow? It's of a Mk1 Jem being autocrossed at Wildcam in 1979. Driver is believed to be Jeff Hawkins, who was the BTRDA Autocross champion of 1978. I couldn't find anything else on him in the Maximum Mini files, but did find another photograph of a Mk1 Jem in autocross. This one taken much earlier, in July 1967 at Orchards. It may be the same car? Registration is 'OLL 390E', which is a London number issued that same year. Who knows more about it or them?

UPDATE 15 March 2017: Ian Davies shares his anecdotes and photographs of the car with us! Click here

UPDATE 27 March 2017: More about the car from the Hawkins family themselves. Click here 

Early MiniJem being in Wildcam autocross in 1979. Does it survive?
Picture via Nick Yarrow

And could this be the same car, snapped 13 years before? Registration is OLL 390E
Picture Jeroen Booij archive

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6 comments:

  1. Anonymous7 March 2017 at 20:33

    The wildcam jem became mae west the jem with two bumps in the roof. It is now in Germany apparently.
    Mike

    ReplyDelete
  2. IanD19659 March 2017 at 19:42

    I owned the car from 1985 to 1989. It was very rough and still had all the racecar paint and stickers on. It took me 5 yrs to have it ready for the road .... complete with zagato style bumps in the roof .
    I was tempted to sell in order to buy a Hillclimb prepared jem mk2 that I still have!
    I can post more images if you like?
    Regards
    Ian Davies

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maximum Mini10 March 2017 at 08:33

      That would be lovely Ian! Could you send them over to jeroen at jeroenbooij dot com? I'd love to write another article on it.

      Delete
  3. Unknown22 March 2017 at 09:37

    Hi this is John Hawkins Jeff Hawkins brother please contact me at her johnhawkinsracing @gmail.com I would love to discuss our times owning this great car

    ReplyDelete
  4. IanD196522 March 2017 at 21:49

    Hello John
    Have sent a message , is that a space after your name in the address?
    Regards
    Ian Davies

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous9 September 2023 at 02:28

    I currently own OLL390E which was taken to Perth, Australia by its then owner. Some 20 odd years ago I bought it from a person in Adelaide in extremely poor condition and with many parts missing. I have nearly finished the restoration in Sydney. The paperwork that came with the car confirms it is indeed the same car.

    ReplyDelete