Analyzing the Le Mans Mini Marcos (5)

I have told you that Peter and Paul of Seventies Car Restoration are now working on my car's body (click here) and give me a call regularly with their latest news. I was curious how the state of the doors was and was not disappointed. I also wondered if anything of the old number 50, painted in black onto the white racing roundels could still be traced, and Paul did his very best to search for that. Peter wrote to me: "Paul has traced it, lining it up with the door edge for recreation as it was. On the passenger door you can clearly see the remains of a 'five' and a 'zero'." Well… clearly may be a bit of an exagaration, but with some good will, you can indeed see that some of the lines of the '5' and the '0' are still there. Finding them back completely would be impossible as the roundel wore a different number several times after Le Mans, too. I have attached some historical photographs below in chronological order to show you the racing numbers it used in its early days.

Le Mans test on 3 april 1966. The Mini Marcos already wears its famous number 50

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Monza 1000 kms on 25 april 1966. It's Number 51 in this race, where it came 26th overall

Picture Eric della Faille / Jeroen Booij archive

Le Mans 24 hours on 18 and 19 june 1966. Number 50 for it's most famous race

Picture Jeroen Booij archive / through Enguerrand Lecesne

Here in the 1000 kms of Paris at the Montlhery track on 16 October 1966 - number 17

Picture Jeroen Booij archive / through Enguerrand Lecesne

The 1000 kms of Paris a year later in 1967, now with number 34. Shortly before being repainted and sold

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

This is the same right hand door as seen above, with the '5' of '50' lined out, click for bigger

Picture Peter Skitt

And this is where the '0' of '50' is placed. Look good and note that some of it is still there…

Picture Peter Skitt

And the same door again, now with all the paint taken off. Apart from one crack it's in a fine shape

Note filled holes for side lights to illuminate the racing number during the night

Picture Peter Skitt

And a nice bonus image. The original bonnet strap on the left. The holes to have it fitted were revealed by rubbing off all the paint layers and are clearly visible on the car now (right)

Pictures Jeroen Booij archive / Peter Skitt

Earlier articles in this series:

Analyzing the Le Mans Mini Marcos (1) - Paint layers

Analyzing the Le Mans Mini Marcos (2) - Holes for lights and details

Analyzing the Le Mans Mini Marcos (3) - Petrol tank, roll bar, pedals

Analyzing the Le Mans Mini Marcos (4) - Floors and roll bar