Remembering the Reptune GT (1)

Some interesting news has found its way to me regarding the Reptune GT, the Mini based sports car made in the Canada of the mid-1960s by the late Dennis Prophet (more here). First, a message came in from Joy Prophet. She wrote: "Good day Jeroen, My name is Joy Prophet and I am married to Louis Prophet, Dennis's youngest son. We just got to see the lovely article you wrote about dad. Thank you for that. But I would like to talk to you about an article you wrote about Stirling Moss's Ogle SX 1000 Mini (this one here). We may be able to shed some light on the history of this car. Feel free to call me or Louis to discuss. Sincerely, Joy Prophet."

And so I called Joy first and then Louis to hear what he had to tell. He said: "Ah, the Ogle SX1000. Dennis bought that car from Stirling Moss. This must have been in the early 1960s. Dad had bought this car and had brought it over to Canada. He ended up using that to build a plug for the Reptune GT, which you will be able to recognize in it. But they also stripped it of its interior and I still have the upholstery. I don't know where the mould for the GT ended up. But the Ogle got sold to Bob Dogson and I remember he was in this big building when we dropped it off. He had crates full of Lotuses of which he didn't even know what colours they were. It was in Burlington. I still have a shell of a Reptune GT that's never been built up as I have the upholstery of the Stirling Moss car."

Well, that was an interesting phone call!
I never knew the Reptune GT actually had ties that were that close to the Ogle SX1000, but now that I have looked better I feel stupid never to have made the connection before. Even the kink in the rear side window is there. I have looked up some pictures of both models from the same angles to show below. Have a look yourself. It would also be interesting to find out more about the history of the Moss Ogle, since it appears to have made its way from the UK to Canada while it's in Japan now (click here), although without its original interior or so it seems. Meanwhile, the moulds of the Reptune GT have been unearthed also, but that's for the next time!

Take a good look at the Reptune GT (left) and the Ogle SX1000 (right) and see the similarities

Pictures Jeroen Booij

Front and rear of the Reptune GT have been heavily modified but the Ogle was used to plug a mould

Pictures Jeroen Booij

Different front end doesn't give away the Ogle breeding easily. This Ogle was used to plug a mould

Pictures Jeroen Booij

Villa d'Este 2019: No prizes but amazing experience

This year's Concorso d'eleganza Villa d'Este is finished, and both Mini derivatives have now started their way home to Greece (John Reymondos' Austin Mini Beach Car) and the US (Jeff Lane's Gyro-X). Both cars didn't win any prizes, but attracted lots and lots of attention. John Reymondos: "Didn't win anything. Amazing experience. The beach car was a public favourite. Huge interest." That's awesome. Thanks for keeping us updated John!

The prototype Beach Car at Villa d'Este. No prizes, but huge interest

Picture John Reymondos

And the wacky Gyro-X in between the Lamborghini Marzal and the Ferrari Modulo

Picture Michael Hüby‎

The Lambo won its class and - it must be admitted - is a real show stopper

Picture Bloomberg.com

John managed to make some pictures of his car with a 600 Jolly at the shores of Lake Como

Picture John Reymondos

Found in a scrapyard in 2010 (here) and now at Europe's most prestigious motoring event

Picture John Reymondos

UPDATE 29 May: And a bonus picture that just had to be made!

Picture John Reymondos

UPDATE 6 June: Great film footage of the Gyro X in action at the concours - Click here

Belgian Mini Marcos is now for sale

What if you are looking for an exciting Mini based car and want to drive it this summer? To one of the many events that are held throughout the world to celebrate the Mini's 60th anniversary, for example. Then this Mk3 Mini Marcos may be just the ticket. The car is owned for over 10 years by its current owner who has driven it to many a rally, but has now decided to part with it.

It is in a very good condition with fast road engine and straight cut gear box, full cage and all the bells and whistles inside you'll need for rallying. It was seen on these pages (click here) during last year's Euregio Meeting at Spa in the Belgian Ardennes, not far from where it lives. What's more, it is correctly registered on Belgian plates and ready to go. Want to see the ad? Then click here.

This Mini Marcos is fully restored, correctly registered and ready to go

Picture Raphael Bran

It's 1972 Mk3 car with the opening tailgate, which was still an option at the time

Picture Raphael Bran

Nice solution to fit the front indicators: behind the Perspex headlight covers

Picture Raphael Bran

Car comes with 10" Minilights and Yokohamas A008 tyres plus an extra set

Picture Raphael Bran

Interior comes in rally style and includes plenty of switches plus Brantz tripmaster 

Picture Raphael Bran

There is also a full Superwelding roll cage installed

Picture Raphael Bran

Ian Sims passes away

If you have a copy of Maximum Mini 3 you may have read about a most unusual Australian Mini based car named Delilah (page 35). Despite its long nose, this car used the Mini engine behind its seats to drive the rear wheels, but then its creator used it as a camper also! That creator was Ian Sims of Ferntree Gully and I am sad to say that Ian has passed away earlier this week. The news came from Cam Cresswell who owns Delilah since 2007 and still loves the car very much.

Cam wrote: "Received some sad news this afternoon that Ian Sims, the designer and builder of my car 'Delilah' has today sadly passed away. Ian is known world-wide for his growth and innovation in the world of manufacturing and developing recumbent bicycles and trikes, and has certainly put Australia on the map. Ian was so full of knowledge and design, he was always ahead of the pack, and always had time for his customers and anyone that showed interest in his creations."

"I think myself very lucky that I have this vehicle, some of the history, and of course had the chance to speak with Ian about it, and it’s developments over the years. Delilah is a scratch built vehicle that was built from start to finish, and then registered by Ian. It makes use of a few different vehicles parts, however nearly everything has been researched, designed and this vehicle was Ian’s mode of transport throughout Melbourne for many years. If anyone is interested head over to Ian’s company page, and check out his cycles here."

Ian Sims reunited with his car, named Delilah and used by him for many years

Picture via Cam Cresswell

Below Delilah's unusually shaped body lies a spaceframe chassis of Ian's own design

Picture via Cam Cresswell

Seen here under development in November 1969. Mini engine originally was an 1100 

Picture via Cam Cresswell

Builder Ian Sims is seen here behind the wheel in 1970. Ian used the car 'as a camper' 

Picture via Cam Cresswell

Delilah with its original plywood body after it had just been finished in 1970

Picture via Cam Cresswell

A full body-off restoration was started several years before Cam bought the car in 2007

Picture via Cam Cresswell

A new body in plywood was then also made, slightly modified over the original body

Picture via Cam Cresswell

Delilah as it is today, now in the hands of current owner Cam Cresswell who is still full of it

Picture via Cam Cresswell

Beach Car to star at Villa d'Este - UPDATED

Four more days and the annual European concours of concourses is to take place at Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. In the words of the organizers themselves 'The most distinguished of all events celebrating the charisma of historic cars'.

Not any special car is allowed here on the manicured lawns, they just have to be a little extra special. And so prototype Beach Car owner John Reymondos thought he may well apply. Still, the surprise was big when he received a message last January. It wrote "Dear Mr Reymondos, We congratulate you to being part of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2019 and are honoured to inform you that your Austin Beach Car has been accepted." John added: "Finally, on my sixth application, I got in".

John's car is in Class C - 'Small and perfectly formed: the coachbuilder's art in miniature' and will rival six more cars, among them a Nardi bodied Seat and four Italian stallions with bodies from a variety of coachbuilders and one Fiat with standard Fiat body (how did that get in..?). See the full list of entrants here and note that another Mini powered car will make to the gardens of Villa d'Este: the Gyro-X of Geoff Lane, which will come out in Class H. Best of luck to both!

John Reymondos' prototype Beach Car will make it to the lawns of Villa d'Este in a couple of days

Imaging: Jeroen Booij

UPDATE 24 May, 19:30: John and the car have made it to Lake Como. And he just sent a couple of pictures to prove it!

Lake Como here we come!

Picture John Reymondos

Bright sun, bright smiles 

Picture John Reymondos

First Mini in the official Villa d'Este guide?

Picture John Reymondos

In the parking below the villa, next to something valuable

Picture John Reymondos

Ready to become best in class

Picture John Reymondos

Finally there after six attempts

Picture John Reymondos

Mystery Mini derivative (59)

I know nothing about this Mini based buggy, seen for sale some time ago. I don't think it is a known chassis, although it does look to have been made well. Do you know more?

Round tube steel chassis and aluminium plates. It's simple but it will do the trick

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

That's an A-series engine swapped around for sure, Mini or Metro? 

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

What a fun little machine. Is it meant for auto crossing?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Mini 25 at Donington Park - the variants

I was tipped off about this cool video by Pete Flanagan. It shows the 25th anniversary party of the Mini held at Donington Park in August 1984 as it was filmed by members of the Mini Club Oldenburg in Germany. From their arrival at the shores of Blighty (per hovercraft!) to the parade laps at the track. What's most interesting to me is that the filmers had a keen eye for the Mini based cars. 

Skip to 3.20 minutes to see a duo of TiCis, one of them being the works demonstrator, followed by a duo of Stimson Safari Sixes, one of them still being owned by Maximum Mini fan Colin Baines (this one). Then over to a Mini Marcos, an interesting hatchback Mini Cooper 'S', a Status Minipower (owned by Arthur Bills at the time, more here), an LDD Monaco and early Midas. Go ahead to 8.15 to see a Hustler Six, Hustler in Wood and - I think - Hustler Sport. Then at 8.50 there's that funny green mystery roadster seen here before (click here and here) and a Gecko, again the works demonstrator I think. The parade laps shows even more stuff such as the Michelotti Mini (ADO 70) and a Scamp six-wheeler. Pete wrote "You're gonna love this..." Well... I do! 

Status survivor

Good news coming from New Zealand regarding a Status Minipower covered in some mystery until recently (this one - click). Paul Wilkinson is the man to know more about it. He wrote: "Hi Jeroen. Just making sure you know we've found the NZ Status Minipower from your March post. I assume the owner has been in contact or that you at least know who it is? Cheers, Paul Wilkinson."
I haven't heard from him yet, but would love to! Best thing is to know that it survives, though.

Status Minipower survives in New Zealand. More info would be appreciated

Picture Paul Wilkinson

Cool Ogle SX1000 is now for sale

Another interesting Ogle related message came in from Geoff Hunter earlier this week. Geoff is a long-term SX1000 owner and it was one of his cars I photographed for the original Maximum Mini book all the way back in 2006. At the time Geoff had another Ogle in his back garden, which he'd then just bought but it was quite a special car to him. In fact he'd owned this car in its early life. At the time when I saw it it was nothing more than a bare shell, but Geoff worked hard on its restoration and had it finished in 2013.

He now wrote to me, about its history: "This car, chassis no. 5 manufactured by the Ogle Design Company in July 1962 had a 997cc Mini Cooper engine installed. I acquired the car around mid-summer 1967 and used it as my every day car including trips in Spain for annual holidays until late 1971 when I sold it to Patrick Adam of Brighton who had visited me on four previous occasions asking me to sell the car to him. By that time I was provided with a company owned car and it needed a new floorpan which was beyond my abilities. Then in late November 2005 I caught sight of an advertisement for the car and discovered it in a dismantled state not too far from me near to the Welsh border so I bought it back to restore."

This when I saw it as a bare shell in Geoff's garden. Geoff started the car's restoration after that and had it back on the road in November 2013, with some other projects having delayed the restoration. In 2017 Geoff drove it over to Blyton Park and told me then he was thinking of selling it. He now writes: "I said last year that I would sell the Ogle and at last I am finally getting around to it. I have driven it only about 3,000 miles since rebuilding it and this is due mainly to increasing mobility difficulties. Access and particularly egress is difficult. Bucket seats and mini suspension does not help to provide a comfortable ride so as age has gained the upper hand I give up the battle and sadly it has to go. You suggested I provide you with a full spec which you could put into your website so I have appended it."

The car is lovely in every respect, Geoff did make some modernizations to it though. Engine and gearbox come from a 1989 MG Metro, which had done 62,000 miles and which he had professionally rebuilt. The gearbox was also restored professionally at the same time. Geoff: "I understand that this range of engines had the best crank and camshaft of all BMC/BL A type engines before they went on to MPI engines in the Rover and it has loosened up nicely after about 2,000 miles and is running strongly. My other Ogle, No 61 Reg No. 889 RJH which you featured in your first volume of Maximum Mini is now in San Jose, California belonging to Wade Ogle, a collector of notable American muscle cars. He takes it to Californian shows and it always attracts a crowd around it."
See the advertisment here and feel free to contact me when you are interested.

A rare chance to become the owner of a truly lovely Ogle SX1000

Picture Jeroen Booij

Geoff Hunter bought this Ogle in 1967 as an every day car. He also drove it to Spain every year

Picture Geoff Hunter

Mister and Mrs. Geoffrey Hunter and their Ogle SX1000 '163 TPD' somewhere in the 1960s

Picture Geoff Hunter

'163 TPD' as found back by Geoff Hunter in late 2005, and photographed here in 2006

Picture Jeroen Booij

And again, now in the background, with Geoff's other Ogle in front. That car is now in California

Picture Jeroen Booij

Geoff with '163 TPD' fully restored in 2017. He now wants to sell it. See the ad here

Picture Jeroen Booij

Ogle's earlier life in a picture

The Ogle SX1000 seen here last week (click here) prompted some of you to write to me. Thank you  David Markham, Neil Griffin and Paul Fleetwood. All three messages were pretty similar, with David's the most comprehensive one, so I shall quote from his message. He wrote:

"Hi Jeroen, I have just been reading your Maximum Mini blog which, as always, I found most interesting. You recently posted a piece about an Ogle SX1000, registered 7413 MX, a London (Middlesex) registration number. Back in December last year I purchased an Ogle brochure and original Autosport roadtest of an Ogle from Ebay. The seller mentioned that his or her father used to own an Ogle in the early 1960s and they included a photo of the car in the description, although the photo itself wasn't for sale."

"I'm afraid that I didn't ask any more questions and I don't think that I have the seller's name but I did save a copy of the photo and, as you can see, it is of 7413 MX! Obviously I don't have the copyright but as the photo was on Ebay you may be able to make use of it. Hope this is of interest."

Thanks chaps. It certainly is. I have included a copy of the picture below. If you feel I shouldn't use it here as you own the copyright, please let me know. If you know more about the car, please do the same.

The ex-Sandy Skinner Ogle SX1000 before he owned it and without the modified bonnet

Picture source unknown / Ebay

Blyton Park 2019

So I wasn't present at Blyton Park or at Stoneleigh Park this year. A shame, I know. But fortunately one of my most avid readers was there and sent over some photographs. Rolf Roozeboom wrote: "Miss you, Jeroen, but can manage without you!" Thank you very much indeed. Over to the pictures!

Local man Goff Allen has become a real regular at Blyton. This year his Jem won Best Variant

Picture Rolf Roozeboom

Now that's a wedge! Kevin Murray's Status 356 was a real crowd puller

Picture Rolf Roozeboom

Kevin managed to finish the car just in time for the event en ran it on the track

Picture Tony Bucknall

I understand that certain people in Scotland make jokes about the Status, hence its nick name

Picture Tony Bucknall

Not one but two MiniSprints from France! Brought over by Nicolas Pinon

Picture Matthijs Fokkens

And a lovely Mini Minus in its full fibreglass glory

Picture Rolf Roozeboom

Plus another. This one is owned by Jonathan Faulkner

Picture Rolf Roozeboom

Another Blyton regular and local - John Fischer with the Peel Viking rescued last year

Picture Rolf Roozeboom

Perhaps not the first choice to use as a towing vehicle!

Picture Tony Bucknall

Peter Skitt's Cox GTM is a lovely project car

Picture Matthijs Fokkens

Guy Loveridge brought over his Ogle SX1000. He wrote: the SX1000 is a lot more sorted now, had you down for some laps..."

Picture Tony Bucknall

Midas Bronze of Joël Notermans from Belgium

Picture Rolf Roozeboom

Organizers Pete Flanagan (left) and Mark Forster (right) with guest speaker Christabel Carlisle

Picture Rolf Roozeboom