Friday 29 January 2021
The forgotten Midas Mini Marcos prototype
Thursday 28 January 2021
More snow bound Mini derivatives
Tuesday 26 January 2021
Mystery Mini Derivative (71) - Ice Racing edition
Friday 22 January 2021
54 Years ago - Racing Car Show 1967
Regular contributor Karsten Stelk came across another great photograph of the London Racing Car show of January 1967, this month 54 years ago, and he was kind enough to share it. In the center of the picture we see the Marcos Components stand with three Mini Marcoses on display. I believed the show on which Marcos built a car at the spot took place in 1968, but I seem to be wrong after all as these photographs by Tommy Jaggerwal who was there, certainly seem to be taken at the same venue. Thank you Karsten!
Wednesday 20 January 2021
New Zealand MiniSprint: Crashed, rebuilt and... disappeared
Tuesday 19 January 2021
The adventures of a happy Scamper
Friday 15 January 2021
GRV Project X is not a Hustler. But does it survive?
Wednesday 13 January 2021
Mini Marcos Mk1 competition car started (well... almost)
Monday 11 January 2021
Ben and the Dutch Peel Viking GT
One of the first to phone me up in the new year was Ben Konst - the man who'd imported the Peel Viking GT to The Netherlands in the 1960s, and who bought back his old demonstrator some two years ago now (several articles here).
Ben, 79 years at the moment but ever so spritely, had a few questions. He will be going to the Dutch authorities later this week to get the car's registration back on track. As I was around a week later I thought I'd pop in to say hello. And I was pleasantly surprised. The last two years or so Ben had several other cars to work on, but by this time he has started work on the Viking and has managed to buy several parts that had gone missing after we found the car in a German shed. Among them a correct engine with 'magic wand' gearbox, since it had been fitted with a later Innocenti engine with remote type gearbox.
He is still looking for some parts, among them a set of Mk1 Cosmic wheels, as his car now comes with just one, so if you happen to have a few lying around and want to part with them, let me know. For now: best of luck at the registration office!
UPDATE 14 January 2021: Approved!
Thursday 7 January 2021
ABC Tricars - how many left?
When I was looking for a proper ABC Tricar to photograph for Maximum Mini 2 ages ago, I made a little list with cars known (see it here). But as this is some 10 years now (!) I thought it would be time for an update, as there is much more known now and with recent Tricar activity stirring it up, too.
TFD 47G - The prototype. This car has been found and is under restoration now. (more here)
XFD 90H - This was the company's demonstrator. I understand it survives but haven't seen it
AFD 95J - Bronze yellow - previously owned by Robert Bradley, supposedly had a racing engine
BFD 41J - Bronze yellow - no further information
BFD 88J - Red - Clubman nose, owned by ABC's Bill Powell's son Trevor when new (more here)
CFD 39J - Light Blue - body almost unrecognizably modified
CFD 40J - Red - No further information
EFD 469K - Red - owned by Mike Rogers in the 1970s, then sold to a man in Upminster (more here)
HFD 601K - Red - fully restored by Roy Kirkham, featured in Maximum Mini 2 (here)
LFD 504L - Bronze yellow - now in the USA in a brighter yellow colour
LFD 984L - Green - Rear end after crash in the late-1970s
Unknown black car - Said to be a Tricar but I'm not sure