Timeire on the Isle of Man

Stephen Callow dropped me a line titled 'Timeire on the Isle of Man (Hill climb circa '73)', which is certainly one good way to get my attention. 

Timeire was the name of a one-off Mini Van based Special built by Irishman Tim Conroy and his father Patrick 'Pop' Conroy in the late 1960s. After getting in touch with Tim Conroy's son Martin some years ago I found out that the car used a 998 Cooper engine and was raced by Rob Mason at Brands Hatch before well-known racer Gerry Marshall took it to the Isle of Man for a hill climb in 1970. Martin also told me it was sold as a road car in 1973 and was written off and scrapped about a year later. 

Where did Stephen find this superb shot? He wrote: "A contact shared a couple of hill climb pics – September 73 we think." So that would likely have been after Conroy sold it. Or could it be Gerry Marshall in 1970 after all? What's interesting also is that the car appears to have a registration that I have never seen on it on any other picture: '658 CXP' or '658 CXR'. What can we make of that..?

The one-off Mini based Timeire is seen here in a hill climb at the Isle of Man

Picture courtesy Stephen Callow

Detail shot seems to reveal registration '658 CXP' or is it '658 CXR'?

Picture courtesy Stephen Callow

RTVs find new homes

I've been overwhelmed with messages about the Ogle SX1000 find (this one) - thank you all. In the meantime I've already found out a little more about the car's history and will write an update on that soon. There's some exiting news in the pipeline, I think.

One message came from fellow-Ogle owner and -racer Mark Burnett. He wrote: "Hey Jeroen. Love, love the Ogle, great find! Thought you might be interested in a recent purchase of mine... It’s a great thing. Needs a few little jobs doing (don’t they always!) but otherwise up and running! Best, Mark." That's a cool RTV - Rough Terrain Vehicle - thank you!

And it's not the only RTV that's moved about recently. Tyler Hughes also wrote to me some weeks ago: "Secrets out! Me and my dad have now restored an extremely early RTV! It's had a sympathetic restoration with all panels off, painted and re-fixed, full suspension rebuild with no bolt left untouched plus modifications to the rear to accommodate disc brakes at the rear and solving the issue of self steer! Bought of Tim from Hastings and it performed extremely well at the Scamp AGM picnic and is capable beyond our nerves.  Andrew MacLean has had a big input and assistance to get it done in time." Love it Tyler, thank you, too!

Tyler's dad Pete demonstrating the capabilities of the RTV at the latest Scamp picnic

Picture courtesy Tyler Hughes

 Tyler restored it together with his dad and with the assistance of Andrew MacLean

Picture courtesy Tyler Hughes

 It's believed to be a very early example of the RTV (Rough Terrain Vehicle) 

Picture courtesy Tyler Hughes

 The RTV was designed by Robert Mandry of Scamp Motor Company fame

Picture courtesy Tyler Hughes

 Another RTV was bought recently by Ogle SX1000 racer Mark Burnett 

Picture courtesy Mark Burnett

The Belgian Ogle SX1000 barn find

Don't tell me that all the good barn finds have been found by now. If you are determined to find a car, you will find it, or so I believe. I'd heard about an Ogle SX1000, one of just 6 left hand driven cars, that was sold new to Belgium and supposedly still there, somewhere. To cut one long story very short - I found it - in a barn. 

It's a non-runner but also a unique car, which has seen some work done to it, but which is also still mostly very original. Apart from the engine (a later 998), the wiring (a real mess), the carpeting (replaced) and the bumpers (missing) all of the parts seem to be there, with even some spares. Some minor welding has been done to the front floors, but even those still seem to be the originals. What's more: the original Belgian registration document is there, dated July 1962. I have found out some of its history yet and found that the car was sold through Jaguar dealer and Mini racer Julien Vernaeve of Ghent when new, supposedly to a doctor. The original registration is in the name of a lady, whom I still hope to track down. Were there ever any other lhd cars that were sold on the European mainland? I'm not sure but don't think so.

So... after a lot of deliberation and negotiation the car is now here with me in The Netherlands. As with genuine barn finds it was very dusty and I took plenty of pictures of it in that state. However, I gave it a wash this morning and was surprised how well it came out. Oh, that great colour is a Jaguar Bronze seen on E-types of the same era, and I think it's one of the best hues for the SX1000. So... there you go... another myth debunked and great find found! Do let me know what you think.

An Ogle SX1000 sold new to Belgium, which was hidden there until last week

Picture Jeroen Booij

A non-runner, but it seems very original to me with most of the parts there

Picture Jeroen Booij

1 of 6 left hand driven cars, it's possibly the only one sold new to the European continent?

Picture Jeroen Booij

Bumpers are missing and rear lights are not the originals but it's quite complete

Picture Jeroen Booij

The paint colour is Jaguar Bronze seen on one or two more Ogle SX1000s

Picture Jeroen Booij

Garage Viaene was a former owner, but Jaguar dealer Julien Vernaeve originally sold it

Picture Jeroen Booij

Supposedly sold to a doctor, I hope to find out more about its early history now

Picture Jeroen Booij

Interior needs work with the wiring a real mess but again, it seems complete

Picture Jeroen Booij

That's the cover to get access to the petrol tank, battery and spare wheel

Picture Jeroen Booij

Doors open and close beautifully. The SX1000 was a well developed car

Picture Jeroen Booij

Unfortunately the original Cooper 1000 engine has been replaced by a standard 1000

Picture Jeroen Booij

69 Ogle SX1000 were made and they are one of the most sought after Mini derivatives

Picture Jeroen Booij

It's not perfect and needs plenty of work, but isn't that a real beauty?

Picture Jeroen Booij

Visiting Hambly Cars

You may have heard of Derek Hambly who revived the good old GTM as the Hambly Coupe in 2016 as a retirement project and who'd built a number of cars since (more here). Latest is a stunning reincarnation of 'LLG 187G', which may be better known as The Green Mean Machine to you, or the very first car built by Howard Heerey back in 1969 (more here). 

When I saw a picture of the car at the Stoneleigh show at the end of August I knew I wanted to see it in the flesh, so it was good to be over in the UK once again last week. Derek and his little team were happy to have me and show me around, take lots of pictures of their latest car and have a cup of tea. Thank you guys! I will write a more comprehensive article about Hambly Cars and 'LLG' later. 

The Hambly Cars dream team. Left to right: Edward, Anna Maria and Derek

Picture Jeroen Booij

The Green Mean Machine is back now, thanks to Derek Hambly and his team

Picture Jeroen Booij

The car has become a real stunner with great attention to detail thanks to its owner

Picture Jeroen Booij

Correct badging, only the paint colour is different, now a Corvette metallic green

Picture Jeroen Booij

10" Dunlop D1 wheels, Fiat 850 rear lights, even number plates of the correct type

Picture Jeroen Booij

The engine is a 1275, originally it was an 'S' with twin SUs and hot cam set at 7,000rpm

Picture Jeroen Booij

Interior looks great, too, in all its simplicity and period correct-ness

Picture Jeroen Booij

Derek Hambly in his workshop. He and his little team do and make just about anything themselves

Picture Jeroen Booij

Another early car that is now ready to be built. Note original chassis behind it

Picture Jeroen Booij

Derek had just come from the local circuit of Brands Hatch where he'd been racing his own car

Picture Jeroen Booij

Visiting a reader in the UK

Reader Stephen Bulling got in touch just a year or two ago, and with such interesting messages that I was eager to catch up when in the UK next time. Despite the current rules making a visit to the country not particularly easy I did manage to do so last week and did meet up with Stephen in Essex. His hearth is full with Mini based cars and he owns a lovely little collection of them. Below is a selection of photographs of some of Stephen's cars, an Ogle SX1000, a Mini powered Davrian Mk7 and a Mini recently converted by Neville Trickett into a MiniSprint. Thanks for having me Stephen and taking the time to show me around.

Stephen was not the only person I visited in the country. Later this week I'll post some more pictures that were taken during another fabulous meeting. Stay tuned.

Stephen Bulling bought this Ogle SX1000 in 2007. It's now been fully restored

Picture Jeroen Booij

It is equipped with a 1275 with multipoint injection and airconditioning. He uses it!

Picture Jeroen Booij

An avid Maximum Mini reader, Stephen knows his Mini derivatives and owns several

Picture Jeroen Booij

Among them also this Davrian Mk7 racer. It will be turned into a road car soon 

Picture Jeroen Booij

Most of the Davrians came with Imp power - this is a rare mid-Mini-engined example

Picture Jeroen Booij

And how about this? A proper MiniSprint by master coachbuilder Neville Trickett

Picture Jeroen Booij

The car needs finishing touches but the mechanicals are ready, again it's Mpi powered

Picture Jeroen Booij

Is Nick's Heerey the missing show car..?

The Heerey GTM found by Nick Wilkins in a farm yard earlier this month (click here) may hide an interesting background. Its ultra-1970s metalflake purple paint has struck a chord by builder Howard Heerey. 

Nick wrote: "The car is getting more interesting. Howard Heerey remembers a nail varnish purple show car being built... This one was built to a very high standard and was fully trimmed in side with purple carpet. It’s fitted with a servo and the full heater. It’s got Cibie Iode headlights. 6 inch Cosmic wheels with Goodyear Rally Specials on. The speedo only shows 19 miles, which looking at the tyres would be right as they still have the moulding tits on them. The engine is an 1098 with extra stays off the remote. The body is in fantastic condition with traces of the twin pin stripe still visible on some of the paint. The tub is very rotten so will need lots of love or even a new one. It’s just turning in to a fun car to try and trace its history as it must have been quite special to have been finished to such a high standard. The windscreen is dated 1971 and I will look at the dates on the switch gear when we get it apart. The story continues... who knows might be the missing show car…"

Well, that is interesting indeed. Does somebody remember having seen the car in the early 1970s? I guess it's one you wouldn't forget about too soon...

Much of the 'nail varnish purple' paint has flaked off, but not all

Picture Nick Wilkins

The speedo only shows 19 miles, which looking at the tyres could be right

Picture Nick Wilkins

The engine is an 1098 with extra stays off the remote

Picture Nick Wilkins

The body is in fantastic condition but the tub is very rotten. Note plastic petrol tank

Picture Nick Wilkins

Cibie Iode headlights are quite special and not too easy to find

Picture Nick Wilkins

Air intakes at the back are a specific feature not seen on all the Heereys

Picture Nick Wilkins

Is this the most 1970s paint colour that there ever was?

Picture Nick Wilkins

Corbeau seats are another thing specific for the period. Glass is all there

Picture Nick Wilkins

Biota works racer: BUY 1OR2

A message from Tim Harber: "Just posting this link when I put 1972 into this library. There’s hours of fun looking at old clips but if you look at the 'Scene ‘72 Take 7' film you will see a millisecond of the 'Works' Biota BUY1OR2 from the rear. All good fun…" (click here to see it)

"Oh, Jeroen: BUY1OR2 comes from when some notable Mk2 racing Jaguars in the sixties had the registration BUY 1 and BUY 12. That is Buy One or BUY One Too. Hence BUY One or Two. Not a proper reg but a bit of a piss take."

Good one Tim, thanks!

BUY 1OR2 - Buy one or two... "Not a proper reg but a bit of a piss take"

Picture via Tim Harber

BUY 1 - the infamous Jaguar Mk2 racer's registration was an inspiration

Picture southdownsecure.com

As was its sister car: 'BUY 12', seen here with Graham Hill behind the wheel

Picture flickr.com

Scamp six-wheeler survivors

It's not very often that you come across a barn find Scamp six-wheeler, but two of them turned up in about a week's time. First there was the Mk2 rescued from one very rural barn by arch-Maximum Mini fan Tony Bucknall. Tony went there for another car and took the Scamp as a bonus. However, the barn was so full of stuff, he could only see the front of it. He wrote: "The Scamp I really didn’t want! And until it was dragged out I didn’t know it was a 6 wheeler! It has Cooper 'S' brakes, carbs and braided hoses. I think it was destined to be a nice build, but has been sat well over a decade."

The other car re-appearing is another Mk2 that has been seen lying in the woods for ages but is now rescued by Darren West and Mickey Bates. It's got some unusual features such as a curved windscreen and sliding doors and it looks very much deteriorated, but Darren sees a challenge in that. He wrote on Facebook: "We hope to get it back up and running". It would be fantastic to see these cars being brought back to life! 

UPDATE 16:00: John Keith Halliday writes: "Hi Jeroen. Just read your article on the six-wheelers. The second one looks like a Mk1. You can see rear subframes and the sides look lower than a Mk2 (although difficult to see sides with the sliding door open). Thank you for all your articles. Keep up the good work. All the best." Thank you John, I think you are right!

Tony found another Scamp: "But until it was dragged out I didn’t know it was a 6-wheeler!"

Picture Tony Bucknall

Hooked up behind his van and ready to be transported for the first time in ages

Picture Tony Bucknall

The Scamp six-wheeler will join Tony's collection of Mini based cars. He has quite a few!

Picture Tony Bucknall

"It has Cooper 'S' brakes, carbs and braided hoses. I think it was destined to be a nice build"

Picture Tony Bucknall

Another Scamp six-wheeler spent much of its life deep in the woods

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

But the car has now been rescued also, this time by Darren West and Mickey Bates

Picture Darren West

Another challenging restoration but Darren wrote: "We hope to get it back up and running"

Picture Darren West