Maximum Mini: May 2023

Tuesday, 30 May 2023

Fantastic Heerey GTM now for sale

Back in early 2022 Andy Parkinson got in touch about a derelict Heerey GTM he'd found and planned to restore. It certainly was a challenging project but Andy cracked on with it and really surprised me when it was finished and back on the road within a year or so. He tackled just about everything on the car, apart from the paint as he left the body in its 'as found' condition, which I think is just marvelous. We found out it was an early Howard Heerey-built car with the correct chassis plate and registration. It was sold in 1970 but only registered in 1974 and on the road up until '89.

Andy surprised me again this week, when he announced to offer the car for sale. "Yes Jeroen, I sadly decided to sell it. I have my Mk1 Mini that's on the road and also an AMC Cub to restore so something has to go due to lack of space." Well, it certainly is quite a chance for somebody else to own a freshly restored and fantastic car now. See the ad here.

Andy's 1970 Heerey GTM, first registered in 1974 and now for sale

Picture Andy Parkinson

Don't let the paint job mislead you. This car is fully restored underneath

Picture Andy Parkinson

Great interior with all the right period bits and pieces in place, ready to go
Picture Andy Parkinson

Engine has been fully rebuilt, too, all the specs are in the advertisement

Picture Andy Parkinson

Alloy 3 core radiator, baffled custom alloy fuel tank, fully rebuilt suspension and much more

Picture Andy Parkinson

1275 A+ engine before it went in, with MG Metro cam, big valve cylinder head, 1.5” rockers etc...

Picture Andy Parkinson

And a walkaround video to give an even better impression about it...

Video Andy Parkinson

...Plus one of the engine running

Video Andy Parkinson

Friday, 26 May 2023

Howard Heerey shares some stories

Manchester-man Howard Heerey, who lives in Australia for many years now, shares some of his stories and photographs on Facebook every now and then. And his latest message was too good not to share here. He wrote:

"1966 was the beginning of my involvement with GTM. I watched Jack Hosker build the first prototype in the workshop of Cox’s garage in Hazel Grove. My father's Ford dealership was just across the road and at the beginning of '67 Bernard Cox asked me to race the original yellow 1275Cox GTM. I was already chasing the Clubman Championship in my Chevron and driving for VW in Formula V, so it was quite a challenge racing all three at the same race meet. In 1968 Jack built me a new GTM to compete in the 1150cc GT category while I was also campaigning a full season in F3, but we did have success with GTM until the oversteer caught me out at the Esso bend at Oulton. I actually disappeared through the sign and badly damaged the GTM against one of the uprights. That was the end of the racing and the start of us moving production down to our garage and getting to grips with building them."

Lovely! Below some great pictures from Howard's files to go with it.

Talking about evoking the spirit of racing in the 1960s! Note Midland Garage Racing van

Picture Howard Heerey

The first (prototype) Cox GTM with a young Howard Heerey at the wheel

Picture Howard Heerey

That's Howard getting ready for some action. Note unusual placing of oil cooler at the back

Picture Howard Heerey

A rare sight these days, but a unique sight in 1966 when this was the first GTM

Picture Howard Heerey

Monday, 15 May 2023

Taking the Ogle to EMWalhalla

Last year I took the Ogle to a meeting called 'EMWalhalla' in Raamsdonksveer (click!), but it was on a trailer at the time, with the car just about in its 'as found' condition, pretty rough with not even a wiring loom in it. Now that the engine has been made running again, the suspension is mostly sorted, the correct rear lights are in and work, too, and it is even road-registered correctly I thought it would be fun to take it out to the same meeting last weekend. This time under its own power.

It was an excellent test drive, two hours up and two hours down. I'd mapped out the route and took just a few small stretches of motorway, with most of the driving carried out on b-roads. I now know that I really need a new radiator (too much leakage) as well as a new steering rack (too much play) but these didn't stop the fun as it was a lovely sunny day and a beautiful drive. The show itself was good fun, too, with many cars attending and meeting up with some old friends. The pictures below were taken by Paul Spek and do certainly make the car look good (way better than it is)!

Oh - and that's not all: there is news coming up on the restoration of the Le Mans Mini Marcos, yes, really! Stay tuned.

The Ogle behaved very well on the drive to and from the 'EMWalhalla event' last weekend

Picture Paul Spek

It joined hundreds of cars and despite its size attracted lots of attention

Picture Paul Spek

Tuesday, 9 May 2023

Bill Buckle passes away

Another legendary motoring man who fitted in so well with Maximum Mini has left us today at the age of 96: Bill Buckle, who designed, built and marketed his coupe version of the Mini from his Brookvale BMC dealership in Australia: the pretty Buckle Monaco. After having visited the 1953 London Motor Show, Buckle came up with the idea to launch a fibreglass bodied car in Australia. This became the 2.5 litre Ford Zephyr engined Buckle Coupe, which was made in very small numbers. His next vehicle, the Goggomobil Dart, was a real hit with about 700 made.

In 1966 Buckle announced the Monaco as a conversion for the Mini. For $400 you could have your Mini or Mini Cooper converted in a sleek coupe with fibreglass roof. This new roof was made of polycarbonate and was supported by added hoops. The standard Mini front screen was raked back to give the body better aerodynamics. The rear screen was made of polycarbonate, while the side screens were Perspex. Around 30 Monaco’s were built, most based on Australian-built Mini Cooper S's.