And the nominees for Find of the Year are...

It's time to introduce you to the nominees for the 'Maximum Mini 2017 Find of the Year'. There were 10 cars suitable for a nomination - I picked out 5 of which I think they are the best. Now it's up to you to decide which one wins the title.

You will find the cars that have made it to the contest below. To vote simply go to the poll on the right side of this blog (click here if you read this through an email message) where you tick the box of your favourite find. The one with the most votes wins - it's simple as that. Now, over to the candidates

1. The Brickette racer

Initially a mystery Mini based racer, this Australian find turned out to be the Melbourne-build Brickette single seater, of which supposedly six were made. 

Full story here

1. Dame Margot Fonteyn's coachbuilt Mini

It may have been based on a humble Mini 850, but this car was coachbuilt as early 

as in 1961 and... not just for any lady - Fonteyn was a prima ballerina

Full story here

3. The Dutch Biota Mk1.5

This long-lost Biota is unique as it's no Mk1 and no Mk2 but a mixture of both since its Dutch builder preferred it just like that originally

Full story here

4. The Australian Ogle SX1000

From England to Malaya to Australia - this Ogle SX1000 spent it's early life travelling. It was recently re-found and re-purchased by its earlier Australian owner

Full story here

5. The Swiss Stimson Mini Bug

Very slowly information about the Stimsons that were sold officially in Switzerland comes to the light. This Luzern-registered car is one of them

Full story here

More Brickette racers unearthed

Early this year photos of an Australian Mini based single seat racer, which seemed to link with Nota Cars at the the time, came by (click here). We wondered what it was. Well, things didn't last all too long. It took Jon Scott a week to find out it was named Brickette and probably built in a run of six in Melbourne (click here). They were supposedly built by the Hume brothers, not by Nota Engineering.

I can now say there's even more information as Alan Mead of Victoria, Australia, contacted me about the Brickette. He wrote: "Hi, I also have a Brickette, which is blue and I have photos of two other cars that are both red. I would be interested to make contact to further cover the history of these cars and how many were made." I'd like to learn more, too. Who helps us out?

Another Melbourne-built Brickette racer, seen here with its body on...

Picture Alan Mead

...and with the body off. Mini engine was placed in a modified Mini subframe

Picture Alan Mead

That's the car owned by Alan, with his son behind the wheel. Six were supposedly made

Picture Alan Mead

This picture comes from the cover of an Australian Mini club's magazine cover. 

Who was the man racing it?

Picture Alan Mead

It's one of two red Brickette's seen in the Aussie racing scene of the 1980s

Picture Alan Mead

The duo is seen here again in what has to be the paddock of a racing track

Picture Alan Mead

And here on the circuit itself. Note diminutive size! Do these cars survive?

Picture Alan Mead

Mystery Nota racer now named

Nothing beats a bit of old fashioned sleuthing work, and Jon Scott has put his teeth into the mysterious single-seater shown here last week (click). He found out quite a lot more and wrote to me: "The green single seater is called 'The Brickette' and was made by the Hume brothers here in Melbourne. Six or so made. I think the chassis was Nota and the body was by the Hume bros. There where three in the Victoria Mini Club way back, one yellow, one red and one green. I got some old photographs from Bob O'Grady in Melbourne, an old bloke who's deaf, which makes him hard to understand. He is also going blind and has badly fitting falses, nice bloke otherwise. Leave it with me for a bit and I'll get an old man translator to chat with Bob. I'll keep you in the info loop as more comes to light." Thanks Jon!

'The Brickette'is believed to be one of six racers, build by the Hume brothers in Melbourne

Picture Bob O'Grady, via Jon Scott 

Members of the Victoria Mini Club had three of them at one time. There is at least one survivor

Picture Bob O'Grady, via Jon Scott 

This is Bob O'Grady's car at an unknown venue, probably in the late 1960s

Picture Bob O'Grady, via Jon Scott 

Survivor (top) compared to Nota Engineering's Formula Vee chassis. Some similarities

Picture Jon Scott / Nota Engineering

UPDATE 12 December: More Brickette racers unearthed. Click here

Nota Formula Libre racer is shrouded in mystery

Nota enthusiast Jon Scott of Australia contacted me about a Mini based racer. Jon owns two Nota Fangs himself and believes this car to link to Nota's history, too. He wrote: "It's an open wheel hill climb race car built as a prototype in the late 60s by Nota Engineering for what is believed to now be Formula Libra. It's got a Morris Mini 850 in it… thats all I know. I'd love to know more about it."

It's an interesting find. As you may know both Biota as Stimson played with the idea of a Mini based Formula Class at around the same time - see more about that here. But this effort from the other side of the world is new to me. Apart from the Fang, Nota Engineering also made the Nota Mini, but I doubt it links to this racer. Do you know more? Both Jon as myself would love to hear from you.

The supposed 'Formula Mini' by Nota Engineering of Parramatta, Australia

Picture Dave Greaves, via Jon Scott

It's an open wheel single seater with attractively lined fiberglass body. Were there more?

Picture Dave Greaves, via Jon Scott

Full Mini subframe and Morris 850 power in the back. Who knows more about this car?

Picture Dave Greaves, via Jon Scott

UPDATE 15 February: Jon has managed to trace two more pictures of the car, showing a bit more of its chassis and front wheel suspension, see below. He adds: "I have found out from the thread these pics are in it's located in Mornington, Victoria (same state as me). I'll try and see if I can get to see it."

Picture Dave Greaves, via Jon Scott

Picture Dave Greaves, via Jon Scott

UPDATE 20 February: It's got a name! Plus some historic photos unearthed. Click here
UPDATE 12 December: More Brickette racers unearthed. Click here