Brookwell Trifid prototype saved

Another little piece of Mini derivative history has just been saved, with the prototype of the Brookwell Trifid (6 built in the early 1990s) fully restored. The three-wheeler was originally built on a shoestring (they spent £90) by Phil Wells and Mark Spriddell with the idea to beat other entries in local Norfolk trials, where it did remarkably well. 

Some years ago I spent a great day with Phil, who is still in the Norfolk countryside, only to find the prototype three-wheeler as a hulk of rust in one of his barns. Fast forward to earlier this month and a message from the man arrived: "The prototype is back together. Mark’s done a sterling job with no help from me…" Well done chaps. And now time to play with it!

This was a few years ago. Not easy to recognize the Brookwell Trifid in it…

Picture Jeroen Booij

Clever engineering using as much of the Mini's mechanicals as was possible

Picture Jeroen Booij

Classed for local production car trials,it weighed around 390kg and did really well

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Just like then, but now fully restored by Mark Spridell and back in its original colour

Picture courtesy Phil Wells

The Mini’s rear subframe was modified to take one wheel with a front rubber suspension block

Picture courtesy Phil Wells

Mark and Phil have been into Mini derivatives for decades. Here Mark's Trifids and a Minus

Picture courtesy Phil Wells

Trifid prototype to be resurrected

You know I like strange old cars not too many people care about. The thing is that meeting up with the owners can be downright disappointing - a car is standing next to the dustbin in a drizzle with jammed brakes and the chap who just bought it for the registration has no time. Luckily this is compensated for by the other half: the true enthusiast. 

Phil Wells happened to be one and when I came over to his place last May I was warmly welcomed. We chatted all afternoon about the many Mini derivatives he'd had, his wife cooked a nice diner and Phil arranged a B&B close by. Better still was the fact that he had not one but two of the cars that I came for: the Brookwell Trifid - an unlikely three-wheeled creature he'd been responsible for in the late eighties. They were both in superb condition, too, and he took me for a drive in one. That was quite an experience, with Phil pushing his Trifid to its limits (he'd been using one for years as a daily driver over the country roads in his native Norfolk). We screamed along the roads and drifted over unpaved paths.

And so the Trifid will make a nice chapter in my next book. When I came home Phil sent me a message that he'd been sparkled to start rebuilding the prototype Trifid - the only one with a steel body. He wrote: "I pulled the front subframe out of storage to rebuild our own ‘barn find’ Trifid… Last on the road over 12 years ago it seems..." That's the spirit. It may be a footnote in motoring history, but there are people caring about them. Thanks again Phil!

Phil in the earliest day of the Brookwell Trifid - with the prototype

Picture courtesy Phil Wells

The prototype's body as it is waiting to be restored in the Wells' barn now

Picture Jeroen Booij

Subframe with Mini engine will be reconditioned soon to rewrite Trifid history

Picture courtesy Phil Wells