Camarotta now for sale

Looking for a little Mini-based roadster to enjoy this summer? Look no further. The one-off Camarotta is now for sale. The car was designed and built by Dave Ratner in the 1990s, who followed a KAD course and built a proper jig to do so. Dave told me: "There was no rush and it took me about two weeks just to do the door hinges." He was very happy with the finished car, though, and said he could let the steering wheel go at 85mph. 

Current owner Lars Lagisse of Germany bought the car two years ago and managed to sail through TÜV testing, so it is on German plates now. He also fitted a catalyst converter as well as new side screens. The engine is a 1275 sourced from a 1979 1275GT. Interested? See the ad here.

The Camarotta derived from Dave Ratner's earlier Berkeley based cars

Picture Jeroen Booij

The car now has TÜV approval, is on German plates and... is for sale 

Picture Lars Lagisse

It uses the engine from a 1979 Mini 1275 GT, placed slightly lower in its subframe

Picture Jeroen Booij

Sir Stirling Moss dies at 90

Last weekend British motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss has died at the age of 90. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time, even though he did never won the World Championship - "which made him special", as he said himself. He retired from active racing at the top level in 1962 after a crash at Goodwood, which kept him in a coma for weeks and partially paralyzed for months. After that he continued to show up behind the wheel at racing and rallying events throughout the world up until some 10 years ago.

After his active motor sports career he was involved in a number of Mini based cars, too, no doubt being a dream promotor for their manufacturers. He got involved with Ogle Design and was seen promoting the Ogle SX250 and SX1000 in London and even showed up behind Ogle's drawing board to design his own (Ford-based) dream car. Next, he did the testing for Rob Walker's MiniSprint, who was keen enough to place a photograph of the car being driven in anger by Moss on the cover of its brochure. He was also seen with the Unipower GT and driving the TiCi around busy London traffic in 1972 with dolly birds in and around the car. And once again the pictures were eagerly used for marketing purposes.

Moss in 1972 in central London. He helped to promote the TiCi City car

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Sir Stirling was also involved in Ogles. Seen here with two SX1000s and an SX250

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

In March 1963 he was even mentioned as an associate director to the company

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Seen here in a unique photograph behind the drawing board at Ogle Design

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Slightly later he was seen with the MiniSprint racer, here with Geoff Thomas and Neville Trickett

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

He even made it to the cover of the Walker GT MiniSprint brochure 

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Always happy to give a hand in promotion - here with the Unipower GT and the lovely Monika Dietrich at the 1967 London Racing Car Show

Jeroen Booij archive

And many years later at another show - with Dave Ratner in one of his Mini powered Berkeleys

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Germany rediscovers Mini derivatives

Germany may not be the first country you think of when you are into Mini based cars. A few variants did originate from the country though. The Martini Mini in the first place (also here), but also conversions by L&H Automotive, Lamm and Mengers as well as the wacky Leonhardt Tiger. And there was of course the Nurburgring, which saw several derivatives race (here for example).

The Germans appear to have (re) discovered Mini based cars more recently, though, as two magazine reports appear at the same time describing two different cars. First there's a 10-page article in this month's Oldtimer Markt about the Gyro-X, least as interesting is Auto Bild Klassik which describes the Sekura Mini in their current issue.

Last but not least a number of Mini based exotics have made it to Germany in recent years. I received a message from Lars Lagisse last week about one. Lars is now the owner of the Dave Ratner built Camarotta and wrote: "Hello my name is Lars and I am from Germany. Charly Fuhrländer said to me you will contact me as I am the owner of the Camarotta. The car now has the German TüV approval and I can drive it next week!" Lars promised to send some more, so keep an eye on this page.

The Sekura Mini stars in current issue of Auto Bild Klassik

Picture Karsten Steff

While Oldtimer Markt magazine spends 10 pages on the Gyro-X...

Picture Oldtimer Markt magazine

... And the Camarotta will be sporting German registration plates soon

Picture Lars Lagisse