Minimach GT launch pictures emerge

Last week, I received a wonderful message from Francesco Gasparini of Italy. Francesco is a Maximum Mini fan with a soft spot for that unusual Italian Unipower GT clone - the ESAP Minimach GT. In fact, he was there with his father when the car was launched in 1968 and had lunch with all the people involved. He always kept the original press kit with its official pictures in it that he was handed over that day, and now sent over some copies of them - I'd never seen these before.

I saw the car back in 2007 and interviewed the daughter of Gianfranco Paduan, who designed the Minimach and built it before he was being kept from marketing it by both Universal Power Drives as well as the Italian authorities - a fascinating story. I understand from Francesco that the car is still in the hands of the same owner as it was back at the time, but it's awaiting restoration right now. Thanks very much Francesco, for sharing your pictures and stories!

Lunchtime  during the official Minimach launch. Francesco and his dad on the right

Picture courtesy Francesco Gasparini 

Press pack of 1968 Minimach GT - 'For the gentlemen invited'

Picture courtesy Francesco Gasparini 

One of the official press pictures - note double springs for tough road conditions (e.g. Targa Florio)

Picture courtesy Francesco Gasparini 

Rectangular headlights were one of many modifications from the basic Unipower design

Picture courtesy Francesco Gasparini 

Left hand driven but no gear lever in the door sill; Minimach had ordinary gear lever

Picture courtesy Francesco Gasparini 

Note sweeping lines over the car's totally new body. Rear is completely different, too

Picture courtesy Francesco Gasparini 

Minimach returns to Sicily

We have seen period pictures (here) and even a lightning fast bit of film footage (here) of the ESAP Minimach during the 1968 Targa Florio at Sicily, but isn't it nice to know that the car returned to the island last Summer, too? Current owner Stefano took the car to Sicily for the Ruote a Raggi Rally to drive the same twisty road circuit that it did over 40 years ago! Keti Padoan, youngest daughter of ESAP founder and Minimach builder Gianfranco Padoan was there too, driving an MG TD.

Palm trees, sun and a rare Mini derivative. That's Keti behind the wheel

Picture courtesy: ruotearaggisicilia.it

And another shot of the ESAP Minimach 40 years earlier when Keti's father drove it at Sicily

Minimach film footage

Like me, you may have liked yesterday's pictures of the Italian ESAP Minimach in competition during the 1968 Targa Florio. Then you may also like this 8mm film that is digitalized and uploaded on youtube. It gives a bit of the atmosphere of what it must have been like on Sicily in May '68 with brutally strong machinery in between the olive trees. Look really good and you will spot the Minimach at 4:20!

8mm evidence of the ESAP Minimach in '68 Targa Florio

Source: youtube

Minimach at the Targa Florio

Mini derivatives a very British affair? Surely. But let's not forget the odd Italian too, like the fascinating ESAP Minimach: a car that was clearly inspired by the Unipower GT. In fact the prototype was based on one, and that's why Universal Power Drives Ltd. was not particularly pleased when they heard of it for the first time when entered for the 1968 Targa Florio. I never found any pictorial evidence of the car in that event and when I went to Italy to see the Minimach in the flesh and speak to the creator's daughter it was rather dissapointing that she did not have any pics either. But thanks to 'Enzomanz' some pictures of the ESAP Minimach in anger at the Sicilian event have now appeared at the forum www.forum-auto.com. The same car was entered that year in the 1000 kilometres of Monza too and two more pictures of the car in that event have been uploaded too. Thank you Enzomanz, whoever you are!

Sicily here we come! First of the two ESAP Minimachs did the '68 Targa Florio

Cool colour shot at the Targa Florio. ESAP is followed by equally rare Fiat Moretti

Next Italian event: the 1000 kms of Monza in 1968. Note Gulf GT40 behind

Monza 1968 again. Twin oil coolers will have been much needed in Italian heat