Jack Fisher's Specials make it to print

Several of you tipped me off about a new book by Peter Speakman and Kenny Baird, which came out last month, describing the doings and dealings of Scotsman Jack Fisher. Fisher famously ran a garage and dealership in Edinburgh and competed in a great number of cars, the majority of them designed and built by himself. From his own memory there were 22 of them, and they are all described in this lovely little book, some in a few lines only; others more extensively. You have probably heard of the Mini based Fisher Spyder (here) and Fisher GT ('Maximum Mini Find of the Year 2020' - more here) but there were clearly more than these alone! 

Like Colin Chapman, Trevor Wilkinson, Eric Broadley and Jem Marsh - to name just a few - Fisher, too, started small with an Austin 7 Special, but later cars also used Fiat, MG, Riley, Jaguar, Alfa-Romeo and Lancia power. The Mini based GT and Spyder are relatively extensively described here with some new information and a few new pictures (to me, at least). But I was also surprised to read there were plans to come up with a Formula Junior car using a mid-mounted Mini engine/gearbox as well, and that as early as 1959! From the book: "This was advanced thinking for the time, as FJ cars of this period were mainly front engined. The project was subsequently aborted as Jack felt the rapid development of the Ford FJ engine would leave the BMC unit uncompetitive." Now that would have been a novelty!

Apart from the 22 cars there is a chapter devoted to competition history and one to the Fisher Specials as they are today. The Fisher GT was originally painted silver - a colour photograph taken back in 1965 is there to prove it - and it will be repainted in that hue, too. Other then so many books repeating old information and pictures, this is just about the opposite. It's small and only for the happy few who know about these cars or are interested in them, but it will be right up their street, too, as it is made with genuine enthusiasm for these cars. It's 120 pages in a small format but no doubt worth the 20 pounds including postage and packing. Buy it here.

Jack Fisher stars on the cover of a lovely little book about the man himself and his cars

Picture Jeroen Booij

The Fisher GT was one of the Mini based Specials built by Fisher. It was found only recently

Picture Jeroen Booij

The Fisher GT Mk2 was also Mini based but saw a greater number of incarnations...

Picture Jeroen Booij

...and was eventually turned into the Fisher Spyder with Gropa Spyder body

Picture Jeroen Booij

The history of Fisher's Specials is illustrated with some unique historical material, too

Picture Jeroen Booij

Fisher GT is Find of 2020

First of all: happy 2021 to you all! 

Let's hope the new year will be a good one for all and perhaps slightly less challenging...

Unfortunately I received very few votes for the 'Maximum Mini Find of the Year' election, and wonder if you guys want me to stop the tradition. In past years I received well over 100 votes, but this time there were just 20 or so, making it in my opinion not a very exiting poll. I'd almost forgot to mention that the Lotus-Fisher GT won. Congratulations to Dan Stokes, who found the car in Southampton in October!

Oh - I also had a Find of the Decade poll when Maximum Mini had its 10th anniversary as a blog. Again, a disappointing number of votes but still 44. The Le Mans Mini Marcos (found 2016) won with 18 votes. 

Lost and found: the Fisher GT was rediscovered last year. It's the Maximum Mini Find of 2020

Picture: Dan Stokes / Maximum Mini archive

What is the Best Find of 2020?

The end of 2020 is getting near, which means it's time to make up what's the best find of the past year here - a real Maximum Mini tradition. 2020 has proved to be an absolute record year for finds, with 29 Mini variants described here and a few more that I have not yet written about. It is remarkable what came out of sheds, lock-ups, gardens and garages and it wasn't particularly easy to choose just 5. You will find the cars that have made it to the contest below. To vote simply reply to me by email or drop a message below. The one with the most votes wins - it's simple as that. Now, over to the candidates.

Finally found in March this year in rural Worcestershire: the Micron GT. Full story here

Picture Jeroen Booij

Another long-lost car found in April 2020: the ex-Dagobert Swensson Cox GTM. More here

Picture Magnus Larsson

Pellandini found back by former owner David Mottram Down Under in June this year. More here

Picture David Motram

A totally unexpected find: the Lotus Fisher GT survived, or so I learned in October. More here

Picture Dan Stokes

2020 was a good year for myself, too. Apart from the Micron GT, I found a forgotten Mini Jem and the long-lost Biota Mk1 'Dutch demonstrator' in November. More here

Picture Jeroen Booij

Lotus Fisher GT found! (2)

The Lotus Fisher GT is found (click here) and here is the second installment of the car's discovery, where new-owner Dan Stokes tells how he found it. Over to Dan!

"Friday 3rd October 2020. My father-in-law was round my house and told me he had been with my mother-in-law to her friend's house and seen an old car sat in the garden. They had asked what it was and the then-owner mister Burke had stated how it was something Lotus and a sort of kit car, he also just wanted it gone. From what I am told they instantly had looked at each other and said 'Dan'. Both knowing how mad I am on all sorts of vehicles and the depths I go into with them both personally and at my garage they knew this would be a car for me."

"On Monday the 5th October my mother-in-law had come round for my wife’s birthday and text me mister Burke’s number so I could arrange collecting the car from him. Which I am so glad I did. On Wednesday the 7th October at around 10:30 am, my friend Shane and I arrived at mister Burke’s house in Southampton for the first time. Having opened the gates on the driveway to allow me to examine the car, mister Burke came out and passed me a folder of paperwork - the logbook stating 'Fisher' as the make. I instantly knew the name and expected it to be a race car as I'd read about Fisher’s some time ago. There was also a few letters in the folder stating it had been raced along with some magazines. The car was clearly in a very sorry state, stacked full of parts with odd wheels, flat tyres and the screen, which just sat loosely in place."

"I asked mister Burke about his ownership and how he had come across it. He stated he'd purchased the car some 20 years before to save it from certain bad fate from a lad in his late teens in Portsmouth. He bought it with good intentions as planned to restore it to its former glory but with a very busy work life of long days along with renovating his home the years had unfortunately just passed by leaving it in the sorry state it already was."

"Although the car had sat outside mister Burke's already full garage, he had kept it covered as best he could. He also asked me to clear an Austin Metro and has since very kindly offered to sell me his own late mothers 1951 Ford Prefect which I really look forward to also getting back together. The Fisher's true origin was unknown to him though. He was aware that the vehicle's engine was from a Mini and there was some sort of Lotus base. It seems he was not aware it was the race car she once proudly stood as. The steering wheel was inscribed 'Lotus Fisher GT'. We used brother straps attached to the rear frame and a winch to begin removing the car. Initially, none of the wheels turned, however, tapping each wheel with a hammer eventually freed them, making it easier to load onto the recovery vehicle. (One of the track rod ends was detached, so caution was needed as the car, at times, had a mind of its own). The nose cone was detached, which made loading easier."

"Once on the recovery vehicle, it was simply a matter of replacing the nose cone, the loose windscreen, seat and other ancillary parts, all of which were secured using ratchet straps. When we got back to my garage, Aldsworth Garage Ltd. in Aldsworth near Emsworth in West Sussex (click here for details), we wasted no time on unloading her and getting her into the spray booth so in the warm and dry."

"Later that day we emptied the Fisher out, cleared up the rotten wood that laid on the aluminium floors and found that mister Burke had beemn 100% correct in stating most of the original parts were with it inside. The lights, a number plate and even four wheels nut covers with an 'F' for 'Fisher' on! Once the car was empty, we tried to turn the engine with a ratchet and socket. To all our complete surprise after what has probably been over 30 years sitting it turned and had compression."

"Obviously it will need a full rebuild but it was a great start. We googled the words 'Lotus Fisher GT' from the steering wheel and found the article ‘The many faces of the Fisher’ written by yourself, which clearly shows my car's registration number and pictures of the car's build and being raced etc., which is what led me to contact you. I have since been in contact with other people regarding the car also but have stated nobody is to post about it including any pictures I have taken. As it was your article that led me to finding what she truest is, I wish for you to be the one to write about her fist. From your pictures I was shocked the car isn’t in a lot worse condition to be honest and that mainly she is complete still holding the Lotus parts you show. I would like it on record although I truly am extremely grateful that Mister Burke was so kind as to gift me the Lotus Fisher GT and I fully intend to get it back and road going. He is the person who is responsible for saving this iconic car when I was just a teen myself. I have already been asked by various people if the car is for sale and I must state it currently is not. But I am happy for people to contact me at my email dan@aldsworthgarage.co.uk. Best regards, Dan Stokes."

Most parts are there. Registration 'ASG 182B' is still on the car and will be in Dan's name soon

Picture Dan Stokes

Lotus Elite boot lid seen here - with the same number - before the Mini engine was placed

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

The Lotus Elite used to build the Fisher GT outside Jack Fisher's garage in Canning Street, Edinburgh, Scotland. The car next to it is a Lotus 12 that was owned by Fisher at the same time

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

The car's inside during its build. Were the original Elite bucket seats retained?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

I'm not sure wether this is a detail of the Elite's frame or the Fisher made space frame when just being built, this must be the car's rear I reckon

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

This photograph was taken at the East Fortune Airfield Sprint in May '64. Fisher came 5th overall

Picture charterhall.weebly.com

ASG 182B as the Fisher GT. Dan would love to know the car's original colours. He's found traces of green, anyone who knows more? Note flared arches here

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Action shot made in the mid-1960s. Jack Fisher sprinted and hill climbed the GT

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Canning Street in Edinburgh where the car was built. Seen here in March 2018

Picture Alastair Brown

Dan made a little walkaround movie of the Fisher GT as it sits in his workshop today

Video Dan Stokes

Lotus Fisher GT found! (1)

In the last few weeks I received some great messages about long-lost Mini based cars being found. The one I got from Dan Stokes ticks all the boxes of mystery and intrigue, originality and desirability. 

It started with an e-mail from Dan a week ago, when he wrote: "Hello Sir, I found your most interesting article regarding the Lotus Fisher GT attached (see it here). I rescued this car today with registration 'ASG 182B' and am looking to restore it to its former glory. Would you happen to have any further pictures? Or details as I’d love to get it just as it was when raced. Also would you be interested in pictures from the restoration process?"

Of course I was interested. But knowing something about the history of the cars built by Jack Fisher of Edinburgh, Scotland, I was quite sure Dan's find was for the Fisher GT's (Lotus derived) body alone. This as I'd found out that the car had been modified into the Fisher Spyder throughout the years. How wrong I was! 

I exchanged information with Dan and sent him a couple of historical images. When he dropped me another line, now adding some photographs of his find. And, boy, I was in for a grand surprise! There was no doubt that the car was still intact, up to its original space frame, body made from a Lotus Elite with Lotus 23-nose section and even its Mini engine placed at the back. Wow! 

And so I took another deep breath to see what I'd missed in my earlier researches. Work on the Fisher GT was started as early as in 1959, with a very early 850 Mini engine and a Lotus Elite body shell cut in half in an accident as starting points. Jack Fisher had built a space frame picking up existing door pillars and windscreen tubing. He'd kept the Lotus Elite's boot intact, with the space frame made into that, to have the Mini engine fitted. A Lotus 23 nose was modified to fit and Sprite wheels & drum brake assembly were used to put the car on its wheels. When finished it was sprinted and hillclimbed in a number of events in Scotland and northern England, after which the engine was changed twice. First to a 1000 with an MG head, then again to a 1071 Cooper 'S'. Later a new space frame was constructed using Lotus 23 suspension, discs, wider wheels but still using the 1071 engine while a new body was also made now using Lotus 23 nose and the body centre section of the ex-Ecurie Ecosse Tojeiro. I think it must have been at this point that the original Fisher GT was not actually modified but put aside with the new car replacing it. The Fisher GT in its second guise was later modified into the Fisher Spyder, which I photographed with its then-owner Peter Speakman in 2011. Speakman had a great file of the car and had done thorough researches on it. He also believed his car was a development of the original car 'ASG 182B'. We were both wrong.

I now understand from Dan that the original GT was sold to Southampton in 1981 with it just being tucked away. It hasn't been moved in the last 30 years or so and it was there that Dan found it. There is a lot more to tell, as Dan wrote in detail the whole story of its discovery and even sent me a video of the car in his workshop. Together with more historical pictures of the car, I'll keep these for tomorrow, though, as this article would become too long. So enjoy the pictures of Dan's fantastic find for now and watch this space tomorrow for more!

UPDATE 13 October 2020. Second installment with video here.

Yes. That really is the original Fisher GT or Lotus Fisher GT. It survives!

Picture Dan Stokes

The car hasn't moved in the last 30 years or so and languished in Southampton since 1981

It uses a Lotus Elite body on a spaceframe made by Jack Fisher of Edinburgh

Picture Dan Stokes

It's complete right up to its interior and 'Fisher Lotus GT' steering wheel

Picture Dan Stokes

With the he Lotus 23 sourced nose off, the suspension, petrol tank and radiator are exposed

Picture Dan Stokes

This is a photograph of the car during its built in 1963 or '64. Note that not too much has changed

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

The engine in the spaceframe behind the seats. Still a Mini but I'm not sure if that's the 1071 Cooper 'S' engine it was last known to have? Anyone? (UPDATE: confirmed to be an 'S' engine-JB)

Picture Dan Stokes

And again back in 1963-64. By that time it was still using an 850 engine, and a very early one too

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Finished and ready to race somewhere in the 1960s, it was definitely a very low car

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

In action somewhere in the 1960s. Jack Fisher raced, sprinted and hill climbed the car 

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Beautiful action shot. The Fisher GT was one of the last cars I'd believed to have survived!

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

The many faces of the Fisher

I came across my file on the fascinating Fisher Spyder recently and was surprised with the many great photographs of this car, perfectly showing the different guises it went through throughout the years. I made only a brief selection for this article as there was so much to choose from.

The Fisher was initiated by Scotsman Jack Fisher of Edinburgh and has always been Mini powered. Work on his Special started as early as 1959 when Fisher acquired an 850 Mini engines from BMC and started to build a chassis. But only when he acquired a damaged Lotus Elite body shell in 1964 he managed to finish it, by that time he'd come up with a brand new space frame chassis with new detachable subframe so that the Mini powertrain could be mounted into the Elite boot. It was road registered 'ASG 182B' and used on the streets but soon only used for sprints and hill climbs.

Some time later a new space frame was made for the car, now using Lotus 23 suspension, disc brakes plus the centre body section including the doors of the ex-Ecurie Ecosse Le Mans Tojeiro! Engine size was increased to 1,150cc and an Arden 8-port head with twin Webers was now fitted, making it seriously fast. But it could do better, Fisher thought, and he remodeled it once again, now with shortened Gropa Spyder body and Lotus suspension. In this guise it set a class lap record at Ingliston where it was a frequent winner in the hands of both Fisher as Edward Labinjoh, who worked as a mechanic for Fisher’s garage. It was restored in 2007 by the current owner Peter Speakman at who's place I photographed it in 2011 for Maximum Mini 2 in the beautiful Lake District.

UPDATE 12 October 2020. Stop press! The original Fisher GT or Lotus Fisher GT survives and has been found in Southampton. Click here.

That's the Fisher being built in 1964. Recognize the Lotus Elite body in it?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

The car's space frame was made to measure for the Lotus body. Suspension seems Triumph?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

A subframe was made to easily fit the Mini engine in the Elite boot. An 850 here

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

And ready to race! It used a Lotus type 23 nose section and was registered 'ASG 182B' 

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Here slightly later, now also using Lotus alloy wheels and Lotus disc brakes

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Next guise: much altered space frame was now mated to ex-Le Mans Tojeiro body!

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

It makes you wonder where the body from the Ecurie Ecosse Le Mans Tojeiro now comes from?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Seen here at the start of a race at Ingliston in September 1967. Note Mini Marcoses on grid, too

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Different paint job. The car was also raced by Fisher's mechanic, Eddie Labinjoh

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

By the late 1960s it used an 1150cc engine with Arden 8-port head and double Webers

Not sure if this is that engine, though. UPDATE: It isn't this was a Gordon Allen 1500 BDA unit placed on a modified Mini gearbox that proved to be too much for the car's transmission.

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

1970. Now with shortened Gropa Spyder body to make it even lighter and more aerodynamic

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

And that's still how it looks like today. This picture was taken in 2011 in the Lake District

Picture Jeroen Booij

The Mini engine is still there. That's owner Peter Speakman opening the front

Picture Jeroen Booij

UPDATE 14:30: Alastair Brown writes: "The Ecosse Tojeiro from which the body came was destroyed in an accident at Brands with, I think, Bill Stein at the wheel in the mid '60s (in open cockpit, Ford engined form). When it was later rebuilt the original roof section was tracked down and is now back on the car from whence it came. I think it's the one Tom Mcquirterr has in the Moray Motor Museum, but the identity of the 2 Tojeiro coupes is a bit like bowl of spaghetti to unravel!" 

HRDC racing welcomes Mini variants

In the ever increasing popularity of Mini based cars, the UK's Historic Racing Drivers Club (HRDC) has now decided to broaden its accessibility to all pre-1966 sports-, GT- and touring cars using the A-series engine. That's great news for Mini derivatives owners wanting to race their cars. The first race will take place at Donington on 7 november this year.

HRDC Race Director Julius Thurgood states in a press release: "I have been working on this for some time now. The ubiquitous BMC 'A-Series' powerplant has been with us in motorsport for decades and has spawned so many interesting variants. However, most categories seem to run in separate classes and categories. But why should they? Why not bring all the pre-'66 BMC 'A-Series' powered cars to race together under one format? I am sure that it will provide spectacular racing and will be of great interest to both competitors and spectators alike."

I asked him why the race is not made eligible for pre-'70 or pre-'72 cars as this would make it accessible for many more variants. Julius said: "The reason for the '66 cut-off is that this is the natural date cut-off between 'historic' and 'post-historic' in the racing community. Generally the rules are tighter pre-'66 and this gives a more equal field. Later specification would then mean different tyres, wilder engines and different suspension set-ups."

And has he already had an interest from owners of Mini variants wanting to enter their cars? He said: "The entry for this race was only opened this week. We will have to wait and see what the response/which cars get entered. We know of a couple of Ogles, a DART, 2 x Deep Sandersons and Rae Davis' Jem. It will take time to coax these rarer cars out but we will do our best to do so!"

I am definitely looking forwards to seeing some more of them on the racing track. The HRDC's race format is for 30-minute events, with 15-minute qualifying. All cars must run on Dunlop CR65 historic tyres and HTP forms will not be required for this event. More information here, entry form, ready for downloading here.

UPDATE 19 October: Thurgood says Unipower GT is eligible for pre 66 A series race, too.

UPDATE 23 October: Cox GTM definitely welcome. Thurgood: "It would be great to have some early Cox cars in this race. They would be made most welcome!"

Plenty of A-series powered cars now race in HRDC - but the majority are Sprites and Midgets

Picture courtesy Jeff Bloxham

One exception now is Rae Davis in his Mk1 MiniJem, but there could be many more

Picture courtesy Jeff Bloxham

Eligible: a Cox GTM. A Mini powered Davrian, like behind it here, is not

Picture courtesy Richard Heseltine

Wouldn't it be nice to see a Landar R6 return to the British racing tracks?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Odd-jobs like the Fisher GT, seen here at Ingliston together with a Mini Marcos, are welcome, too

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

How about a Butterfield Musketeer? Seen here raced at Brands in 1962 by Christabel Carlisle

Picture Jeroen Booij archive