Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #83

 

Le Mans Classic 2025 - Mini Marcos and Unipower GT

Picture Richard Dredge

Le Mans Mini Marcos project: the 2nd set of wheels

Once more: just like in 1966

Mystery Peel Viking is a survivor!

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #81

Time-warp Mk1 Mini Marcos racer now for sale

Owner decides to put it on the market after 48 years

Canada three-wheeler mystery now solved

But this Peel Viking Sport GT is another mystery

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #36

Peels invade the Isle of Man

Maya GT enjoyed in Japan

Cheap Mini Marcos - what's the catch?

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #31

Peels are coming back to Peel on the Isle of Man

And this Peel Viking is ready for the party - after 44 years

While this is the actual Turner Ranger prototype - it lives, too

More about Sonny's Unipower GT

Peel Viking's original owner gets in touch

Here is a bit of a 'longread', perhaps quite suitable for the weekend? I love it when the history of a car is unraveled and Mike Athay made my day when he contacted me from Canada with some most interesting remarks about the Peel Vikings on the Isle of Man and one car in particular (from this article). He wrote: 

"Hello Jeroen, I am in receipt of your postings about various Mini projects and find these very interesting - I was unaware that there were so many different models based on the Mini. 

The article I received this morning was of particular interest because I was the person who built the car registered RET680J. This conflicts with the third paragraph of the article which indicates that the car was originally registered MAN70P - this is not true!"

"I purchased the body directly from Peel Engineering in late 1969, early 1970 - can’t remember the exact date. I rented a small truck to drive from Rotherham where I lived, to Liverpool, to where the body was shipped from the Isle of Man. I believe this was probably the last body they built before production ceased."

"I also bought a write-off mini from an insurance company from which I salvaged many of the parts needed for the build. The body came with fibreglass doors but missing the window frames so these were salvaged from the write-off and installed on the Peel. I also modified the hood - sorry, bonnet - by adding brackets underneath at the front to eliminate the need for hinges and to improve the appearance and air-streaming. This also meant that the panel could be very easily removed for better access to the engine compartment. The complete body was then taken to a body shop to be professionally sprayed “flame” colour. Meanwhile, I was able to procure some Cooper ’S’ drive shafts and a Cooper ’S’ gearbox. Because Mini sub-frames had a habit of rusting away, I opted to use new ones; the rear I modified slightly by closing all the openings and drenching the inside with oil. I also modified the rear trailing arms by installing grease nipples to ensure the inner bushing could be adequately lubricated. I opted to install a brand new 1100cc engine. The exhaust was a Fothergill which at the time came with a 1 year warranty - it lasted just 13 months!"

"Rather than an SU carb, I installed a Reece-Fish which gave excellent economy and performance. However, because this was installed behind the engine, and right above the exhaust manifold, I did not consider the optional heater would be necessary - wrong! With the damp conditions in the UK, when the temperature dropped below around 5˚C, owing to the high vacuum at the intake a large ball of ice would form on the carb, thereby creating a rich mixture and the engine would stop. It was then necessary to wait until the heat from the exhaust had melted the ice and one could continue one's journey! I later learned that the guy who bought the vehicle when I emigrated to Canada in 1977, ultimately replaced the Reece-Fish with twin SU’s."

"Instead of the traditional positioning of the radiator at the side, I visited the local scrap yard - may times actually - and was able to get a radiator from a Triumph Spitfire which I installed in front of the engine (thinking of ‘ram’ effect cooling ) together with an electric fan. I later discovered that the ram effect was inadequate and consequently modified the body to incorporate the rectangular air scoop."

"One of the other ’toys’ I installed was a fly-off handbrake. This was quite amusing when I took the vehicle on the skid-pan at the Manchester bus garage. I forgot to warn the instructor about the handbrake and he was not familiar with such a device. As we were going into a bend and he applied the handbrake to force a skid - with his thumb holding down the button - the brake locked on and he panicked! It was certainly a test of my skills to continue to control the vehicle whilst telling him to let go the brake so that I could release the button!"

"Prior to the introduction of the Mini, there were several 'Specials' based on earlier production vehicles which used a traditional U-channel chassis. Indeed, a friend of mine purchased such a vehicle. That particular vehicle - and I suspect such was the case with many other similar projects, the inside was never completed! The body was attached to the chassis, a couple of seats and a steering wheel installed and that was it, the vehicle was ready for the road. I was determined that this was not to be the case with my car. I spent numerous hours furnishing the inside with materials I purchased from a local upholsterer, whose main business was repairing bus seats which had been slashed by the hooligans who made use of that form of transport. Indeed, this gentleman was of great help to me as he not only allowed me to use his equipment but also showed me the tricks to achieve professional results in making the rear seat; for the front, I installed Corbeau GT4 seats."

"During the 9 months it took me to build this car, I was subscribed to Car & Car Conversions magazine which at the time was holding local heats for a national concours d’elegance, the final of which was to be held in Blackpool, in September, 1970. As my vehicle was not ready for any of the qualifying heats, I wrote to the magazine explaining the situation and was then allowed to compete at the final event. I was very pride to be awarded third place in my category, behind two Lotus Europa’s, though I thought this a little unfair as assembly of a Europa kit could be done in a weekend, compared with the time it had taken for the building of my car."

"Sadly, other than two cuttings from local newspapers which did an article on the project, I have no pictures of the construction of the vehicle as this occurred long before the advent of digital photography. Any pictures I did have were unfortunately lost during a house move 21 years ago. In retrospect, I am very sorry that I did not keep the vehicle but I guess at the time, the cost to have shipped it to Canada was way beyond my available spare change. However, it’s good to know it is still around. Mike Athay"

Isn't that great? I was of course very curious to the newspaper clippings Mike mentioned, and with the help from Catherine Semerjian of Nerses Photo Studio in Ontario, Canada, some superb scans were finally made and flashed over. They tell us that Mike ordered the shell in november 1969 but "Beacuse of some trouble with the steel tubing used on the steel frames delivery was delayed and it was in March 1970 that Michael first saw the shell." Furtheremore it mentions: "A vast array of switches on the dashboard reveals that there is a burglar alarm system, a hazard warning light system, manual as well as automatic reversing lights, a special parking light system, which does not allow you to start the car until it is switched off, triple or single note air horns, headlamp flasher and a few spare ones that have yet to be connected to interior lights etc. Mike estimates all this has cost him just over 900 - but for this he has a luxurious new car that is unusual, will travel at 80 mph all day without turning a hair, and regularly turns in just over 41 mpg. So he has comfortable, fast but economical motoring - what more does anyone want?"

I have contacted the car's current owner Stephen Callow, too. There is more to follow as Stephen has been in touch since with both me as with Mike, which leads to more interesting remarks. Stay tuned.

That's Mike Athay with the Peel Viking 'RET 680J' just finished in the local newspaper

Picture courtesy Mike Athay / Worksop Trader

And another just earlier clipping, as kindly scanned on behalf of Mike 

Picture courtesy Mike Athay / Worksop Trader

This picture of the car was found by Stephen Callow only recently

Picture source unknown

Peel Vikings on the Isle of Man

As we saw last week a Peel Viking was autocrossed on the Isle of Man (click here), but it wasn't the only Viking on the island. Stephen Callow owns one, too. He wrote:

"Hi, here’s a picture of it from a few years ago parked with another Mini restoration project I have. It is pictured on your site when it was in the UK registered 'RET 680J' – a friend brought it back to the Isle of Man in the early 2000’s for a classic car hire business he started which didn’t success so I bought the Viking but haven’t got around to starting on it. The pics someone took of mine parked at the side of the house are quite old now and sadly it hasn’t improved but at least glassfibre doesn’t rust – the blue Mk1 Cooper is crumbling!"

"Mine was registered MAN70P when originally on island, then went to UK and became RET680J. It’s back on a 2003 IOM number plate now and has 1275 engine, discs, and needs a full restoration. Apart from Neil Hanson’s red one I have only seen one other in the flesh and that was autocrossed by Mike Hewison and had the front end cut off after a fire. I think it was scrapped, but knowing the IOM there’s one or two lurking in sheds."

I have added more pictures of Vikings on the Isle of Man. It would be lovely to hear from when you can fill in more about these cars.

This is one of the first Vikings built and I believe it must have been the 1966 show car

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

'MAN 66P', seen here with Peel castle on the island in the background 

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Same car, seen here with its designer and builder, the late Cyril Cannell. Does it survive?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

That's Stephen Callow's car. Originally this one was registered MAN 70P on the island

Picture courtesy Stephen Callow

"The pics are quite old now and sadly it hasn’t improved but at least glassfibre doesn’t rust – the blue Mk1 Cooper is crumbling!" 

Picture courtesy Stephen Callow

And this is the same car after it had gone to the UK and was re-registered 'RET 680J' there

Picture courtesy Stephen Callow

"A friend brought it back to the Isle of Man in the early 2000’s for a classic car hire business"

Picture Mini Marcos Owners Club

Neil Hanson's car - 321 MAN - on the Central Promenade in Douglas, Isle of Man

Picture Jeroen Booij

Neil's car was fully restored not too long before I saw it and photographed it for Maximum Mini

Picture Jeroen Booij

The same car made it to a stamp from the Isle of Man, dedicated to Peel Cars, also

Picture Jeroen Booij

This is a mystery car to me. The registration is from the Isle of Man: MAN 321A

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Autocrossing a Peel Viking

Stephen Callow recently contacted me about Timeire, the Special built by Tim Conroy (see here), but the conversation moved towards Peel Vikings soon and more particularly towards Vikings on the Isle of Man. Stephen owns a Viking himself and lives on the island. 

But before describing his and other Peels from from the Isle of Man, let's have a look at one local car first that was perhaps a bit of a legend on the island for a while. Stephen sent over an interesting picture of that: "This was Mike Hewison’s Viking local autocrosser with some flames!"

I did recognize the car from a shot in The Filby Files, when Peter Filby wrote about it: "There's only one example left on the island and, as you can see from the action shot, it's got much the same problem as a Manx car, only at both ends. It's path in life is as a very quick autocross Special shared by James Howe and Philip Speedie. I know it's quick because the lads let me trash it around a large field recently vacated by several cows. Dung racing I think they call it."

I think Hewison must have crossed it after Howe and Seedie did? I also have a picture in the files of what is believed to be the body of this particular car, but I can't remember where I got it from, so do let me know when it was you. Stephen said: "Must be tucked away in the garage with Mike’s other Mini’s – he has a lovely Sprint and some nice Mk2’s." As always, more information is much welcome.

A Peel Viking autocrosser on the Isle of Man, as it was raced by James Howe and Philip Speedie

Picture The Filby Files / Jeroen Booij archive

This surely must be the same car? "Mike Hewison’s Viking local autocrosser with some flames!"

Picture courtesy Stephen Callow

And is this the body of the same car again? I forgot who sent it to me...

Picture Jeroen Booij archive / source unknown

Timeire on the Isle of Man

Stephen Callow dropped me a line titled 'Timeire on the Isle of Man (Hill climb circa '73)', which is certainly one good way to get my attention. 

Timeire was the name of a one-off Mini Van based Special built by Irishman Tim Conroy and his father Patrick 'Pop' Conroy in the late 1960s. After getting in touch with Tim Conroy's son Martin some years ago I found out that the car used a 998 Cooper engine and was raced by Rob Mason at Brands Hatch before well-known racer Gerry Marshall took it to the Isle of Man for a hill climb in 1970. Martin also told me it was sold as a road car in 1973 and was written off and scrapped about a year later. 

Where did Stephen find this superb shot? He wrote: "A contact shared a couple of hill climb pics – September 73 we think." So that would likely have been after Conroy sold it. Or could it be Gerry Marshall in 1970 after all? What's interesting also is that the car appears to have a registration that I have never seen on it on any other picture: '658 CXP' or '658 CXR'. What can we make of that..?

The one-off Mini based Timeire is seen here in a hill climb at the Isle of Man

Picture courtesy Stephen Callow

Detail shot seems to reveal registration '658 CXP' or is it '658 CXR'?

Picture courtesy Stephen Callow

Peel Mini and moulds survive on the Isle of Man

You may recognize the pictures below as they have been on this site before, although something went wrong. So here again.

Peel discoveries continue to turn up, this time right from its birthplace: the Isle of Man, where RTV owner and Maximum Mini reader Ian Sims lives. He wrote: "Hi Jeroen. Here are the images that I have of the fibreglass Mini that I mentioned. It was very hard to get to as it has been sat in the orchard for many years and everything over grown. It was never built into a running Mini. I believe this guy had the original mouldings and this was the last one out as it was in the mouldings when he got them. No real evidence of all this but I’m lead to believe it is true. The original moulding again I’m told are in a collapsed shed on the same site but I have never been able to get close enough to investigate."

Thank you Ian. That's an interesting discovery for sure. Now, here's hopin' that some day somebody will save it.

That's a Peel Mini for sure. The car was made by Peel Engineering on the Isle of Man

Picture courtesy Ian Sims

 The car was made after BMC saw the Peel Viking and believed Peel Engineering was the best partner to develop a fibreglass bodied Mini

Picture courtesy Ian Sims

 Supposedly just six were made before the whole project was moved to Chile

Picture courtesy Ian Sims

 The quality of these bodies is believed to be excellent. One was crash tested at MIRA (see here)

Picture courtesy Ian Sims

 This one was never build and remains on the island. Together with the original moulds

Picture courtesy Ian Sims

Peel moulds believed not to be the originals after all

I make updates on my articles regularly, but thought this one deserved a posting on it's own. It is about the Peel Viking moulds of yesterday's story (click!). And they don't seem to be what they claim.

Viking owner John Fischer contacted me: "Regarding the Peel moulds: I made enquiries with someone I know about the moulds when they were offered for sale on Ebay. This is their response: Hi John, No they are not the original moulds from Peel. Those moulds were sold to Bill Last of Trident cars in the late 1960s. These blue moulds were made by the ex-employee of Peel Engineering George Gelling from a car on the IOM so that Neil Hanson from Douglas could build himself a car (as seen here - JB) (his Viking is claimed to be an original car but it is not). I bought the moulds in about 2004 from Douglas on the Isle of Man. Several bodies have been made from them. At least 7 to my knowledge. The red car in the Ebay listing was an original car I restored for Jeff Lane in the USA (as seen here - JB). The roof was so bad I put a black vinyl top on it to hide the wobbles. I have pictures of it when I bought it and during restoration. Grant Kearney can vouch for this as he saw the car un-restored. It was not made from the moulds on Ebay. I am annoyed about that claim as Jeff Lane might read it."

And so it seems that the moulds that are now in the Isle of man motor museum and the ones I wrote about in 2011 are one and the same set after all...
It make me wonder of the original set that went to Bill Last's Viking Performances could still be there, too..?

It is now believed that this set of moulds, currently on loan to the Isle of Man motor museum...

Picture Exo Sports Cars

...is the same as this set, seen for sale 7 years ago and not the original set. Where would that be..?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Peel Viking moulds return to Isle of Man

Reader Richard Hawcroft came across an interesting picture on a forum recently. He wrote: "Look at this photo of the Isle of Man motor museum. It looks like the original moulds for the Peel Viking! Never seen them before! It was on Pistonheads, but they where more interested in the rusty E-type in the front. My eagle eyes spotted the Peel in the background..."

He certainly seemed to be right there, and so I decided to contact the museum. I got in touch with the director Darren Cunningham, who let me know: "Hi Jeroen, yes that is correct, the moulds have recently been loaned to the Museum. I'll be honest, I do not know the story behind them yet. I will ask the owners though."

Meanwhile, I did a little search and found that they were owned by Exo Sports Cars at least until recently, who offered them for sale a few months ago, together with a body made from those moulds plus most of the donor Mini parts to finish. Asking price was £5995.00 at the time. They wrote: "In 2015 Exo Sports Cars Ltd. secured the original Peel factory moulds for the Peel Viking and produced a bodyshell and dash from this mould. Considering the mould is over 50 years old, it is in remarkable condition and will produce a quality shell ready for painting and building into a turn key car. It was always our full intention to put the Peel Viking back into low volume production, but our other core products, have proven to be so successful, there simply hasn't been time to further develop te Peel."

Remarkably, somebody else told me he had the original Peel Viking moulds from the island back in 2011 (click here). These were offered for sale at the time, but I don't think they were the original set after all. I now believe these were made later to build a few Vikings at the time, one of them that can still be seen on the island in the hands of its enthusiastic owner and the other one in a US museum.

UPDATE 14 September 2018: These moulds are not what they claim to be, see here.

Forget the Jag. This is the picture that eagle-eyed Richy Hawcroft saw when he spotted the Peels

Picture Pistonheads

And there they are: the original Peel Viking moulds plus a shell are now back on the Isle of Man

Picture courtesy Isle of Man Motor Museum

And here are the same moulds when offered for sale by Exo Sports Cars just months ago

Picture Exo Sports Cars

Exo made one body shell from them with the idea to relaunch the Peel Viking. This never happened though and the empty shell is now on loan to the Isle of Man motor museum also

Picture Exo Sports Cars

The original set of moulds is not on its own anymore, though. This later set is still about, too

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Barn find: another Peel Viking

Stop press! Another Peel Viking has emerged from a barn! You will remember the one that I found recently in Germany (full report here), just months later it's time for a similar car. I got in touch with Val Turner, who is the widow of the man who originally built it in 1966 and she was happy to tell me its story. Here we go:

"It's been with our family ever since my husband bought it in, I think, 1966. I think it took him at least a year and half to build it. He'd already built a Ford Special previously, which we used at the time. But then he built this because the Mini was sort of special. He was very fond about his cars. He was a commercial artist for trade but he spent much of his time on the cars. I think he loved the Viking more then he loved me!"

"We towed a trailer tent and a boat behind the Viking and used it as our daily car for many years, it always attracted lots of attention. We also took it down to Cornwall for holidays and to Brittany in France one time, with a little lightweight tent. And again it attracted quite a lot of attention. He stopped using it in 1981 when the children got too big and it was put in storage at the time. I remember he was going to do some alterations to the engine but he never got to do it. He died in February this year. All the original paperwork including the bill of sale when he bought the shell on the Isle of Man plus the logbook is still with us, with the last MOT certificate dating back to 1981."

Meanwhile, Val had an offer from a museum on the Isle of Man, but has not yet accepted that. She is willing to sell it elsewhere within the UK if someone will restore the car and I think we have just found the right person. To be continued.

Another barn full of parts and stuff. Oh, and you may just spot a Peel Viking behind it, too

Picture courtesy Val Turner

Car is still in the garage of its first and original owner. It will need work but looks complete

Picture courtesy Val Turner

'PWX 812K' is an original Isle of Man Peel Viking. It's been in this barn since 1981

Picture courtesy Val Turner

All the stuff relating to the car was kept into it. Note radio and map light. This car was used well

Picture courtesy Val Turner

Original dashboard was retained. Mister Turner fitted a nice selection of gauges and switches

Picture courtesy Val Turner

(widened) wheels may be an indicator to the car's state. It will definitely need a restoration

Picture courtesy Val Turner