Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #136

De Joux Mini GT moulds turn up in New Zealand

Silcoates Ascender is in good hands

Whatever happened to this Mini Jem?

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #130

Ogle moulds finally turn up

The Nostalgia Cars Ltd. Ogles - one by one

RTVs turn up for sale and at event

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #50

Moulds to make the Coldwell GT body turn up after decades

Picture Mark Needham

Towns Microdot makes it to Los Angeles exhibition - registered

Picture Petersen Automotive Museum

The Mini based cars at the NEC Classic Motor Show

Picture Paul Wylde

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #23

Minis at the 'Ring (4): Martini Mini ASC in 1964

MiniSprint Travellers in Australia

What exactly is this mould..?

ABS to relaunch Alto Boxer kits

Don't think the Mini derivative is dead. After last week's launch of the Mengers Beach Mini (click) it is time for the next relaunch: that of the Alto Boxer. You will know by now that ABS Motorsport boss Tony Bucknall has a great ability of tracking down long-lost Mini based kit cars or their moulds, and he did just that with the moulds for the Boxer a while ago. He wrote: "They were stored in a lockup/garage, which was collapsing and it was at a point it had to be cleared."

Remarkably, an extra front end that came with the set is different to how we know it. Tony: "That front end mould isn’t the Boxer, but yes it's certainly for a Mini, the door and scuttle all look right. And yes there will be enough height clearance where the rocker top is. I don’t recall such a front end ever being on the market though." Same here.

The Alto Boxer never was a great seller but Tony never the less made a set from the complete moulds and will be happy to sell you one if you like. He continued: "I am going to offer the Boxer composites separately and as base kits for people to do their own cabrio conversion if they choose to. The actual body kit will work with out the Mini being cabrio’d however I am not sure how it would look! I have set up a section on the website for Mini based kit car composites, and will add the pieces as I get time (click here). I will also add the Stimson bug and the McCoy parts as I get time...       

Kudos to you Tony!

The Alto Boxer was a Targa conversion with a wild body kit of the 1990s

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Ultimate conversion? Very few were sold up until 1997 when production was stopped

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

But ABS boss Tony Bucknall found the kit's complete set of moulds recently

Picture Tony Bucknall

This is the mystery mould coming with the lot. Tony and I have never seen it before

Picture Tony Bucknall

A brand new set laminated from the moulds - kits are being offered by ABS now

Picture Tony Bucknall

All the different body parts for the Alto Boxer are there, including the hardtop

Picture Tony Bucknall

The kit exists of a great number of bits. The Boxer used Peugeot 205 rear lights

Picture Tony Bucknall

Rare example of a Alto Boxer Mini with not the full kit fitted to it. 

This one was restored over a long period of time by Scotsman Andy Middleditch

Picture courtesy Andy Middleditch

Taylorspeed Mini Jem moulds for sale - UPDATED

The moulds to produce bodies for the Taylorspeed Mini Jem have made it to the market in Australia. Phil Huxtable, who offers them for sale got in touch, writing: "Hi Jeroen. My moulds are the Australian built ones from a Jem imported from the UK. They are Mk1 Jems and all cars made here are obviously Mk1's. I have had the moulds for about 20 years and I have made 2 cars. In total 12 cars have been made from the moulds. They are complete with a drilling jig and roof holding frame. There are many parts to the moulds including dash, doors (2 sets), bonnet (2 different styles), seat, inside, under and various bolt-in parts. There are about 33 separate mould parts of various size. This is the only complete Mk1 set in the world. I am only getting rid of them because being 70, I can't see me using them much more. I estimate there is over A$7000 in fibre glass alone plus labour to make frames for main mould and drilling jig. Also you may notice that I have removed the bulge in the tunnel for the 850 starter button. Makes a neater plan."

"I also send you some pictures of my 2 Jems, made out of the moulds. The orange Jem has a 1300 Mini engine, the black one a 1300 turbo twin cam Toyota engine and 5-speed gearbox. Phil."

Parties interested can get in touch here.

Two Mini Jems made by Phil from the Taylorspeed moulds he now offers for sale

Picture Phil Huxtable

Plan to built Mini Jems yourself? Then this set of moulds is a must-have 

Picture Phil Huxtable

Just 12 Mini Jems have been made from this set, which seems to be still in a good condition

Picture Phil Huxtable

With the set of moulds also comes a drilling jig and all the parts necessary 

Picture Phil Huxtable

According to Phil the set consists of about 33 separate mould parts of various size

Picture Phil Huxtable

Nose section can be fitted with two different bonnet styles, both available

Picture Phil Huxtable

Wide wheel arches come separately also, so it's up to you to fit these on the car 

Picture Phil Huxtable

One of the two cars that Phil built from the set uses a 1300 Mini engine...

Picture Phil Huxtable

...While the other one comes with Toyota-sourced 1300 with turbo and twin cam 

Picture Phil Huxtable

UPDATE 24 September 2020: 

I've had a number of enquiries and got back to Phil about these. His reply: "Actually it is all happening quicker than I imagined it would be. I would like to do a couple of things prior to it going. I need to pop out a spare body for me. Hopefully my cars will remain damage free so the spare will just sit in the corner. I have had enquiries for an order for a body from down here in OZ. However we are just talking.  I also wanted to test the Japanese market for the moulds. So I would like to advertise there too. My neighbor is Japanese and she is going to write an add for me to send to Japan (your article may well end up in Japan anyway). So I can't see me letting the moulds go before the end of the year. I am in a position that if I get a good fair price I would be willing to sell them. I am in no urgency to sell. Some people may say does he want to sell them or not. I'm open to selling them, HOWEVER I'm not bothered if they sell or not. They can sit in my new shed, undercover, on concrete, covered over and secure. I'm not going to give them away. As for the price, is very hard to put a specific price. Many opinions and suggestions. I have a price in mind, just think of it as a reserve that I don't want to disclose at the moment. I will let the market dictate a value. That is, the moulds will be sold by offer. You have done great work and I appreciate it, you were very interested and efficient, as I have dealt with people who normally take months to get things done. People can contact me directly or through you. Depends on whether you want to be bothered. I thank you for all your help and assistance with this."

Kingfisher Sprint shell wants to be turned into a car

A virtually new Kingfisher Sprint body shell that remains unbuilt and thus never turned a wheel since it was made in Northumberland in the 1980s has turned up for sale in Vienna, Austria. Christian Schmidt made me aware of the car that is owned by a friend of him, who lives locally. He wrote: "He is in the process of streamlining his collection of classic vehicles. Main reason is as usual - too many projects, too little time! He asked me to help him with the sale and I was immediately thinking of your Maximum Mini Market."

The shell was bought with the intention to build it up as a functioning car but it never happened. Somewhere in the shell's life the body's front end had gone missing at some point and therefore a new mould was made. This mould comes with the lot, together with the bonnet, both doors and the rear hatch panel. A new owner will have to source all the rest of the (Mini) mechanicals and further parts to finish the project, including VW Beetle 1303 windscreen, Datsun 120Y Coupe rear screen and Ford Capri rear lights as these were fitted to the cars built by Kingfisher instigator Roger King. King sold approximately 35 Sprints between 1981 and 1984.
For more details see the ad here.

Waiting to be built from the early 1980s-on - this Kingfisher Sprint body is virtually new

Picture via Christian Schmidt

A mould was made to create a new front end for the car - it comes with the lot

Picture via Christian Schmidt

What have I done..? Kingfisher body shell when it was picked up many years ago

Picture via Christian Schmidt

About 35 Kingfisher Sprints were made, and this one never turned a wheel

Picture via Christian Schmidt

Quite a line up of Mini derivative shells and moulds!

Arch Maximum Mini enthusiast Tony Bucknall of ABS MotorSport has been buying, selling, building and modifying Mini based cars and moulds for them for decades now, and continues to do so. As a matter of fact he has just emptied one factory of its composite shells and moulds as he plans an expansion of his premises. That gave quite a nice overview of Tony's projects, amassed over the years. Mind you: there is lots more in ABS' Alladin's cave, but what we see here, from left to right:

McCoy moulds with extra moulds for skirts plus the estate (McIvoy)
Mould for a lowered Mini race shell with added arches
Mould for a MiniSprint replica
Complete shell for a Stimson Mini Bug
Shell for a space framed MonteCarlo Mini
Shell for a space framed Mini Dominator
A complete full fibreglass bodied FRA Mini
Complete shell of a TiCi including moulded-in interior
Complete shell of a Domino Pimlico
Complete shell of a Phoenix Estate
MINI Countryman display shell

Thank you very much for sharing Tony!

Panoramic view of some of Tony's projects, shells and moulds

Picture Tony Bucknall / ABS MotorSport

This is the McCoy with all the moulds including those for added skirts plus the estate option

Picture Tony Bucknall / ABS MotorSport

Space framed Minis? Tony is your man if you want to build one

Picture Tony Bucknall / ABS MotorSport

A Stimson Mini Bug in its bare essence

Picture Tony Bucknall / ABS MotorSport

FRA Mini, TiCi, Domino Pimlico or Phoenix Estate, you'll find it here!

Picture Tony Bucknall / ABS MotorSport

Remembering the Reptune GT (2)

After last week's article describing the amazing similarities between the Reptune GT and the Ogle SX1000 (click here), I have now found out more about a surviving GT plus the moulds of the car. And it's not very good news I am afraid. 

I'd seen pictures of this particular survivor in a pretty bad state years ago, but the owner made himself known only recently. And to my great surprise it turned out that the same man had the moulds also: Mark Law of Ontario, Canada. I contacted the Prophets once more, and they wrote: "Good evening Jeroen, actually Louie does not have the molds. Mark Law actually has the ones that he was discussing with you. We have a shell of a car and a bunch of engine parts, interior etc."

Okay. It turned out that they were for sale, also, but interest was very low. Meanwhile, Mark started stripping the car only to find out the project would become too costly. He wrote: "I'm stripping it down and then store the Reptune parts with the moulds in case I win the lottery or somebody wants to buy 'm, I guess. It's very sad but just not economical to save it. Too much time out in the rain all the steel under the glass had weakened the structure."

Reptune GT survivor was in a bad state, although it seemed savable to me

Picture Mark Law

Mark did plan to restore it and cut off roof and pillars with the idea to make a new body...

Picture Mark Law

...but "Too much time out in the rain all the steel under the glass had weakened the structure". 

Chassis clearly shows Mini base - very similar to that of the Ogle SX1000

Picture Mark Law

I'm not sure I'd want to know what happened to these bits after they were cut off...

Picture Mark Law

Although damaged also, the moulding is there, too. Here the roof

Picture Mark Law via Joost van Dien

"A restoration will only happen in case I win the lottery or somebody wants to buy 'm"

Picture Mark Law via Joost van Dien

Front end. It would be good when somebody took care of it and restored the car after all

Picture Mark Law via Joost van Dien

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