Maximum Mini: Stimson Trek

Showing posts with label Stimson Trek. Show all posts

Tuesday, 4 February 2025

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #61

Barry's Big Sale - all these cars are now for sale

New picture emerges - but where is this Mk2 Biota now?

The Aga Khan's Wood & Pickett Mini Margrave

Friday, 24 March 2023

Stimson cars tribute at Restoration Show

Have there ever been five different Stimson designs together on one display? I don't think so. Paul Wylde and his team of Minikits enthusiasts have been working for ages to get just that together and they've finally succeeded, too. This weekend you can see a most colourful display of Stimson vehicles brought together at the Classic Car & Restoration Show in the NEC in Birmingham. The Stimson Mini Bug is there in two variants, joined by a Stimson Scorcher, Stimson Trek and Stimson Safari Six as a grand tribute to their creator who passed away on the last day of 2022.

Paul added: "I will send you some with Roger Fauchon's family (Roger was the man who built many of the bodies for Stimson) who will be here tomorrow and with the Stimson family on Saturday." Well done guys!

UPDATE 27 March 2023: pictures of Fouchon and Stimson families and more added, see below.

A colourful display of Stimson vehicles can be seen in Birmingham now

Picture Paul Wylde

This as a tribute to Barry Stimson, who died on December 31st last year

Picture Paul Wylde

Paul's Mk2 Stimson Mini Bug

Picture Paul Wylde

Barry Tibury's Mini Bug, as used in 'The Freewheelers'

Picture Paul Wylde

Colin Baines' Stimson Safari Six

Picture Paul Wylde

Philip Lyons' Stimson Scorcher

Picture Paul Wylde

Barry Tibury's Stimson Trek

Picture Paul Wylde

Bonus - 1960 Mini with ultra rare LMB boot. One owner from 1960 to 2020!

Picture Paul Wylde

Paul Wylde (center) with Roger Fouchon's daughters and grand daughter

Picture courtesy Paul Wylde

Caroline Stimson and sons try out the Stimson Scorcher!

Picture courtesy Paul Wylde

The Minikits team together with the Stimsons on Saturday

Picture courtesy Paul Wylde

Lovely painting of Barry Stimson presented to Caroline

Picture courtesy Paul Wylde

Saturday, 31 December 2022

Barry Stimson dies at 82

A real shocker on the last day of the year: Barry Stimson died at the age of 82 yesterday. Barry was the man behind a great number of designs, many of them Mini based. Best-known of these was the Stimson Mini Bug, but there were also the Stimson Safari Six, Stimson Scorcher, Stimson Trek and many more. Apart from cars there were also boats, camper vans, bikes and even the odd amphibian or tracked vehicle, most of them coming to life in the 1970s and 1980s. He once told me: "Oh, there were plenty of other plans, I mean, I had some sort of design diarrhea at the time." Some of his ideas never reached production while others made it to the prototype stage. But apart from being a very prolific designer, he was a lovely and funny man in the first place who was always happy to see you and dish up some good stories from his many travels and all the vehicles he used on them.

Barry's wife Caroline told me that in September he'd had a stroke and had to have a blood clot removed from his brain. This morning she wrote: "Hi Jeroen. Just wanted to let you know that Barry passed away peacefully last night" I will start the new year with a series of articles about this very special man. Meanwhile, I wish all the best to Caroline and the rest of the Stimson family.

Barry Stimson with one of his more controversial designs: the 1976 Stimson Scorcher

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

He designed anything from amphibians to six-wheelers, here the Stimson Safari Six with its creator

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

And working on the Stimson Trek here: his personal favourite vehicle design

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

This was his best-known and best-selling Stimson: the Stimson Mini Bug

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

But there were many more, not all of them Mini powered and not all reaching production

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Apart from cars Barry had a great love for traveling. Here at age 17 in Venice on his way to Africa

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Caroline and Barry a couple of years ago at their home in Portsmouth. He will be much missed!

Picture Jeroen Booij

Friday, 13 May 2022

Market round up (Spring 2022)

Another market round up to see what is for sale for those wanting to buy a Mini based car right now. Once again there is lots to choose from, from the weird to the wonderful and from the cheap to the expensive. In alphabetical order I present to you:

A beautiful AEM Scout with 1965 registration. Ad here

Andersen Cub in the UK with hardly any miles. Ad here

Andersen Cub Six, a.k.a. Sundancer in St. Tropez. Oh-la-la! Ad here

Banham Sprint with 1275 engine and 1970 reg. Ad here

Gorgeous 1992 Domino Pimlico in The Netherlands. Ad here

Grantura Yak needing TLC but correctly registered. Ad here

GTM Coupe project in Austria. Ad here

1980 Hrubon Phaeton in sunny France. Ad here

Hustler 6 with 1965 registration in Wales. Ad here

Rare Jimini 1 with gull wing doors. Love it! Ad here.

Jimini 2 that was featured in Maximum Mini 2. Ad here.

Mini Jem Mk2, ready to go, in France. Ad here

One of 4 Mini Marcoses offered for sale in France. Ad here

And another Mk4 Mini Marcos in green. Ad here

And yet another Mk4 in white (that's not a '66 car!). Ad here

Plus a Mk3 Mini Marcos in red. Ad here

1966 Mini Moke with rare Barton hardtop in Spain. Ad here

Barn find Stimson Mini Bug in Northern Ireland. Ad here

Stimson Trek in bits at an eye-watering price. Ad here

Genuine Wood & Pickett Mini needing serious work. Ad here

For 100s more Mini derivatives seen for sale previously, have a look at previous market round ups:

And then there's the Maximum Mini Marketplace

Monday, 15 November 2021

Lining up the Mini derivatives!

There's no doubt that Mini derivatives are gaining popularity. The NEC in Birmingham was the venue of a classic car show last weekend and the Minikits Club had really done its best to show a wide variety of Mini based cars, which had worked out particularly well. On their display not only three Stimson cars (Mini Bug, Trek and Scorcher) but also a lovely TiCi and ultra-rare Hustler Sport. They also had a separate corner with a Mini Marcos and two GTM Coupes in primary colours red, blue and yellow. Well done boys!

Another display which looked particularly good was that of the Unipower GT Owners Club & Register, with three cars on display: Mark Glashier's road car, a chassis/body under construction and Gerry Hulford's racer. Gerry has also just finished a long-awaited book on the Unipower marque, of which I hope to receive a copy soon.

Meanwhile, Curborough track was the scene for a photo shoot of four Mini based beauties, soon to star in Classic & Sports car magazine. Two of them with the power at the front wheels - a Mini Jem and an Ogle SX1000 - and two with the power at the rear - a Unipower GT and a Deep Sanderson 301. Roger Garland was there to assist and take a few pictures himself, which he flashed over. He added: "We had tried to get a recently restored GTM, but the owner had to work that day. We also had difficulty finding a suitable Mini Marcos, hence the Mini Jem - a very capable substitute!" Absolutely, and thank you very much Roger. Soon in their full glory at the newsstand near you, or so I understand!