Deep Sanderson and more in Germany

If you know me or if you have been following my posts for a while you must know I have a soft spot for Deep Sandersons. So when I first heard of a DS 301 survivor in Germany many years ago, I was desperate to find it. Not easy. In fact, it took me to last Spring to find out where exactly it was. Mysteriously, when I contacted the chap who'd owned it for some 30-odd years, he informed me that he'd just sold it... Bugger! I decided to go and have a look at it anyway, as the new owner brought it over to Mike Gensemeyer's workshop in Germany. Mike has been preparing race Minis for years and the car is definitely in good hands with him. It turned out to be chassis number 6 that had been in the UK up until the early 1980s (September 1980 advertisement here). Not much of it's early history is known but I found some reports of the car when owned by a man named Richard Graham who restored it in 1979. One particularly strange feature on this car is that it uses the Mini's rubber ball springs only and no coil springs in the rear suspension. It's the only one with this feature that I know of. (UPDATE HERE)

Anyway: the new (Swiss) owner is planning to take the car back to the racing track (it's last appearance was in 1983 - see update too). He has the car now restored to take part in next year's Le Mans Classic race, a job skillfully carried out by Gensemeyer at this very moment. I had a look around in his workshop (website in German here) and stumbled upon several intriguing cars there. Lots of racing Minis but also a few derivatives. Mike used to race a GTM Coupe himself but he sold his car recently after the car was ruled out of the German championship he took part in. He is now planning to restore the ex-Jeremy Delmar Morgan Mini Jem Mk2 works racer that he bought a while ago. A car with quite some history attached to it. But that's something for another story.

German Deep Sanderson 301 was never road registered, also not when in the UK

Picture Jeroen Booij

It wears chassis # 6 and last made it to a track in 1983. Original colour was dark blue

Picture Jeroen Booij 

 Its previous owner had it nearly 30 years only to sell it just before I tracked him down...

Picture Jeroen Booij

 Unusually, the chassis uses the Mini's rubber balls rather than coil springs at the back

Picture Jeroen Booij

Mike has been preparing many more Minis for the track. Here a Cooper 'S' plus Lotus 23

Picture Jeroen Booij 

Tucked away in a corner I stumbled upon a GTM Coupe. It will be restored one day

Picture Jeroen Booij 

Mike Gensemeyer used to race his own GTM Coupe in German championships

Picture Jeroen Booij

Here is Mini Mare No.5!

I've been away for a while. It was getting too hot behind my desk and became about time for a cool breeze. I was not on my own. Nazzica from Rome went to Portofino to do a great discovery there: the 5th Innocenti Mini Mare - an Italian sibling of the Mini Beach Car. And he was kind enough to share it. But let's start at the beginning. At first, from Italian information, I believed only three Mini Mares were built. But then, not long after I wrote an article about them here (click), a message came in from the USA by John Stanmeyer who told me he owned such a car, too (see here). That was number 4! Furthermore John said he thought he'd seen another in Portofino 'back in about 1985'. Well, well. Some 27 years later that car, too, has now resurfaced and so number 5 can be validated. It is still out and about in Portofino where it is still in use, or so it seems. This one may not wear a mysterious marine decal on its bonnet but there is no doubt that this is another Mini Mare. Love it! 

But now, will there ever appear a 6th? John Stanmeyer adds: "Regarding a potential 6th... as mentioned before, I recall my father saying there were two Mini Mares on the island of Nassau, Bahamas, where my family had purchased outs back around 1974/75. Would be surprised if this second Mini ever returned to Italy where all the other Mini Mares appear to be located. There's a very vague recollection of my father saying this second car on Nassau was in poor condition, acting more as a parts mini, but do not hold me to that memory... I was only about 11 years old. If there are any readers of your blog in Nassau, it couldn't hurt to ask them if between say 1977 till today, has anyone ever seen one of these rare Minis out and about. It's a mighty small island (7-22 miles in size) making it very possible someone else might have seen it..."

In Portofino, Innocenti Mini Mare No.5 is even properly badged as such

Picture courtesy Nazzica

Not all the cars have wicker seats with frame surrounds. This one does

Picture courtesy Nazzica

Wood used throughout the car is said to be of Libanese cedar trees

Picture courtesy Nazzica

Wicker bumper, bamboo grille and Inno logo. Is that a Milan plate?

Picture courtesy Nazzica

Andersen Cub returns

Cool news from Liverpool: the Andersen Cub is available again from its original builder Charles Andersen, the man who came up with it back in 1984. Yep, that's almost 30 years now.

According to Andersen the car can now be bought as a complete ready to drive car or in kit form for home assembly using all new parts and engine-gearbox unit supplied rebuilt to 'as new
condition' by Andersen Motor Company. The new Cub is fully IVA compliant and as such, if built by AMC, can be supplied with an 2012 registration number. Body shells come with roll bars and crash bars front and rear plus altered suspension arms at the rear, steering column, hand brake lever and pedal assembly bracket in order to comply with the rules. When supplied as a complete vehicle it comes with six months UK road tax. Prices depend on final specification but are based on three steps:

1: Body kit for use with donor Mini. Price ex works from £ 3,980
2: Partly knocked down unit with all parts supplied. Price ex works from £ 8,975
3. Complete two-seat drive away vehicle. Price ex works from £ 11,695

Charles writes: "It is promised that you will never tire of the smiles, waves and toots. Life is too short to drive a boring car, that's why we build the Cub" He's got a point there! Call him for more information on: 07903 573050 or e-mail: info@amcgb.com A new website will be launched soon: www.amcgb.com

Beach bunnies and two cuddly little Cubs. The Cub was hot in the '80s, so why not now?

Picture courtesy Wayne Morris

Kits remain available. Roll bar and crash bars make the Cub comply with IVA rules, even today

Picture courtesy Wayne Morris

Car meets creator

From Moncalieri, Italy, the picture below reached me. It was sent over by Simone Bertolero of Auto Classic who currently owns the one-off Zagato Mini Gatto. Bertolero decided to restore the car after it wasn't sold through eBay last May (see here). Meanwhile he's had a visit of the designer himself, Ercole Spada, who is willing to assist with the restorationm where he can. Perfect!

The Zagato Mini Gatto with Ercole Spada who designed it back in 1961

Picture courtesy Simone Bertolero

Magentas back to their roots

Weather wise it wasn't the best of weekends, but the hand full of Magentas that did make it to northern Yorkshire to celebrate the car's 40th anniversary certainly had a good time. One of the cars that drove over to the picturesque but wet venue was the infamous 'Marathon Magenta' that did the gruelling London to Sydney marathon back in 1977, still very much in its original condition with its white hardtop, foggies and spare wheels. Naturally pictures were made at the old Lightspeed works venue in Lealholm - the former British Railways goods building - but biggest surprise must have been the arrival of mister Magenta himself: Steve Johnson, the man who set up Lightspeed 40 years ago and who designed and built the cars!

The old Lightspeed works premises in Lealholm, with the cars retracing their roots

Picture: Owelly Boot

And the same Lightspeed works back in the late 1970s. Not much has changed!

'Mister Magenta' Steve Johnson stands in front of the 1977 London-Sydney car

Picture: Owelly Boot 

There were a few sunny spells though. That's when these pictures were made!

Picture: Owelly Boot

Season in swing

The 2012 season is in full swing and every now and then a photo lands on my desk. Here are a few of them taken over the last few weeks. Enjoy, and keep them coming!

Brands Hatch hoisted lots of Minis in June. This is an original MiniSprint

Picture: Roald Rakers

And another! This Stewart & Ardern Sprint is a well known car among fans

Picture: Roald Rakers

A Mini Marcos races at Le Mans Classic last weekend. Never mind that snake!

Picture courtesy Sports Car Digest

Which way? Ferrari skids as Remy Julienne sneaks his Mk1 Mini Marcos through

Picture: unknown

Meanwhile in Paris, an exhibition of Quasar Khahn's work shows a Quasar Unipower

Picture courtesy Neo Tony Lee

This Ogle SX1000 was spotted at the 2012 Bromley Pageant of Motoring

Picture: unknown

Another Biota in The Low Countries

I told you before there may have been more Biotas in The Low Countries! number five has now surfaced in The Netherlands (although it appears to be Belgian registered); a black Mk1 with Biota's rare Clam Seats in red and 850 power from a 1965 Mini. It's for sale, too - see the ad here. The price indication of 17,500 euros (around 14,000 pounds) seems slightly over the top, to put things mildly but at least prospective buyers are offered the chance to trade in other vehicles. Oh, and the heading is funny too, stating: 'Unique, only 30 cars built' - ehm, now what did 'unique' mean again? But anyway, it's another nice survivor!

To sum up the known cars in Holland and Belgium now:

FA-91-80 - Mk1 - orange - 1966 Mini registration, said to be Cooper 'S'
48-72-RR - Mk1 - yellow - 1975 registration (1275cc)
TMO-513 - Mk1 - black - 1965 Mini registration (850cc)

06-38-XD - Mk1/Mk2 hybrid - orange - 1973 registration (1000cc)

Unregistered - Mk2 - red - 1965 Mini Cooper base (998cc)

Registration says green, but this looks like black to me. Nice 10" Momo wheels

Picture courtesy Marktplaats.nl

Biota's rare Clam Seats are fitted into this tidy looking looking Biota Mk1

Picture courtesy Marktplaats.nl

Last of the Triads discovered... unbuilt

Damien Lescroart and Emilien Pillot, France based fans of anything Mini based, have a special place in their hearts for the three-wheeled Mosquito and Triad (excellent website about the subject can be found here). According to them a grand (?) total of 20 of these cars (11 Triads and 9 Mosquitos) were built from 1971-on. And with their continuous research to these quirky vehicles they managed to track most of these down. Most, that is, for as a matter of fact one of them remained shrouded in mystery. It was a Triad of which Damien and Emilien knew nothing more then its colour (green) from one hazy image. So when they were contacted earlier this week about this missing creature, I'm sure it made their day. It now appears the mystery Triad was never built and comes in the shape of an unfinished chassis and body kit to this very day. The current owner has in fact decided to sell the kit, so if you have always wanted to build yourself one very rare Mini based three-wheeler grab the opportunity here and pick it up in Evesham. Apart from an engine it is complete with all the bits and pieces you will need, even the carpets are there.

Robert Moss designed Triad chassis is complete and rolling but misses an engine

Picture courtesy www.mosquito-triad.com

Body comes in green gellcoat and was never attached to the chassis it belongs to

Picture courtesy www.mosquito-triad.com

Sergio Pininfarina dies at 85

One of the greatest names in the automotive world passed away last night. Sergio Pininfarina died in his Turin home at the age of 85. He was of course best known as the designer of many Ferraris, but his studio worked for several other motoring manufacturers, from Fiat to Rolls-Royce and from Bentley to Peugeot. For BMC he was given the task of designing a Mini based roadster and coupe in 1965, I believe as Longbridge feared for the success of the unofficial 'Ogle Mini' (which was not yet named Ogle SX1000 at the time). The two prototype cars Pininfarina came up with were internally named ADO 34 (the roadster) and ADO 35 (the coupe) and both survive to this day. The first in the British Motor Heritage museum in Gaydon where many of you will have seen it; the latter in private hands (see here). In 1975 Sergio Pininfarina was involved in designing a replacement Mini but again his proposal never reached production.

Pininfarina's Mini based roadster never reached the production stage.Note Cooper 'S' wheels

Picture Jeroen Booij

Magenta's 40th anniversary

Any plans for the weekend? If not, may I suggest the Magenta's 40th anniversary? No, not all of these wonderfully quirky four-seat roadsters were 1100 based. In fact quite a few came from dead Minis. And quite a few, there were, with over 500 examples said to have been built between 1972 and 1988. Yes, that's 40 years ago since the prototype came to life in one of the most rural settings imaginable. The Magenta's 'factory' was actually based in the picturesque village of Lealholm, north Yorkshire, where Magenta instigator Steve Johnson ran the company from the former British Railways goods shed (exact model available here), next to the Lealholm railway station. The little stone building is still there being run as a garage - Lealholm Auto Services - today. Anyhow: on Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 July some 40 Magentas are expected in Staithes, some 10 miles from the original birtplace, near Whitby. And, yes, that is were the Whitby Warrior was built (Update: oops - it wasn't, see comment) - another great reason for a pilgrimage! More info here

No matter were you come from - pack your bags to celebrate the Magenta's 40th

Picture courtesy www.hemmings.com

Rolling hills, a Victorian railway station and a Mini derivative shed, all in Lealholm