33 replies to this topic

[Tanya]

The Motor Heritage Centre at Gaydon are looking to put on a half day of lectures about Mini and would like to hear from Mini enthusiasts about what they would like the topics to be.  I guess they are looking for about three topics.

 

Before you ask me, I don't know much about the half day of Mini lectures other than it will be sometime in the second part of the year and will be charged at cost price - Gaydon are not looking to make a profit from it, just cover the cost of the speakers.

 

I was asked for ideas but I'm fairly hopeless with ideas like this, so thought that collectively we'd get some interesting ideas. Also, if you happen to know of any interesting 'Mini' speakers, please let me know. 

 

Thank you

Edited by Tanya, 02 March 2014 - 05:30 PM.

[Miniholic]

Are they looking for formal lectures or more of a Q&A session?

 

Keith Calver came to the MCR Yorkshire region meeting last year and gave a good talk.

[Tanya]

To be honest, I think they just want to do what people want.  

 

Keith Calver sounds great - thanks for the suggestion   Do you have any others?  

[Miniholic]

You could try Mike Wood, he has a great photo collection from his works days and I've known him do talks - I went to one organised by Basil Wales but that was about 10-15 years ago.

 

I know lots of people that like the sound of their own voice, but probably not as willing to stand in front of an audience. 

[MaxAndPaddy]

One of the JCG guys would get our vote

 

Chris Dawson would be good, Mike Cooper even better 

 

[greenwheels]

Basil Wales and Stuart Turner were both at the Club Expo yesterday - I've heard Basil talking many times and he is good, get him with Stuart together and I bet it would be a fabulous session.

- and make sure the session is professionally recorded.

Edited by greenwheels, 02 March 2014 - 05:56 PM.

[Black.Ghost]

I agree with M&P. If you can get someone who worked in the garages in the 90s to give a lecture on the special cars they did, that could be interesting. I'd look to go to that as well.

[Tanya]

Thank you everyone, these suggestions are great - please keep the suggestions coming!

 

If Gaydon had gone with my feeble (I knew they were feeble) suggestions, you'd ended up with a talk about Issigonis and possibly Paddy Hopkirk giving a talk.  Nothing wrong with either, other than they have slightly been done to death!  

[mab01uk]

Veteran Mini racer Peter Baldwin started racing in 1967 and has just retired after claiming his seventh Mini Miglia championship and has also done interesting talks for the Mini Cooper Register about his long career.

Read more: http://www.cambridge...m#ixzz2uqENiEMK

Edited by mab01uk, 02 March 2014 - 09:05 PM.

[Tanya]

Thanks Martin - great suggestion

 

Ok, so here are the others that I have collected from the Facebook posts I've put out:

• David Vizard to talk about tuning
• The movement from the Cooper 'S' to 1275GT and the controversy it caused. 
• The development of MINI by Rover which possibly Keith Adams could give a talk about.  

I'll wait a couple more days for any further suggestions then I'll email them off to Gaydon to follow up and see who's available.

 

 

 

 

[minidizzy]

What about our own Uncle Cooperman? He has so many stories and is still a Mini owner and enthusiast.

 

Also a question for Steve (M&P). I should know but who is Chris Dawson? I met Tony Franks (ex JCG) last week and he is going to install my new (thanks to Tanya and Roger) Janspeed S pack exhaust system.

Edited by minidizzy, 03 March 2014 - 12:23 AM.

[Black.Ghost]

Chris Dawson was JCG employee as well. Damn it, I've been looking for a Janspeed exhaust!

[some1158]

Adding on to the idea of the development of the Mini by Rover (which I agree, Keith Adams would be a good person for) maybe this could also include something on replacing the Mini.  Given that Gaydon has various 9X prototypes and also (in store) an ADO88 prototype it could be quite interesting.

[Tanya]

Adding on to the idea of the development of the Mini by Rover (which I agree, Keith Adams would be a good person for) maybe this could also include something on replacing the Mini.  Given that Gaydon has various 9X prototypes and also (in store) an ADO88 prototype it could be quite interesting.

That's a good idea! If John Sheppard, who worked with Issigonis and worked on the 9X was up to it, he'd love to tell you all about the 9X, he's quite fanatical about it!

Thanks for the suggestion

[minidizzy]

John Sheppard would be brilliant. 

Kay Drury has found all sorts of interesting people related to the development of the Mini and has interviewed them for MiniWorld.

Another suggestion would be Alistair Vines. He was in charge of getting the Rover Mini Cooper into production from the RSP on. He also owns a historic Works Mini Cooper, in which he has success in the Rallye Monte Carlo Historique.