410 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

 

[mab01uk]

 

[Aly-g]

Three C's magazine was the mag of the day back then and only half a crown, how things have changed, mind you i was only earning about £ 10. a week....!

[mab01uk]

Jon Mowatt

 

[mab01uk]

Croft 1971

Andy Barton, Cedric Bell and Alex Clatcher.

https://www.facebook...esportingminis/

 

Edited by mab01uk, 30 January 2022 - 10:01 PM.

[mab01uk]

 

"FOR THE FULL UNABRIDGED HISTORY OF HARRY RATCLIFFE & BVRT VISIT THIS SITE"
http://mountgreen.co.uk/

The BRT Developments V8 Mini Cooper-Buick re-appeared at some shows a couple of years ago!
"1964 Mini Cooper S Buick. The car is very original and has been stored for over 30 years. The body is in excellent condition and is better than it looks in the pictures. The car was originally a fiesta yellow 1071 Cooper S, which was a new car when the project started in 1963. The car was built by Harry Radcliffe and Jeff Goodliff and was also raced by Harry and many other celebrity drivers. The car has a tremendous amount of history. There is an original Buick engine to go with the car, also a Jaguar gear box, original Les Leston steering wheel, seats, wheels, some of the Perspex screens. The car needs a radiator (which could probably be found using the under bonnet pictures).









In the 1964 season Harry Ratcliffe of BRT had demonstrated with his Cooper Buick that when it came to low volume specialist cars, there was no such thing as bad publicity. The Cooper Buick had been a bit of a disaster from the start. A Mini with a 3.5 litre Buick V8 in the boot driving the front wheels through a special prop shaft and converted E type Jag axle in the front.

Harry described driving it at speed as being like trying to throw a sledge hammer shaft first. The strange thing was that the motoring press loved it. The Cooper Buick was featured in almost every major motoring publication of 1964 bringing some much needed publicity to the, at that time, little known northern outfit.
http://www.minisprint.eu/page2.html

 

More photos of the Cooper Buick V8:-

http://www.jdclassic...ick-V8/8770.htm

 

http://mk1-performan...ita_history.htm

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.facebook...49045955132019/

 

[mab01uk]

Harry Ratcliffe reckoned the Cooper-Buick Mini V8 was the best thing he ever did.  Not  because it went well or was easy to drive, it wasn't!  But because of  the amount of publicity it brought BRT.  He described driving it as like  trying to throw a hammer shaft first, but did say that people were  really scared to overtake it as they never knew what direction it would  veer off in next...
 

 

 

 

Edited by mab01uk, 16 February 2022 - 07:28 PM.

[mab01uk]

26th Sep 1971 Llandow, Gerry Marshall debut of the 2.5 litre Firenza - with wins in both the Saloon & Modsports/Allcomers races.

 

[mab01uk]

 

[mab01uk]

Chris Montague, Oulton Park Gold Cup 1970.
(Photo: Bear Yeomans)

Sporting Minis:-
https://www.facebook...esportingminis/

Edited by mab01uk, 19 April 2022 - 09:46 AM.

[mab01uk]

Osram Saloon Car Championship - Crystal Palace 1971
The Race with commentary by Murray Walker:-

 

[Aly-g]

those bloody anglia's always were getting in the way..!

[r.tec]

Saw the photo of Chris Montague's Mini above. Reminded me of his Mini in Chris Harvey's book 'Mighty Mini'. Shows him at the end of the start/finish straight of the old Nürbrugring, 6h ETCC 1972, which I unfortunately could not attend as a spectator.

 

[mab01uk]

"A very rare photo of Mick Hill racing a Mini. Taken at a damp Croft chicane during 1966 Mick is lying 3rd in this group ( No.33 ). The lead Anglia not yet identified but the 2nd place Mini is believed to be Stuart Whitehead and the Anglia at the rear is Dave Willars. Mick`s early racing wasn't a success with two engine failures in only 6 races in the Mini."

Mick Hill (1944 - 2014) - Cars & Career overview:-
"Not only a prolific race winner but equally well known as the builder of some the most iconic modified saloons of that generation".
https://www.mickhill.co.uk/cars

 

[mab01uk]

The July 2022 issue of MiniWorld magazine is now out and has Part 1 of the recent interview with the late 1960's Mini racer Martin Davidson (Harry Martin) including some nice period photos of that era from his albums. Part 2 will follow next month.


Brands Hatch 1965 - Martin Davidson WER 113