168 replies to this topic

[dazibee]

Hi David. My Dad had minis and bought your mini tuning books during the 70's and 80's. I pinched these books from him as they were compulsory reading if you had a mini. Can you tell what happened to your red Mini Cooper race car from the early 70's which was featured in How To Modify Your Mini. Is it still alive? I see a photo of what looks to be a replica on your facebook page.
Thanks Daz

[David Vizard]

Thanks Martin for the heads up here.

I especially liked the mini tuning archive link as it did bring back alot of memories. in fact i have to put together an info pack that has much to do with harry Ratcliffe. Does anyone know hoe/were he is currently??
DV

[David Vizard]

Hi dazibee,
Hope the books kept you busy working on your mini.

AS for my 1293 Racer it met an untimely end at Silverstone. Loops and rolls do not help the quality of the shine on the paint job!

I sort of miss that car. That was the one where i blitzed all the F1 cars on a wet track at Prescott hill climb. Was also 7 seconds faster under idetical conditions than the guy who was the current class record holder. I think he was a little upset with me!!

DV

DV

[Mini Cheddars]

What an honour. David Vizard.

You are to A series tuning what Richard Hammond is to driving.



Except there's actual truth to it.

[mab01uk]

Thanks Martin for the heads up here.

I especially liked the mini tuning archive link as it did bring back alot of memories. in fact i have to put together an info pack that has much to do with harry Ratcliffe. Does anyone know hoe/were he is currently??
DV

David, there a fairly recent post on Harry Ratcliffe on the pistonheads forum here:
http://www.pistonhea...ic.asp?t=946181

It seems Harry retired from his partnership with Jeff Goodliff in 1985, but was a regular "Potterer" down at GRV's Littleborough workshops up until the time the premises closed in 2001
Others say Harry sadly now has alzheimers which has progressed so he is being looked after in hospital in Littleborough.
This is the email for the Harry Ratcliffe/BVRT website below who should know more:
[email protected]

"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

Edited by mab01uk, 19 February 2012 - 05:38 PM.

[ministar]

Thats a motoring marvel, really is. Dead impressed. Thanks for sharing

[David Vizard]

Martin,

Thanks for all the info and leads on Harry Ratcliffe.

I have to say though that as popular as it was with the press the Buick Mini logic completely escaped me. The car would have done better with 4 reverse gears and one forward!

But that was not what I really wanted to bring home here. Although Harry made a name for himself as did Jeff Goodliffe, I think he will depart this world with less credit than he deserves.

Although I talked to Harry a fair number of times on the phone I only met him a few times - certainly less than half a dozen. What struck me most was what an easily approachable person he was. No airs and graces just plenty of old world charm.

He was certainly an innovator as you all will get to hear, when I tell (when I have more time to devote to it) how he inspired some of the mini technology which I often get the sole credit for. This was the reason why I wanted to track down Harry.

If he is in a home and has Alzheimer's then I find that very saddening. At my age I fully realize that people I knew in my younger days are slipping away from me. It seems that Harry may have already done so. I am hoping I, and the family can spend the whole 8 - 10 weeks of the summer holidays in the UK next year(2013). Part of the plan here was to visit those people i knew when I lived in the UK and raced Mini's (ah - those were the days). The only way I can make this happen unfortunately, is to make a commercial success of my and my family's visit.

I don't want to talk about it too much here because I feel it will not be in keeping with my(our) thoughts and concerns for Harry. Suffice to say a trip to the UK for what could prove to be one of the most exciting Mini projects in a long time depends on sponsorship. And the best thing all you mini fans can do here is hit my daughters Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/jacquevizard. Your participation simply puts on a show for prospective sponsors and that is what we need. To make your guess just imagine a similarly hopped up mini engine of say 1400 cc and multiple the results by 3! If any Mini owner wins the book choice will include a signed copy of the big yellow book.

One last request here - let's hear it for Harry!

David Vizard

[David Vizard]

When I lived in Cheltenham (well Bishops Cleeve actually) the Mini scene was rife with enthusiastic races and the like. How does it look these days?
David Vizard

[clivemk1mini]

Welcome david your book is probably the only book I have read since leaving school many years ago. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge

[jagman.2003]

When I lived in Cheltenham (well Bishops Cleeve actually) the Mini scene was rife with enthusiastic races and the like. How does it look these days?
David Vizard

Hello David, a few mini's still around in the area. There are three regular mini's at Prescott racing. Nicely prepared Cooper S'. I don't know if you ever worked with Bill Baker in Churchdown, but his son Steve Baker still does alot of A-Series engine work from a small workshop. I've got a couple of photos from last season at Prescott, I'll post them up as a soon as I find them.

Edited by jagman.2003, 15 March 2012 - 08:29 AM.

[lulu85ritz]

Wow David Vizard welcome to The Mini Forum! (Better late than never!) I need to get your book as i am going to be restoring a 1275 soon! It's for my Ritz! You are a legend in the mini world nice to see you on here!

[trevorhp]

Hi David,
Just to let you know that at least two of the British Vita Racing, ETCC, 999cc, 8port, Gp 5 cars from 1968 are still in existence and currently being renovated in Somerset by me.
I believe the third car KDK 319F was sold to Japan.
Dave Mountain has promised to help me with the TJ injection setup!!!!
I am in contact with John Handley's daughter who is very interested in my progress as she knows little about his illustrious history, or his epic achievment in 1968, by beating all of the works ETCC teams. John sadly passed away in 2010. He was a friend of my father 'Bill' Powell the builder of the 30+ ABC three wheeled minis in the 60's and 70's.
Kind regards and grateful thanks for your invaluable book.
Trevor Powell

Edited by trevorhp, 30 March 2012 - 09:10 PM.

[lucas1amps]

welcome to the fourm DV your books are bible for my uni work lol

[jagman.2003]

Hello David,

Good to see you on this forum. I'm a long term owner of your books. Good to hear you were back in Gloucestershire for a visit. Are you ever likely to pay a visit to Prescott Hill again sometime? There are still a couple of minis competing there. Cheers.

Some mini's at Prescott last year..!

[minituga]

Welcome and THANK YOU!!