85 replies to this topic

[downhillfast]

I remember these cars well, I raced in a championship in 79 against Charles Hills Wallace car and also the Pearce signs car, the drivers name escapes me. Great days, hard close, but clean racing. 

[mab01uk]

Some more 1980's racing photos that I took at Lydden Hill circuit in Kent. My brother Steve was mechanic on a Mini 7 at the time and went on to become Chris Tyrrells mechanic in Mini 7 and for a while the Metro Challenge before reverting back to Mini7 and Miglia as a driver in the 1990's.

[mab01uk]

Ouch!
These was taken by me in the Brands Hatch paddock (I think) in the late 1970's.
These very quick green Longman short-stroke 850cc Mini's were driven by Neil Dineen and Peter Crouch.

 

 

Edited by mab01uk, 30 September 2014 - 09:59 PM.

[megamini_jb]

Awesome!

Love the Imps

[mab01uk]

Both photos above and below are from August 1981 at Brands Hatch.
Photo below is Chris Tyrrells Championship winning Mini 7 racer in the race paddock with Paddock Hill Bend in the background, my brother Steve Bell was by now his mechanic and had got him some sponsorship from 'Budget Hire' including the support van, many of the front running Sevens were using Chris Tyrrell heads or engines back then. The red Mk3 Mini with smoke tinted 'Tilling' glass was my much modified daily driver at the time.....quite quick and also with a Tyrrell modified S head all setup on Jon Mowatts rolling road.

Edited by mab01uk, 14 September 2014 - 06:54 PM.

[mab01uk]

More photos from Silverstone April 1981

[mab01uk]

Brands Hatch paddock April 1981

[Nuttoni]

This is easily one of my favorite threads on here, thanks guys! Keep them coming! 

Edited by Nuttoni, 15 September 2014 - 09:32 AM.

[mini 100]

hi just out of instrest do you know where the cars are now did you sell them on and did you have any inside of the car please 

[mab01uk]

hi just out of instrest do you know where the cars are now did you sell them on and did you have any inside of the car please 

 

Competition cars tend to disappear over the years as they change owners or get badly accident damaged and stripped for parts as donor cars. They do sometimes re-appear as 'barn finds' but as circuit racing Mini's rarely have their original registration documents or chassis numbers it can be hard to identify their exact history. I don't have many interior shots of the cars as old style film cameras were not so good at that without using extra flash lights, accessories, etc which were a pain to carry around at the track. I was also taking these photos while often working in a race team so there was only time to take fairly quick basic shots most of the time, glad I did as they bring back some great memories of that era.

 

I remember the late Chris Tyrrells championship winning Mini 7 was badly damaged on several occasions and at one point was two Mini's 'cut and shut' welded together at the front bulkhead and windscreen pillers but he still won races with it!

Here is a picture of his rather battle scarred racer loaded up on the trailer ready to go outside my parents house, I will probably start a new thread on Chris as there are several photos and stories worth posting including his exploits in the Metro Challenge. He also ran a small Mini tuning workshop in Leatherhead, Surrey specialising in A-Series head modifications and race engines.

 

Edited by mab01uk, 16 September 2014 - 07:48 AM.

[mini 100]

can you let me know when you do it please

[lucas1amps]

topman keep the pictures coming, got a  vague hope that our 59 racer may be in there some where  right era! 

[mini 100]

hi just out of instrest do you know where the cars are now did you sell them on and did you have any inside of the car please

[mini 100]

can you let me know when you do it please

[mini 100]

Good photos