Bryan Purves RIP

[Polarsilver]

Bryan Purves passed today after his long battle with Cancer.. Bryans first Surf Blue 850 was purchased in 1963 & i remember helping to install a set of ex Sprite " Blue" Seats as his first Mini up-grade.
A Technology School Teacher for some 30 years, Bryan wrote several books for the Kids on the subject as there were none suitable at that time. Later he became self employed specialising in all type of Classics Trim , he was pleased to be asked to re-trim the original seat in the Mike Hawthorn D Type also Aircraft Simulator Seats were attended however he specialised in Austin Seven, Mini & Daimler Dart Seats & Trim.along with his Works Replica items often shown in his Advert within MCR Cooper World.
Other Books written were the Austin Seven Source Book & Last Works Minis.. always happy to take his "S" ALV out on a Rally & despite his illness completed the restortation of his period Rally TR8.. Bryan will be missed by his Family & i am sure many others who knew him.. RIP Brother Bryan.
.

[Andrew1967]

Sorry and sad to hear about this Norman.

Condolences to you and the rest of your family.

[AndyPen]

So sorry to read the news, inevitable sadly, but another loss of another nice person. RIP Bryan, and thanks for everything you've done to help me.

[Catmint]

Sad news indeed, our sympathies to family and friends

[Old English White]

What sad news. I first met Bryan at least 50 years ago and we regularly swapped bits and pieces for our cars. Hugely knowledgeable and enthusiastic and a man with high standards, Bryan was never happy with a job unless it was "right". He also had the great ability and patience to encourage those around him to do things properly and raise the bar that bit higher. He influenced many and will be greatly missed. My condolences to all his family and friends.

[Pandora]

Oh that is a shame. I only Met Bryan once, when I drove down from Scotland to buy the Coldwell Mink off him, and he could not have been more welcoming, and gave me a tour of his workshops, showed me his various projects, including one of the Rover Monte cars and I think he had the GSM bodied Delta at the time, awaiting attention. A very nice fella.

Al

[kit of bits]

Sad news Norman sorry to here it..
I went to see Bryan last year I had the full tour and a couple of hours talking Mini lovely chap..
Dave

[mister bridger]

I made quite a lot of roof racks that he sold, so met him on several occasions. Lovely bloke, and I was very jealous of his home/workshop set up. RIP.

[Rolandino]

Oh hell. What a shame. He was such a fabulous guy. so much in love with anything to do with Minis. Was a greeat help in doing the build of a friend of mine's Rally replica. Will be sadly missed.

[WesleyB]

Rip Bryan, sad to hear
happy to have spares in my Cooper from you. Always think on you good advice, stories, anecdotes, ...

Sympathy to the lovely woman of the house and the familie

[coopertim]

Really sad news Norman! Very skilled and passionate people such as Bryan are becoming rarer year on year. Rest in peace Bryan. My deepest condolences to you and your family Norman.

Tim

[Peter Laidler]

What you say is VERY true Coopertim. These people are all leaving us. I just wish that they'd written all this stuff down before they passed on. Or better still, became active participants of forums such as this and passed comment as and when the subject arose.

[spoon.450]

Very sad news....condolencies to Bryan’s family. We had many conversations when I nearly bought 1275 GT UWL 744K from him.

[Spider]

Very sad to read of this, I've read a few of Bryan's books, well written and well researched.

[mk1coopers]

Very sad news, spent time with Bryan when we both did the Brooklands Double Twelve, visited him at his house, it was a lovely set up, condolences to his family and friends, RIP

[mini62]

So so sorry to read this. Spent many an hour or three chatting about minis in his shed. On one occasion nattering on about this and that I reached out
picked up a cup of tea and spat it out all over my newly trimmed seat. Revolting doesn't come close. Turned out to be his medication and he had to
drink three of them a day. Top bloke. Will be greatly missed.

[big-un1967]

Very Sad.

Nice chap.

My sympathies to his family

Regards

Paul.............

[mk1]

I am so very sorry to read this sad news.

I spent a brilliant weekend with Bryan at the Brooklands Double 12 a few years ago & he was great. Full of wonderful stories & a font of knowledge about all things automotive.

In more recent times he was happy to help when I had daft Austin seven questions to ask on behalf of Adam. Bryan was always happy to help, & usually had the right answer despite very rarely receiving any sales.

A true gentleman & enthusiast. He will be greatly missed.

My thoughts are with his family & friends at this very sad time.

Mark F

[r.tec]

I just finished reading his book having this on my bookshelf for some years.

I recalled the time when I was at the 24h following the exploits of the Minis during 1995 to 1997.

The last time I saw a Mini at the 24h was in 1980 where the race was open only to the then valid 1B Group, i.e. near to standard.
I talked to one the drivers who drove the Mini 998 then; a pair of student brothers who had no connections to the Mini at all. He said they went to the scrapyard, took the best Mini they could find and fitted all the safety equipment then necessary and went to do the 24h and finished the race!

1980 24h Mini Schilling.jpg

Results 1980 https://www.veedol-freunde-der-nordschl ... ennen-1980; class results please scoll down.

But now to the Last Works Minis:
I took some pictures then and it is of no use to keep them in my archive. I would rather provide them for anyone who is interested in them.
So feel free to download them and enjoy the photos. I devided them to years.
https://magentacloud.de/s/bAxfkBRE9MSWwoK

Hope you like them.
Kind regards,
Helmut