LBL 590E

[spoon.450]

While researching the history of Paul Bate's '66 Hopkirk / Crellin Flowers rally car I came across some good pics ( and stories ) of the '67 Hopkirk / Crellin Flowers car, LBL 590E. A DVLA check shows this car is currently tax / mot'd and a google image search shows images of LBL 590E in different guises. Does anyone have any info.please ? If it is still around in its original state it would be great to see, and may help with some details for the restoration of GRX 309D.
Regards
Dave

[billycooper]

Last time I saw it was at BMC 50

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16788879@ ... 6786235628

previously at Mini 30

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16788879@ ... 6972002013

[spoon.450]

Some great pics there Steve, thanks for posting. I wonder if the car at BMC 50 and Mini 30 is the same car, and the flowers car ?

[Pete]

You can see the dent in the arse end where the service barge shunted it through the tunnel to the finish line on the '67 Flowers on that last photo (due to lunched gearbox). I have the owner details Dave, will PM you.

[spoon.450]

Yes, that's the story Pete, I have personally been told that by both Paddy and Ron. Current info. will be appreciated.
Cheers
Dave

[LMM76C]

Friswell Merrick Acropolis 68.jpg

This photo of David Friswell on the 68 Acropolis was posted on the French Forum Auto recently. (no idea of original source so will delete if copyright holder is known).
Quite when he bought it is unclear. It seems to have disappeared from rallies for over a year from 67 Flowers to 68 Acropolis. Presumably it was a works recce car later in 67 after the Flowers. I recall some reference to it having later works detail bits on it when it went to Friswell, as if it had been brought back up to full works spec from a somewhat "degenerated" state before sale.
Friswell seems to have made a habit of buying cars and immediately rallying them (2 Elans and several Coopers). One S (his first?) was bought and immediately won the Express and Star National rally in 64, passing the site of my current house (which dates from much later) on the second competitive section.

[cookie1071]

John Mcintosh had the car for donkeys- contact thru the MCR

[Simon776]

It seems to have disappeared from rallies for over a year from 67 Flowers to 68 Acropolis.

It was used as a recce car on the 1967 Acropolis and 1968 Monte and went to Austria for some BMC driving school event.

[spoon.450]

It seems to have disappeared from rallies for over a year from 67 Flowers to 68 Acropolis.

It was used as a recce car on the 1967 Acropolis and 1968 Monte and went to Austria for some BMC driving school event.

Thanks Simon, that's interesting. So what about the current UK car, and the car that was at Mini 30. Are they both the same car, and if so, is it the 67 Flowers car back from Austria ? Anyone ?? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Monte-Carlo-Ral ... 3f537c09b1

[LMM76C]

The Austrian jaunt was about Aaltonen giving instruction to local drivers wasn't it? The works car was taken along for him to give demonstration but the "school" involved him riding with local hot shots in their own cars, several of which were crashed badly. No wonder his hair went grey...

Period reports of the 68 Acropolis say the Friswell car (LBL590E) was crashed badly when Merrick was driving and was "severely damaged".
As a bit of a fan of Friswell at the time, I have no recollection of him using this ex-works car again. I believe he later had a Group 1 998 Cooper (for 69 Tulip Rally?) that was too low when he also used it on a Motoring News Championship rally in UK. Maybe he sold the wreckage of LBL590E and it was re-shelled then?

[spoon.450]

With the recent attention being focussed on JMO 969D and Later works minis, does anyone have any info on the current LBL 590E ?
Looks like a mk2 in the 80's ...then a mk1 more recent ??