1960 / 70's Mini Racing Photos

[Nick W]

Pete
Is that the Bob Needham from Nethergreen Garage

Nick

[Nick W]

Did you know Blyton was used for auto testing in the 60s? Bob Needham's car..

Bob called in to see me a couple of weeks ago ,he now has a superb RSP.. original paint, low mileage ..very nice
I bet he wishes he still had the one tested at Blyton though!

[Pete]

Sorry Nick for not seeing your question, you've got your answer now, but he also owned Nick Hunter's Mk2 aswell didn't he?

[Nick W]

yes he did own Nick Hunters S
he told me he only had BAG 324B for a short time, but remembers testing it in 67...top bloke!
hes on here by the way under RSP

[Pete]

Well Mr RSP (Bob), get yourself back to Blyton on April 30th and/or May 1st next year!

There again with Bob Needham and Bill Needham, it could get a bit confusing!

[Pete]

I've got a set of B&W photos of F1 stars racing Austin Minis and Supers at Snetterton in 1962 but hadn't seen this colour one before:




From Snett's Facebook page :

" There was a time when Grand Prix drivers were far more approachable and could have great fun together during a race meeting. The biggest meeting of the 1962 season took place on 14th April, the SMRC organised 'Lombank Trophy' F1 race. Jim Clark won the main event giving both the Lotus 24 and the Coventry-Climax V8 their first wins, with Formula Junior and the British Saloon Car championship races in support. A crowd of 45,000 turned out to watch and were treated to an extra demonstration that was not listed in the event programme. A 3-lap demo of ten colourful but identical Austin-Minis opened proceedings, piloted by ten of the Grand Prix stars from the F1 race later in the afternoon, including Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Stirling Moss, Innes Ireland, Roy Salvadori and Jack Brabham. Our photograph shows the cars before the off, with BRM's Louis and Jean Stanley on the left having a close up view of Graham Hill's car on pole position. The words of David Pritchard from the 'Autosport' magazine report paint a hilarious picture of what happened next:
"We might have suspected that something was afoot when the drivers got into a huddle on the grid and broke out in big grins, apparantly under the chairmanship of Stirling Moss and Innes Ireland. When the flag was raised they all blew their horns madly and, as it swept down to send them on their way, the 10 tightly packed cars shot off backwards for about 20 yards. They then changed direction and thoroughly enjoyed themselves for three relatively normal laps of the circuit, albeit indulging in a certain amount of horseplay in the corners. At the end on the 'cooling down' lap, when everyone expected them to file quietly into the paddock, they tore up to the grid at a great rate and one after the other, came to a screaming halt broadside on, in a succession of handbrake spins. Before we had time to recover from the shock of this performance they were chasing each other around like dodgem cars for about 15 seconds before finally darting back into the paddock mouth, like rabbits bolting into the warren. The whole impromptu affair was carried out with the precision of a military tournament and was wonderful value." Thanks to John Digby and the ECMC for the use of the photograph...If only Grand Prix drivers today were allowed to have such fun entertaining the crowds before their races!"


Another Snetterton shot from 1969 of Trevor Davies' 1935cc B series Mini..



Top Gear Racing's David Alexander at Snett in 1967...





Small capacity saloon cars try out the new Russell Bend at the BRSCC 'Cambridge Cup' race meeting on 18th July 1965, the second car meeting to use the new complex. 'Russell' was named after Jim Russell, three times British F3 champion in the 1950s, F1, F2 and International sports car competitor. He is a local man to Snetterton, now in his 90s, who started the world's first and most famous racing drivers school at the circuit in 1957. This tight bend was added to the fast flowing 2.7 mile circuit in June 1965 to slow the cars and bikes before the pits, following the flat out blast from Coram Curve, but eased to a faster version in 1967. The layout was changed several times until the last 'Russell' version was used in 2010. Earth banks lined the track in those days and here we see the 'Morton & Hughes Racing' Mini 850cc of P.Hughes leading Bob Fox in a similar car and Dick Rayner's 1-litre Ford Popular. Teddy Savoury won the 8-lap race in Don Moore's 1-litre Mini Cooper-S from David Matthews also in a 1-litre Mini.




Snett Paddock 1968..

[Oldskoolbaby]

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Can anybody shed any light on this pic? Myself and Jon Lee aren't too sure if its his father, Ryan Lee, racing in 2nd place. It is exactly the same colour scheme with very similar wheel arches. The car would have been fitted with a 970s engine in either 5 or 8 port spec.

[uncle 997]

A couple of early Maguire mini pics.

John Maguire is pictured kneeling down by the spaceframe imp.
This imp was his first one built and being run in anger for the first time.

[uncle 997]

A couple of early Maguire mini pics.

John Maguire is pictured kneeling down by the spaceframe imp.
This imp was his first one built and being run in anger for the first time.

[mab01uk]

Mini 7 - Terry Pudwell 1977-78 Season (Photo: Terry Pudwell)

[surfblue63]

From 1969, who's the driver? Sponsored by Don Currie Glass Fibre Panels

[Se7enthHeaven]

Me and my Se7en in Se7venty-nine

I will have a root around for the many photos I took during that time.

[Se7enthHeaven]

These could be 1980

[spoon.450]

Fantastic !!....thanks for sharing

[Se7enthHeaven]

No. 33 was mine

[mk1]

Thanks for sharing these brilliant photos.

M

[YMJ]

Fantastic! Although Mike Garton wouldn't like that sunstrip on car #71 !

[Maguire Mini]

Anyone got any pictures of Gerry Hinde? He raced an 'RB Motors' (Rod Blanchard) Gordon Allen short stroke 8 porter in the early 70's with a Vita beam on it. Based around Derby , the car was yellow with a black top half I think.

Ta

Pete

Hi Pete,
I know this post was a long time ago, but I have just come across a photo of, what I think was the ex- Gerry Hinde car, driven by photographer John Colley at the Curborough sprint course, I'm sure it had a beam axle and had RB Motors on the boot, it looks as though it has a 5 port engine at this time because of the IDA Weber sticking out of the bonnet !, it's a very poor photo taken on a Kodak instamatic whilst trying to protect my ears from the open exhaust.

[Pete]

Great photo, thanks for posting! I saw Rod last year, he told me the beam was from Harry Ratcliffe.

[AustinSuperSeven]

Does anyone know anything of this car?
Built late 1960 and was raced from new. Owned by Phil Pudduck. Thanks