Minty - 1964 Aurora Gears Racing /Newtune 1071 Cooper S

[9330FN]

Pete there is a chap I use who is rechromating my magnesium Cooper 500 wheels - He is quite reasonable and I am down there on Tuesday.

[Pete]

Thanks matey. I’ve decided the only way I can use the wheels is paint them all over. Let’s see what happens.

Only really just started to do get stuck on the car. Seats are in, I’ve sourced the correct GQ red harness, not cheap but virtually impossible to find another, I’ve got the tacho to put in and I’ve also sourced a correct Eversure mirror (thanks Graeme). The exhaust is an old ST one and I quite liked it, didn’t fancy putting a brand new one on so lopped the upturned tail off and going with that.

Really chuffed to get offered Gerry Marshall’s original 1300 class winner’s shield from the 1965 Snetterton 500 from the family which is really nice to keep with the car. I’ve been asked to take it out and about at a few places this year so looking forward to that. A few parts still to find and a few to swap, changed the servo, discs etc. I’m also planning to refit all the glass soon where there’s Perspex.

Watched a little clip about Jack Sears’ Galaxie the other day from 1964 and he carried a tiny little extinguisher as per regs at the time so I’ve just got one similar to fit.

I also keep finding colour film footage of the car racing at different venues, thanks mainly to Ford who covered the exploits of Jim Clark racing the Lotus Cortina during the year. I’ll post one up tonight on Facebook where you can clearly see both Aurora team cars in the middle of the pack.

[jay weinstein]

Wonderful to have Gerry Marshall's shield to go with the car.

[Pete]

Thank Jay, little drive out tonight....

[Fanfaniracing]

Amazing what you did with the car! Congratulations!!!

[Pete]

A screen grab from the Ford film of Brands Hatch August 1964, both Aurora cars in the mix, spot John Rhodes in the green Downton car up front and going on to win the class, a feat he repeated at Oulton in the next round. No surprise he was offered a permanent works drive for the next season!

[jay weinstein]

How was the drive ?

[Pete]

Enjoyed it, given me a couple more things to add to the to-do list like bleed the brakes again and sort the speedo out which is all over the place but ok!

[Pete]

Swapping the Perspex out for glass today and changing the rear (stainless) quarter frames for chrome. Fitted some of the Minispares seals too, very snug fit but the new window was a tight fit in the new rubber so had to play about with the frame. Took the seats out to sort some of the trim out , so here’s a question when did the early rear seat back frame change cos I have two types I can fit which have slightly different mounting points. I know the really early one didn’t have a frame did it (?) but didn’t realise there were two later horsehair seat back variations.

[Andrew1967]

Really fantastic looking car Pete . Be great to see it in the metal one day

HOY has the studs on the rear seat squab so guessing yours would be studs too.

[Pete]

So do we think the one without the stud is a later one?

[Andrew1967]

I'd say yes Pete. I know that the Mk2's I've had have all had the speed fasteners and self tappers.

[1071bob]

My March '64 car has the studs, had to replace them due to knackered threads.

[Pete]

I'd say yes Pete. I know that the Mk2's I've had have all had the speed fasteners and self tappers.

It was the horsehair that threw me though. Late Mk1s used foam didn’t they?

[Pete]

My March '64 car has the studs, had to replace them due to knackered threads.

Well that’s what it had anyway, just some black paint to remove and refit.

[Pete]

Good sized holes in the rear bulkhead for shocker access. Not sure when these were put in, 60s or 70s.

[Pete]

Had a good chat with Steve Myers from Coldwell engineering today who remembers the Aurora Minis being in the showroom of the Taylor’s garage when not in use and seems to think Dave Mathews (who Anita later married) possibly bought the Trevor Taylor Mini. More chats to come soon. Here’s Anita with the Automobile Racing Drivers School 970 S she raced in 1965, her last year in Minis before she went to Broadspeed. Spot the Vita truck Trevor!

[trevorhp]

Spot the Vita truck Trevor!
[/quote

Nice one Pete
Now that would have been so much easier to re-create.
I'm sure theres another picture of this earlier truck somewhere.
I will check.

[trevorhp]

trans_3.jpg

[rpb203]

Isn’t there also a picture of the Vitafoam truck with a Unipower parked next to it?