OBL45F in Australia

[iain1967s]

From the current [May 2021] MCR magazine letters page.

[Pete]

http://mk1-forum.net/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=29578

[spoon.450]

I’d missed that, thanks for sharing. Interesting story.

[lomin]

Paul Sulma, the editor of MCR magazine did enquire as to whether we had any response from that letter. The whole process is about another works car with complicated history and we have sent this reply to Paul stating only the facts as presented to us.and what we have verified on the car here.
Attached were 3 photos, but I have not worked out how to attach here. Cheers Lindsay

Hi Paul, Stephen Dalton said you had enquired about results from our letter.

Thank you to MCR for printing our letter. As a result of this letter, mini enthusiasts, people involved with OBL45F and the Tom Seal built replica in 1971/72/73 , photographs from various sources, etc, we have positively identified that the car that arrived in Australia in 73/74 is the car Russell Brookes drove in the 1972 Rac as OBL45F , and in the same event Tom /Seal drove his 8 port clone with entry number #98. Reg KUT8e The clone also had its debut driven by Russell a couple of months earlier in the Welsh Rally, and was actually the car in the Feb 1972 Cars and Cars magazine article on OBL.

. The car in Australia has many of the genuine OBL45F components, including dash, id plate, fuse boxes, subframes etc, but is missing quite a bit too. The car will be restored.

[winabbey]

These images posted on behalf of user lomin. I'll leave it to him to comment where required.

Russell Brookes driving OBL45F "clone" on 1972 Welsh Rally

Clone Brookes 1972 Welsh.jpg

Russell Brookes driving OBL45F on 1972 RAC Rally

Brookes 1972 RAC.jpg

Tom Seal driving KUT8E "clone" on 1972 RAC Rally

Clone 1972 RAC Seal.jpg

[spoon.450]

Great update. Look forward to hearing and seeing more as information unfolds.

[Ronnie]

Interesting

[850man]

Following with interest

[lomin]

This car in Australia has been known about by many keen. mini people for many years, but before the internet and Facebook especially , we have not had access to information on these old war horses. There was always doubt over whether it was the real OBL45F or the clone. Maybe now some who have been quiet will feel happy to tell their story of the car. We have a lot of info/proof , but we are not certain what engine configuration was in the car when Russell Brookes drove it in 72 RAC. I will get Winabbey to post two more photos, showing another piece of the puzzle.In Russell Brookes own book he has the picture in 72 RAC of OBL45F and a huge crowd watching, but the big dent in rear 1/4 panel is very obvious. The car in OZ has the obvious repair when sanded lightly with a long block. You can feel the shape of the dent, although photo may not be clear. Cheers Lindsay. If you wish to send an email, the contact is. peakignition@gmail.com

[winabbey]

Brookes 1972 RAC Rally.jpg

OBL45F in Oz.jpg

[Ronnie]

More information = more interest Keep it coming

[lomin]

Another similarity or difference between 3 photos of same rego . Note where the spot lamp socket is in relation to front Parker.
Red car is Australia. white car is 73 RAC. b/w photo is 72 RAC. Keen observers. may notice more changes. The oz car also seems to have some of those aircraft nuts holding on the Parker screws. There are quite a few of them. The lift a dot holes. in oz car have been welded up. a photo from underneath shows this.

[lomin]

Hi all, before I add a couple more photos I am going to make my own comment on how hard it would have been to try and run a mini seriously in rallying, probably in all eras , but especially in the 70s as the works had been so successful. If you were doing very long and hard events every month, how could you get the car to every event when so much wears out or breaks.The works of BMC and ford used multiple cars. I would understand why a privateer would take that route. Actually smart,, but of course many will think now its not PC. I did try in around 1969, but found a mini very fast, but it broke often, and in Australia we have lots of roads with high centre crown, so the sumpguard only acts as a plough.
The photo is of the OZ Rh dash, it has been verified by two experts as being the 69 TDF style. The interior shot is from the 72 CCC magazine shoot of Toms second car. The dash is different. and does not have the 4 works fuse boxes I will show in a later photo.

[spoon.450]

Loving this

[lomin]

Hi, picture of the 4 fuse box works type system. Unknown manufacture of the wiring.

[850man]

Interesting photo.

Wiring looks mostly original "works" lucas.
Holes are in the kick panel where a washer bottle would of been mounted, with remnants of what looks like 850 rubber floormat. Or is it carpet?
Vinyl is on the dash rail as Cooper/S.
What looks like an 850 style gearchange hole with a cover/screws fitted & 2 screws above what you would think is the high beam switch but they are in an odd position.
Plenty of the blue paint still visible.
I should go and have a decent look at this thing now its out of the chook shed, its been years since I have looked at it.

[lomin]

Hi, 2 new photos and one repeated.
Caster bar protector works style and hose protector. also can see protector in final photo
Holes in lower front panel both sides from what we thought were lift brackets, but in the repeat photo of front view on Russell Brookes in 72 rac they almost look like sump guard is attached ?? , but appear as more proof that this is the Brookes car.

[lomin]

Hi, I think the simplified version of a file on OBL45F that I have shown here is proof the the Australian car is in deed the car driven by Russell Brookes , and is also the OBL45f rebuild from the rollover of the ex works car Tour de France car, by Phil Cooper.
Tom Seal has never tried to hide that he had two cars, but to casual observers they are hard to seperate, especially 50 years hence.
Tom Seal and his team did an amazing job to me, doing 22 events in 2 years, promoting the mini , and its a shame that great results eluded them.
In this era, when works cars sold for 25 pound, and the works all substituted cars, why would you think twice about it.

RE Listing the Mark F. original list of the events that OBL45F has reportedly done. I have revised it where I believe.changes are correct, and added the second Tom Seal car as that clarifies some of the picture. There are still lots of events where it is not clear which car was used.
Two more photos, of from the Phil Cooper roll over to today
Cheers Lindsay


Re: OBL 45F
• ReportC
• Quote
Post by mk1 » Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:13 pm
by worksminis » 02 Jun 2017, 09:30

“Sold to N.Higgins” (Browning). BMC Accountant

Sold to Phil Cooper
MN Seven Dales Feb 70 Phil Cooper/John Brown.
Circuit of Ireland Apr 70 Cooper. Rolled, re-shelled
MN Cilwendeg Sep 70 Phil Cooper/John Brown 3rd. (OBL45F?)
RAC Nov 70 Cooper/Bennett (Mk2 grille).
Sold to G.Paxton. did 2 rallies ?
Sold to Tom Seal Nov. 71. BLUE approx. 1971 body Shell by FE number
Late 1971./72 Tom Seal builds another car similar to OBL45F Eventually painted blue/red stripe sponsored by Parkside Garages. Fitted 8 port Amal carbs
MN Red Dragon Jan 72 Tom Seal (entry list as OBL45J but surely a misprint)
Feb 72 Cars & car conversions story. Other car. Blue / red side stripe
MN Bristowe Feb 72 Seal (OBL45F?)
MN Dubonnet Mar 72 Seal
MN Cytax Mar 72 Seal
Welsh Int May 72 Russell Brookes/Mike Nicholson No.66. Rally debut of other car. Went off road retired 8 port. Blue / red side stripe
Scottish Int Jun 72 Seal/Coates (OBL45F?)
MN Gremlin Aug 72 Seal (OBL45F?)
MN Stocktonian Sep 72 Seal (OBL45F?)
MN Cilwendeg Sep 72 Seal 9th O/A other car . Blue /red side stripe
MN Illuminations Oct 72 Seal (OBL45F?)

Both Tom Seal cars in 1972 RAC rally
RAC Nov 72 Brookes/Nicholson (OBL45F?). OBL45F 8 port Amals Group 2 Now IN AUSTRALIA since 74
RAC nov 72. Tom Seal/ Roger Platt drove other car Car number 98 reg KUT8E. Blue/ red side stripe
26/12/72 Tour of Epynt. Russell Brookes in a magazine article says he drove Works mini loaned by Tom Seal. 8 port. Believe that was OBL45F

Welsh Int May 73 R. Platt/J.Platt No.46 (original entry a Mexico). Rolled (re-shelled?). other car WAS REPAIRED. White /black stripe
Scottish Int Jun 73 Seal/Platt
MN Nutcracker Jul 73 Seal/Platt (OBL45F?)
MN Stocktonian Sep 73 Seal/Palmer (OBL45F)
MN Cilwendeg Sep 73 Seal/Henderson (OBL 45F?).
MN Illuminations Oct 73 Seal/Palmer
RAC Nov 73 Platt/Seal No.82. other car 8 port. White/ black stripe
Tom Seal says he sold both cars approx. late 73 / 74
73 is latest date checked for results.
To P.Young in 78?
To Warburton 81?
Mark F
General dogsbody

CHANGES TO MARK F ORIGINAL LIST ARE UNDERLINED
This is my version of Marks list based on information received
I am very happy to hear of fact based corrections.

[Pete]

So how many cars did the number plate end up on altogether have you worked it out?

[lomin]

Hi Pete, well that brought a bit of a laugh to me...... I see 5 shells. that did competition with this number , for amazingly short times. or a lot.
Obviously the most miles were done in privateer hands.
And then you add that last dark grey pic, that does not have any light bar, so I had ruled that out.
Being in Australia, I do not know what OBL45F are in Uk ? or Ireland ? 1, 2 ?
I could see why people would wonder whether we have OBL45F. or just a UK car., the history is so convoluted.
Our car is 100% the Russell Brookes RAC car, and Tom Seal says he owned OBL45F and another similar car.
We have statements from people directly involved in the similar car, and that car is not the one in Australia.
The car will now be restored as the dark blue RAC Russell Brookes/ Mike Nicholson car with 8 port / Amals , as this is what it is.
This mini and those two were obviously loved by many.
I do thank a lot of people who have freely given time, support and information on the car. But the story in never finished... keep helping please
.Cheers Lindsay Siebler