OBL45F in Australia

[Pete]

Yeah good spot.

[lomin]

Hi, yes well spotted the early roof. We had noticed a while ago. The roof was fitted in UK, as there is blue paint on the inner roof frame. You would swear ours was the white OBL45F Roger Platt rolled in 73, as in a facebook post, he wrote along the lines that he and Tom Seal welded on a new roof , and it was a simple fix. The RHR of our shell has quite a lot of repair going down to the fuel tank,and the other pillars seem good, just like this picture. The Australian car has had 5 different lots of paint applied, but I did not notice white. Mysteries abound with this car. It is a shame that the two people in UK who could clear up some of the intrigue have so far refused to talk to me. cheers Lindsay Siebler

[Smithmaps]

I have the Scandinavian sump guard from it, and it is wonderfully bent.
When CRX 90B and OBL45F was sold, the 45F guard was sold by Potter at auction with the wrong car.

[Pete]

It is a shame that the two people in UK who could clear up some of the intrigue have so far refused to talk to me. cheers Lindsay Siebler

A common problem with these cars sadly.

[Costafortune]

It is a shame that the two people in UK who could clear up some of the intrigue have so far refused to talk to me. cheers Lindsay Siebler

A common problem with these cars sadly.

It's what really turns me off this stuff tbh. A Mini (or a registration number) won some rallies 1000 years ago.

And...?

[mab01uk]

It is a shame that the two people in UK who could clear up some of the intrigue have so far refused to talk to me. cheers Lindsay Siebler

A common problem with these cars sadly.

It's what really turns me off this stuff tbh. A Mini (or a registration number) won some rallies 1000 years ago.

And...?

Me too...but I can understand the reluctance of some to talk though, as sometimes an innocent comment about fading memories which may be of much interest to todays 'works history anoraks' can easily open up a can of worms, upsetting owners of expensive cars that maybe not quite what they were led to believe....

[spoon.450]

I hope the people with the knowledge do eventually share it with you Lindsay.

[spoon.450]

I have the Scandinavian sump guard from it, and it is wonderfully bent.
When CRX 90B and OBL45F was sold, the 45F guard was sold by Potter at auction with the wrong car.

That’s a great piece of history Guy. It would be good to see it re united with the correct car.

[Smithmaps]

Its already on LRX829E I'm afraid.
It could even have been off it before it ever got on 45F.
I don't suppose they ever made more than a hand full of them, it is a very rare thing.
The genuine works 45F is long long gone, so I reckon it has found a better home.

[spoon.450]

Yes, that’s a good point.

[lomin]

Hi, I would have to say I agree with all the last comments, but Guy has summed up this story quite well. The Genuine OBL45F is long long gone!
I am realistic with my expectation on this Australian version , but I think a fair description is its a continuation of a works car, albeit all in privateer hands. At least 3 works shells existed, but i do have a photo of Paddy Hopkirk testing tyres before the tour De France, 12" and the car has group 2 flares ,unlike every other photo. As 12" seem to necessitate guard mods to clear the tyres , I would be suspicious that was shell No 4 with OBL45F lettering. After the Phil Cooper rollover there are 2 other shells, if not 3 that carried OBL45F in rallying.
The Car we have has the works body ID plate (ca2s7 1012033a), verified, and numerous small body items, and I have been told the dash is 90% certain to be from the original genuine OBL45F. I will put photos up, and I wonder if Guy or another guru could give an opinion please. When it arrived in Australia it had minilites, alloy panels, arden head, amals,correct hydro bags supposedly a rear OBL45F numberplate, so our car had a lot of correct parts. The photos I have seen of the UK car sold in 2007 had the log book (A post on facebook from somebody said he was offered just the log book in 70s), but not much else seemed to OBL correct, from my limited knowledge. The Car mentioned in Ireland a few years ago, I have never seen a photo of, but I am thinking thats the 2007 car.
I am having a guess here, but it is highly likely the first obl built after the Phil Cooper rollover only contained some parts of the original car. The second obl built up had a few more of the parts, that may not have been removed from the damaged shell.I have recently discovered when hydroblasting my dash parts, that the passenger (Halda) side has been extensively bent and panel beaten into rough shape, which having seen photos of the damaged car after Cooper rollover, there is a really good chance the navigator collided with the dash. As Guy has shown with the sumpguard, OBL45F parts are scattered far and wide.
The Australian OBL45F has also its own unique history, in that it has done the 72 RAC, most likely 72 Welsh International, 72 Scottish International, numerous MN rallies and driven by two time British Rally champion Russell Brookes. in one or two of those.. I am delighted with that history and that is why it is being restored in that original shell as that Blue car.
Also would anyone have pictures of the works OBL45F interior/dash
Cheers Lindsay

[Smithmaps]

Lindsay,
You already have my opinion on the dash panels through Syd Jenkins.
In my opinion they are pretty likely to be out of the Abingdon built car (or sourced from Abingdon). They have a wonderful patina of age, and that is important. But it is just an opinion, based on a few fuzzy pictures. I have never, and probably will never actually see them, and I have no photographic evidence to back it up.

It should be remembered that Tom Seal was a superb engineer, and was capable of making just about anything, and I understand that he had two cars prepared to pretty much the same spec. Something that was quite common in serious rallying.

It is certainly an interesting car, and part of the OBL 45F progression in a long rally career.
I think regarding information on the car, it should be remembered that this rally car was prepared in 1972, with no thought to 'originality'. That is nearly 50 years ago. I doubt any information that you seek could ever now be accurate from anybody's memory.
I'm afraid only photographs will now get you nearer to the facts. But of course they may not exist, in which case you will probably never know. But never say never, it is what makes the subject interesting for me.
Guy

[winabbey]

I'm afraid only photographs will now get you nearer to the facts. But of course they may not exist,

A pile of each and every motorsport magazine and newspaper from back then and a plentiful supply of coffee might produce some more images and information.

[iain1967s]

The Car mentioned in Ireland a few years ago, I have never seen a photo of, but I am thinking thats the 2007 car.

Photo here of Ronnie White’s OBL45F in Ireland
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=28736&p=245709

[lomin]

Hi Guy, Syd Jenkins information for me was quite brief, so thanks for that comprehensive , insightful reply.

The irony is the previous owner to me (Henry Draper) met Tom Seal thirty odd years ago and purchased a large collection of photos. I am sure they will reveal a lot, when Henry can put his hands on them. lol. I know he appreciated the time and info that Tom gave.
That was when he was told (from memory) that the Australian car is the Russell Brookes RAC car.
Thank you also Ian, I had not seen that OBL photo, and I note that some rally gear is not on the car., that was on the H&H auction car in 2007. Reverse lamp, rubber hook , different numberplate letters
These cars breed like rabbits !

[lomin]

Hi , restoration is plodding along with many components restored, but the body shell is in limbo as all good panel shops are insanely busy
The best news is today some of those long lost photos that came from Tom Seal were found, and from my point of view the one I sadly like the most is the one that shows why the Australian car got a new roof, even if it was a mk1 one.
Tom Seal and Roger Platt competing in 1973 Players No6 International rally as OBL45F and car 181

[lomin]

OOps, slightly wrong in last post. I only had a photo of the photo, but now I have it, it is a Foster Skeffington print from the 1972 not 1973 Scottish International rally and my listing says SEAL / Coates ? cheers Lindsay

[LMM76C]

72 Scottish programme lists Thomas Seal/R.Coates. Entrant R.N.L.I. Burton on Trent Branch.

I hadn't realised the River Trent was so dangerous that far from the sea....

[lomin]

Hi, the body shell is coming along with the only new panels, both front guards and front panel aligned today, then they are removed, stripped bare, epoxy coated and refitted.,and spot welded. Still a long way to go.....
You can see in previous photo of tom Seal roll how banged up the panels were, and after being repaired , filed, and bogged to do the RAC, they were very thin.

Today I had an email from Simon wheatcroft who has assisted already with identifying parts on the car, but this time he pointed out that in the iconic photo we have of Paddy Hopkirk peering into the engine bay of OBL45F during the 69 Tour De France, that enlarging the interior you can actually see a tacho and three other gauges,

Neither the australian OBL, or Toms other car had this dash, shame really. As Guy pointed out, they are Abingdon works style, just not original.

The lost photos we have just found from Tom Seal, also verify what the Australian car actually did competition wise, and its not the Russell Brookes RAC car as it appeared to be.
!972 Welsh International Rally Russell Brookes/ Mike Nicholson OBL45F car 66
1972 Scottish International Tom Seal/R Coates car 181 OBL45F
1972 RAC International rally Tom Seal/Roger Platt car 98 KUT8E (Russell Brookes used the OBL plate in other car)
Car has done many other UK events, still identifying

cheers Lindsay

[Smithmaps]

Similar, or possibly actually this one.
Although this one is more likely from RJB327F.