THE 1968 RAC RALLY, WORKS-PREPARED, PHIL COOPER/MIKE BENNETT
AUSTIN 1293CC MINI COOPER S
REGISTRATION NO. RJB 326F
CHASSIS NO. CA2S81120435A
ENGINE NO. 9F/SA/Y/48920
This truly historic car was built by the Works Competition Department for the 1968 RAC Rally but because of a commitment to the up-coming Marathon event the Works cars were sold off to privateers and Phil Cooper of Coopers of Oulton acquired RJB 326F along with a 1968 RAC Rally entry. Cooper, with Mike Bennett, drove this car to a highly creditable class win and 4th overall position in the punishing event, despite Hydrolastic suspension failure in the last stages.
After a punishing event Cooper was to replace the body shell with a Mark III shell. He continued to use the car in competition before selling it to Warner Green Hotel of Oulton and it was subsequently rally-campaigned by Chris Connell, Ian Parsons and Jeremy Wright, who used it on the Circuit of Ireland. The car was later owned by Ian Lancaster before passing into the present ownership and it seems that it went through the traditional route of being campaigned at international, national and then at club level.
Upon acquisition by the present owner Bob Brain Developments of Monmouth, rally and restoration specialists, were commissioned to carry out a comprehensive restoration to prepare the car for historic rallying, a restoration completed only last year. Since restoration the car has done minimal mileage and has not been rally campaigned.
A donor Mark II shell was obtained which, after full restoration and strengthening, was refitted with as much of the original equipment as is permitted by current regulations. A full competition steel cage replaced the original alloy roll bar (available with the car) and the internal expansion tank and the ‘wet’ suspension were dispensed with. The original Competitions Department dash complete with original Halda, switches and lights were replaced as was the restored Competitions Department wiring loom.
The engine rebuild included new rods, pistons and correct crankshaft replacing a 1275GT crank fitted at some earlier time. The head is believed to be the original ‘blue’ high spec head, fitted with nimonic valves. The gearbox is the original straight-cut box fitted with new bearings.
RJB 326F
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mk1
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Re: RJB 326F
Phil Cooper - Mini Cooper S1275 by Paul Stephens. Classified 3rd in the general. Rally firestone bilbao 1968
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LMM76C
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Re: RJB 326F
Technically not a works car under the original definition for these lists because it was never entered by the works. Not sure of the exact circumstances of P. Cooper's entry or the works ever intending to enter the 68 RAC once the silly diversion to Sydney was in the callendar.
The 68 RAC entry had few works cars from any factory (because all mechanics were to be on the Marathon). Makinen was never interested in going to Sydney in a Land Crab and led the RAC in an ex-works Clarke and Simpson (David Sutton) entered Escort TC before the then all too familiar TC head gasket failure. Two of the three works Saabs cruised the second part of the event in first and second places (beaten by Bob Bean's Cortina GT on all the Yorkshire stages). Jim Bullough was third in his private TC and Cooper fourth. Both were beaten on stage times by Rod Cooper's old Lotus Cortina running in the Group5/6 category "European Club Rally" that had to be run as a separate event immediately in front of the RAC proper following FISA's clamp down on Gp5/6. (Works Lancia Fulvias running at the then unhomologated 1600cc in the Gp5/6 category all retired). In the main RAC, Vic Elford's 911 also led for a time but when I last saw it the entire suspension was proving that the Porsche works team still had a lot to learn on rough events from the Swedish Scania Vabis 911 team. Rough it was, probably the roughest RAC ever. The 998 Cooper I serviced for gradually wore away the dural sump guard rear extension and had to have the floor frequently drilled to move the rear mountings (but finished 22nd). Towards the end Phil Cooper was closely attended by the Special Tuning "bus" under Bill Burrough's leadership, we felt to the detriment of all the other BMC private cars it was supposed to be there for. Bill B did however personally weld our roof rack back together after an excursion on the road from Kielder to Chollerford sent the rack and 4 Mini wheels into an orchard. It was a tremendous achievement for RJB326F to finish 4th but the full context needs to be taken into account.
I believe to this day Makinen in that car could have run away with the rally....but the transmission would probably not have lasted, just as in 1966...
The 68 RAC entry had few works cars from any factory (because all mechanics were to be on the Marathon). Makinen was never interested in going to Sydney in a Land Crab and led the RAC in an ex-works Clarke and Simpson (David Sutton) entered Escort TC before the then all too familiar TC head gasket failure. Two of the three works Saabs cruised the second part of the event in first and second places (beaten by Bob Bean's Cortina GT on all the Yorkshire stages). Jim Bullough was third in his private TC and Cooper fourth. Both were beaten on stage times by Rod Cooper's old Lotus Cortina running in the Group5/6 category "European Club Rally" that had to be run as a separate event immediately in front of the RAC proper following FISA's clamp down on Gp5/6. (Works Lancia Fulvias running at the then unhomologated 1600cc in the Gp5/6 category all retired). In the main RAC, Vic Elford's 911 also led for a time but when I last saw it the entire suspension was proving that the Porsche works team still had a lot to learn on rough events from the Swedish Scania Vabis 911 team. Rough it was, probably the roughest RAC ever. The 998 Cooper I serviced for gradually wore away the dural sump guard rear extension and had to have the floor frequently drilled to move the rear mountings (but finished 22nd). Towards the end Phil Cooper was closely attended by the Special Tuning "bus" under Bill Burrough's leadership, we felt to the detriment of all the other BMC private cars it was supposed to be there for. Bill B did however personally weld our roof rack back together after an excursion on the road from Kielder to Chollerford sent the rack and 4 Mini wheels into an orchard. It was a tremendous achievement for RJB326F to finish 4th but the full context needs to be taken into account.
I believe to this day Makinen in that car could have run away with the rally....but the transmission would probably not have lasted, just as in 1966...
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surfblue63
Re: RJB 326F
1968 RAC
Last edited by surfblue63 on Fri Sep 30, 2022 2:11 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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surfblue63
Re: RJB 326F
1969 RAC
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LMM76C
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Re: RJB 326F
Looks too clean in that 69 photo to be other than the first stage at Silverstone - which got a lot muddier....
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surfblue63
Re: RJB 326F
1968 TAP (Portugal) Phil Cooper/Don Griffiths
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surfblue63
Re: RJB 326F
1969 Rallye du Maroc Phil Cooper/Don Griffiths
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Last edited by surfblue63 on Sun Sep 25, 2022 2:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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surfblue63
Re: RJB 326F
1968 RAC
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surfblue63
Re: RJB 326F
1969 RAC
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surfblue63
Re: RJB 326F
1968 RAC
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