1976 Mini 1275 GT Stage Rally Car

[billycooper]

Been a little bit absent from the forum for a year, not helped by a Heart Attack and trying to put things in place for the future !

KEC hasn't moved from the garage other than a car show in the summer, but I have bought a new tow vehicle and tilt trailer and an ex race Proton Coupe for me and Nick to share next year at Harewood etc, and that was going to be the future !

But when you least expect it another Mini comes into your life !

I had always fancied doing a Mini for Race Retro / Lombard Bath / Bradford / and some demo rally events, but I needed something a little different, lots of Red and White ex works / replicas etc etc out there

Then this opportunity to buy a white 1275 GT fully staged prepared, with cracking history in the UK and Ireland, ticked some boxes, i actually had my eye on it last time it came up for sale in Ireland (see bottom pic !)

I used to work for a Austin dealer then Unipart, so i'm working on a livery based on that, that is acceptable to use on the above events and echos the 70s rally era.

Current spec is :
M E D 1293cc Engine with 11 stud head
45 DCOE Weber
Straight Cut Rod Change Dog Box
LSD
Works Type Drive Shafts with Maxi Type C/V Joints
Fiberglass Bonnet & Boot
Perspex Windows with Sliders
Laminated Heated Front window
Full Roll Cage with Door bars
Plumbed in fire extinguisher system
6”Miniight Wheels x 6
Avon CR6 ZZ Tyres
Brantz International Pro3

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[billycooper]

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[mk1]

Looks like a cracking project!

I look forward to seeing it & you out & about before too long.

[davidnutland]

Looks like a great car, I am glad you are on the road to recovery and buying more mini's

[Polarsilver]

Looks great car .. can i ask what tyres will be in use on your 6 inch Minilights .. why i ask is i also have 6inch rim Minilights and not too sure what tyres fit this width ?

[billycooper]

I have a mixture of Avons and Yokos, both fit fine 165/70 x 10

Cheers

[Pete]

Great buy was that Murph! Look forward to seeing what you do with it.

[billycooper]

Well this is the car I’m gonna take to Blyton, 5th different Mini in the last 7 Blytons

It’s due a 70s decal makeover but with my health problems it took a back seat, anyway I pulled it outa storage yesterday, started first time Ish ! , few jobs to do on it then we are ready to go,

It has a weird mix of arches which I’m sorting, and it needs a little bit of paint, but I’ve traced back to the 80s with continuous history from then, I’m
Pretty sure its the original shell, looks like it could have been Java originally, I like the idea of a bit of Pat and Tina , so just a tidy up really, been through it mechanically and it’s good to go

Blyton will be used as a shake down for the car with an event coming up in July, which hopefully I can spill the beans on soon, really the reason I bought the car, then it’s probably for sale as my future with a Mini still lies with KEC and Nick will use the Proton … oh did I mention he was 00.70 quicker than me up Harewood in it last month !! , he’s becoming a little star !!

I’m still torn with a livery, Nick has a mate with a small sign business, so I think it’s a case of see how we get on when we get there !

Looking forward to catching up with everyone!

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[billycooper]

Ready to go for Blyton Tomorrow
In its new Castrol livery, abit of a take on Cyril Boltons group 5 and group 1 rally cars with my own twist, couple of invites for demonstration runs with “Rallying History” coming up this year

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billy_cooper rally models
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?item= ... er&_sop=10

[wantafaster1]

I like it

[billycooper]

I like it

Thank you, much appreciated

[spoon.450]

Looks great Steve ….see you tomorrow

[billycooper]

So first invite this weekend with Ralling history with the GT at the McRae Challenge at Knockhill
Everything here from a full single stage rally, all Colin’s Cars in view and anout 50 is group b / wrc cars doing fast Demos, always wanted to see how quick my mini would go against a group b monster, and we get to play 4 times of the weekend and there plenty to watch, weather looks a little up and down but it is Scotland !
Ps … I’m the only Mini invited , apart from Colin’s auto test car as you would expect !

This could be a new venture or a sell em all up and see what’s in the pot


It’s on this Saturday and Sunday, we on the way now , pop and say hi

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[billycooper]

Magic weekend doing the rallying history demos as part of the McRae Challenge at Knockhill
We got 4 x 25 minute sessions, which with the lsd and my still week muscles was enough !
To be amongst the famous the famous cars from 6R4s to ex works escorts to Quattros and lotus sunbeams was bloody amazing
First session in the rain we set off last and past most things as they got to grips with the chicanes and the grip, passing a Quattro E2 under breaking before duffers dip was pretty exciting and holding them off through the corners
Got a bit cokey and went out 3rd in the second session, it had dried up and some of the chicanes had disappeared, but it was still bloody good fun letting the odd car past !
Day two was dry I managed a morning session but come 1 o clock I was pretty exhausted, and called it a day, I got my wing man Nick a ride in a lotus sunbeam and took sum pics
The whole McRae event was fantastic, 65 invited modern cars for the single venue part of the event and then demo runs with nearly all McRaes old cars starring all the family
The crowds around the Mini where amazing, as we drove to the holding area through the main paddock, they were 4 deep waiting , clapping taking pics, bloody amazing event, car ran really well and the comments from the rallying history and other competitors on the look and performance of the car were really heart warming
Just what the doctor ordered !!

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More pics here of the event if anyone is interested
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 893&type=3

[billycooper]

Not had a good deal of time to report back from the Silverstone Classic Rally stage, but here we go, we bought the Rally Mini 1275 GT not really sure what we were gonna use it for, i hadn’t had a “stage rally” car since 1993 ! , but even though on first look I wasn’t completely sure it was the right car to buy, I’m so glad we did (cheers Dad) what a little belter it is and it’s gets so much love and attention from any crowd!
We had to fettle the brakes after Knockhill (cheers Keith) and I desperately needed a bigger steering wheel for leverage with the LSD as I’ve still not much upper body strength.
The trip down was a bloody nightmare, UK traffic on a Friday, yuk, we had the use of a VW transporter camper with a towbar for the weekend, and got to Silverstone just before the office shut for our passes, we soon got settled in, couple of beers and bed.
We woke to glorious sunshine, We were parked behind abbey grandstand and radio Silverstone pumped out from 7.30 in the morning !
I met most of the the fellow drivers before the start, with an allsortment of different rally cars, Escorts, Mitsubishis, Porsche, RS200s, Sunbeams, Skodas, Lancias, 20 other cars all together.
We had a small rally stage on part of the old F1 circuit and the set up was a 2 car pursuit, 3 laps of a coned circuit, the Mini held its own, and we were unbeaten by the end of the day .
Quick change at the end of our day at 4 o clock, or should I say beer o clock ! , as well as the rally demo stage the main event was the classic racing, set over 3 days with everything from 1980 formula 1 cars to 1960 minis and cortina’s and mustangs and 1990 Sierra cosworth and Nissan
GTRs
Lots of Car clubs, Food villages, funfairs and stalls …. And beer buses !
Each night Silverstone had booked an 80s music act to finish off the evening on Saturday it was Gabrielle and then Sister Sledge with a fantastic festival vibe, both awesome live ! I’m sure they musta loved my dad dancing !
Sunday was the same set up, a good handful of runs in the Mini, although we were beaten a couple of times, I think it was 8 wins from 10 starts in the end , the rally stage ended for me with a passanger ride in an ex works Escort round the course ! FEV5H !
We managed to watch some more racing before night fall, before the main attraction of the weekend !
…… Rick Astley and his band, simply awesome live ! , that man has a voice ! His band was mega, wasn’t quite sure what I’d think of him, but by Christ he had the place rocking !
So that was it, Rick finished his set 11 ish, think we were quite “full” by then !
Big big thanks to “Slowly Sideways” for the invite, to Michelle , Nick and Holly …. “Team Billy Cooper rally Models” …. for putting up with my dad dancing , as well as your fantastic help and support… I couldn’t do it with out you all
Also to all the fellow rally stage drivers navigators and Marshals and of course the organisers for making us feel so welcome after arriving a day late !! (Long story … not my fault … well sort of ! )
Just an absolute mega weekend !
Action pics by Kevin Donegan

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Link to pics https://www.flickr.com/gp/16788879@N02/mquo3XxD67

[SMOKE GREY]

Sounds like you had a mint weekend Steve!