YJV 823 - 1071

[richardACS]

Buried elsewhere in this section is my unfinished project ACS 65C, it is however becoming close to putting the bits together, Downton engine (Neil Slark) complete and painted, body shell painted (Ian Slark). But following my retirement I wanted to finally get my workshop re equipped and organised with a small paint booth with extraction for all those minor paint items including sub frames. An airline, that doesn't necessitate hoses dragged around the floor that stop trolley movement and a trip hazard, a plating area, to save all those thankless 2 hour journeys only to be profoundly disappointed with the finish and or missing parts!

Little knowing when I embarked on this September 21, that it was going to take me until end of November 22 to complete! As this 'take off' day is now fast approaching the excitement is rising. And what better way to cap this off than to realise an ambition that has hitherto remained quite dormant. I don't know why but something over the past 50 years has nagged that I loved my first decent car a Mk 2 998 Cooper, it was smooth, silent and it served me well for a number of years. Of course all the while itching to get the 1275 because it would be all things that the 998 was but even better!

I then found my project car (couldn't afford anything better) than a clapped out Mk 2 1275S also in El Paso beige (like my Cooper) and while I served my 3 month ban reduced from 6 months for my inevitable speeding offences I worked around the clock to carry out my first restoration project. I was happy with the project but always dissapointed in what I considered the roughness of the 1275. Company cars followed and time moved on.

The arrival of DON 55C in July to be auctioned at the CCA auction September 24th, had me captivated and started the ball rolling - I wanted that car badly. However and as a result of my incessant searching found YJV 823 as a project car and as discussion progressed. I went to Wawrick to inspect DON and registered to bid in the hope that others might be put off by its shabby state and well with an auction who knows what might happen!

I found out on the end of a phone that 'Did I want to place the next bid'? there wasn't even time to say yes to the next thousand before it had climbed yet again - as we know £54 became that number and this either included or not the 15% buyers commission. My ceiling was 34 - forget that then...

Back to negotiations and YJV 823 - off the road since the 80's and thanks to Simon 776 knew of the car and had the owners logged (from what must surely be the most amazing archive known to mini man). YJV 823 started life as EE 88 and was the road car for a Mr Geoff Wood who was a Lincolnshire ameteur race driver in the 60's/70's and appears in a video of "Mini Goes Racing" at Cadwell Park which so happens to be my favourite UK circuit. I have since made contact with Geoff's son and enjoying the sharing of stories and photos - hence the photo of Almond Green EE 88 in the Garage at his home in 1963.

There are also images in it's later re registered livery on the Rally of Lincolnshire (GW retained the EE 88 reg). I'm now on a quest to see if I can find the later owners and determine what happened to the car that caused it to be re shelled - was it rust or damage? The good news however is the shell is a Cooper shell from 1963 and the remains of paint show it to have been painted red/black and below that Surf Blue/White.

Surf Blue/White happens to be one of my favourite colours it reflects the cheeky nature of the car and is a good bright safety colour and I'm of the mind to restore it as such as a nod to the shell and from whatever car it started as. Had it not been reshelled I would have been very happy to stay with the build sheet Almond Green.

Engine wise it will be going to Neil Slark for a Downton conversion, the head work he did on my 1275 is a thing of beauty and to have this 1071 blue printed will I believe give me that sweet running A series I seem to crave....

My plea will be to source the genuine parts I need to get this project completed and will be compiling a list shortly, all help in doing this correctly and sourcing dated items (where possible) June 1963 and it is a Morris. Finally, thanks to Mark for his down to earth advice...

[richardACS]

unknown.jpg

Difficult to see for certain and hopefully later photos might clarify but there appears to be a right hand fuel tank in place - I wonder whether this would have been a factory tank or the one made by Serck (it has come with a RH Serck tank)

[richardACS]

Would be a marvel if either of the participants might be contactable:

G. Mudd and P Thomas

[Costafortune]

Given the history of the car - and because you have no need to recreate what it was when new - there is another option.

How many of these have you seen?

[mk1]

You didn't tell me it was one of Geoff's old cars Richard!

Lovely bloke & a really great driver, was at the heart of BVRT in their greatest days.

geoff_wood_1.jpg

[richardACS]

Given the history of the car - and because you have no need to recreate what it was when new - there is another option.

How many of these have you seen?

Would that be a Wood and Picket - Peter Sellers/Brit Eckland kind of style?

[richardACS]

You didn't tell me it was one of Geoff's old cars Richard!

Lovely bloke & a really great driver, was at the heart of BVRT in their greatest days.

geoff_wood_1.jpg

What is the BVRT Mark?

I've been in contact with Geoff's son Graham and have forwarded this link to him. It has been a joy to learn of GW, I already have a sense of his great enthusiasm and slowly gaining a knowledge of his exploits ( From what little I know - his later car was a very special Escort). This aspect simply adds greater satisfaction to the experience...

I have been imagining what it must have been like in June 1963 when GW went down to his local dealer to pick up his brand new Almond Green Cooper S, the car was built in the first three months of production (I believe) and was the veritable hot rod of it's day. I doubt there were many new cars out of the box that could have shown a clean pair of heels to a well driven 1071 along our A & B roads of the time. It will be interesting to know (if ever possible) whether the RH tank was a factory or a later installation...

[Costafortune]

Given the history of the car - and because you have no need to recreate what it was when new - there is another option.

How many of these have you seen?

Would that be a Wood and Picket - Peter Sellers/Brit Eckland kind of style?

It's the car used in the second Pink Panther film, a shot in the dark. Radford did this one in black with wickerwork, Hooper did Sellers' 997 Cooper before this in dark purple with wickerwork.

The wickerwork could be recreated with perforated vinyl these days. The chrome waistline trim is Elf/Hornet so you could recreate it up to a point.

[Pete]

EE88 became Geoff’s racer didn’t it?

[GW1]

Hi Pete, no, EE88 never became dads race car, it was just a bit of fun to keep the number (which had been transferred to mums mini when he sold the 1071 cooper road car on ) on his race cars boot lids. Graham

[mk1]

BVRT - British Vita Racing & Tuning.

https://mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk/brt.html

[richardACS]

Hi Pete, no, EE88 never became dads race car, it was just a bit of fun to keep the number (which had been transferred to mums mini when he sold the 1071 cooper road car on ) on his race cars boot lids. Graham

Graham - Thanks for joining in.

Do you think the race car number 50 and 82 are one and the same car? and if so they were both Almond Green? and if so did this car start life in 1965 and as a standard 1275?

I've joined the face book group "memories of the Rally of Lincs" in the hope of finding out whether we can discover the driver team of G Mudd/P Thomas taken in 1973

[richardACS]

BVRT - British Vita Racing & Tuning.

https://mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk/brt.html

Thanks Mark - very helpful. In what way was Geoff Wood involved? was he a client of BVRT or part of the organisation?

[mk1]

He was one of their "Works" drivers.

Not employed by them, but received engines & support.

M

[richardACS]

I would appreciate learned eyes - is this the correct cover for the 1071? and perhaps missing the plumbing (pipe)?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403951979502 ... name=11051

[richardACS]

He was one of their "Works" drivers.

Not employed by them, but received engines & support.

M

Thanks....

[mk1]

I would appreciate learned eyes - is this the correct cover for the 1071? and perhaps missing the plumbing (pipe)?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403951979502 ... name=11051

Yes, but as you say, missing the down pipe.

[GW1]

Hi Pete, no, EE88 never became dads race car, it was just a bit of fun to keep the number (which had been transferred to mums mini when he sold the 1071 cooper road car on ) on his race cars boot lids. Graham

Graham - Thanks for joining in.

Do you think the race car number 50 and 82 are one and the same car? and if so they were both Almond Green? and if so did this car start life in 1965 and as a standard 1275?

I've joined the face book group "memories of the Rally of Lincs" in the hope of finding out whether we can discover the driver team of G Mudd/P Thomas taken in 1973

Hi Richard, car 50 and 82 were very different, 50 being the ex broadspeed car and 1000cc, written off , car number 82 used some parts from the early car but was a 1300cc car built with a new shell. Yes almond green ! GW

[richardACS]

I would appreciate learned eyes - is this the correct cover for the 1071? and perhaps missing the plumbing (pipe)?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403951979502 ... name=11051

Yes, but as you say, missing the down pipe.

Thanks Mark, BTW - those BMC 1071 papers are a lovely thing to have in the file - how exciting it must have been to have purchased a new 1071 back in the day! If you should come across a 1071 sales brochure and the 'car supplied manual' at any time, please let me know....

[mk1]

You have PM.