Hello from California

Bart Smith · Post by **Bart Smith** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 6:58 pm

Since I completed my first post yesterday it was pointed out that I should probably introduce myself. My family and I live in Southern California. I have been vintage racing Minis on the West Coast for going on 18 years. Currently I race a 1962 Mini Cooper and am looking forward to another season coming up. I may race Minis but I am the classic SoCal gearhead and have had many cars over the years. Besides the Mini I also have a 1960 Fiat Abarth 750 that I am restoring. This car is really neat and has documented race history from 1962 to 1974. It is a mess but will be done in a few more years. I do all the mechanical work and race prep myself. I also do body work but really don't like it. My primary interest is racing and yes, I did see the F1 race today. This site is great and I hope that I can help as much as I have been helped. Thank you to Mark for such a great site and I look forward to getting to know this group of like minded Mini freaks.

Sincerely,
Bart Smith

miniminor · Post by **miniminor** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:52 pm

Hi Bart,

Welcome. Put a few photos of your cars on.

Post by **JC T ONE** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 8:44 pm

Hi Bart & welcome inhere

post some piccies, we love piccies inhere

Jens Christian

Post by **guru_1071** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:16 pm

Bart Smith wrote:gearhead

bart

over here a gearhead is someone with a fiendish appitite for ganja........

Bart Smith · Post by **Bart Smith** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 1:09 am

That is so funny. I will make sure and remember that for any job interviews in the future. Pics to follow from the petrol head.

Bart

pawermini · Post by **pawermini** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 2:26 am

Bart, hello !!

Like the rest I will eagerly wait for your mini photos!

Bart Smith · Post by **Bart Smith** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:14 pm

These are pics of the mini and family at AAA Speedway, Fontana CA.

And a couple of photos af the Abarth project including one from back in the day.

Post by **JC T ONE** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 1:37 pm

Hi & welcome inhere

thats some nice cars

love the Hoosier slicks

that Abarth is quit early = suicide doors

great with the old photos

are you keeping the colour sceme on the Fiat ?

Jens Christian

Bart Smith · Post by **Bart Smith** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 4:07 pm

Hi Jens and thank you. Yes, the Abarth is early with the suicide doors and it also has the small tail lights. The engine, transaxel, front and rear suspension are done and the car is now a roller. But, as you can see I have alot of bodywork to do.

I am on the fence about overall color and appearance. Because it raced for so long it went through alot of different exterior changes but only two colors. The car was raced in it's original blue. Then it was changed to the yellow with green stripe it has now. I am leaning toward the earlier specification without the rear flares, in blue, with an earlier front radiator cover, the one with the wings. More of a 850 TC look.

The tires on the mini do not start life as slicks as they are TD's, but they do end up that way

Cheers,
Bart

mk1 · Post by **mk1** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:18 am

Hi Bart, What a couple of brilliant cars!

My mate Harry Ratcliffe's team won the European Saloon Car Championship in 1969, his biggest competition was the Abarth Fiats. They were lighter & much quicker than his Minis, so he says he used to get the Mini up behind them, push as hard as he could & wait for engine parts to start coming out of the back

It appears to have worked a treat.

Are you planning on restoring the Abarth for the road or track?

Mark F

Bart Smith · Post by **Bart Smith** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:25 pm

Thank you Mark, I have heard that story too and don't doubt it. Another story I read was that the Minis would let the Abarths by and their drivers would end up racing each other and blow them up.

The Abarth will be restored to race. With it's history it will be eligible for some of the more exclusive races here. The hardest part so far has been time and trying to decide which "point in time" to restore it to. The best part has been researching it's history. I flew up to Seattle and interviewed the second owner who started racing it in 1962. I have been collecting race results and speaking to alot of people and have an almost complete history of the car.

Mark, thank you for this site it is amazing.

Bart Smith

mk1 · Post by **mk1** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:53 pm

I hope to be able to follow the story of your little Abarth, I do like my Mini's but am always a sucker for something different.

Keep up the good work.

M

Post by **Pete** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 6:55 pm

Something for the fan of A series and Fiat Abarth !

Post by **JC T ONE** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 7:57 pm

Bart Smith wrote:
The best part has been researching it's history.
I flew up to Seattle and interviewed the second owner who started racing it in 1962.
I have been collecting race results and speaking to alot of people
and have an almost complete history of the car.

Seems like all you guys in USA are doing a good job, regarding the history on your race cars

well done.

georgek · Post by **georgek** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:22 am

Hi Bart, welcome to the forum, your cars look great, and nice to see a bit of blue sky for a change.

mk1-forum.net

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