John Bolster 59 Autosport Press Car Part 1

[Dai Bos]

918 GFC was one of the very early press cars, which was given to John Bolster Autosport by BMC to road test it for 1 year. After testing it for a year the only thing part that had to be replaced was the gearbox in about 1960. The car was taken abroad a number of times, it done the journalist race, in Goodwood in 1960 and many more races by John Bolster, which is shown in the pictures. It had a SPQR gear remote fitted and also, as shown in the pictures it had a wood rimmed steering wheel fitted. It also had a demister in the rear parcel shelf fitted all these were done around 1960. The car remained in the family, I knew John very well and am close friends with the family. After many offers to sell the car they wouldn’t sell but eventually asked me if I wanted to buy the car.

There are quite a few differences on this car, which you wouldn’t see normally on a 59 car. One of the things is the back seat and on the front panel, on the top of the slam panel, there is no square indentations which is normally on them. There are a lot more, the body number is 155, chassis number is 1290, I believe that the car is earlier than what the chassis number states as I have been told by a friend of mine who worked on the 59 cars, some cars went through the system twice. I believe that this car was in the workshops being experimented on and also the car was actually in the launch of the 59 cars. John Bolster wanted a clipper blue car but if you look at the chassis number, it would probably say that it was too late to be in the launch, but John and his family said it definitely was in the launch. There are signs of the car being a left-hand drive car but all the time that John had it, it was a right-hand drive. This is a bit of a mystery about the left-hand drive bit. It has the original shell and all the parts, which you see, are correct. The car was complete when I bought it although I have done a full restoration.

The nice thing about the car is that it still has the original number plates, suspension, interior trim, the longer corner bumper’s front and back. I rebuilt the engine and gearbox completely, funnily enough all the gears were absolutely perfect. I also own one of Issigoniss’ 59 cars, these cars are very special cars, sadly you will struggle to find anyone who knows anything about them.

Many thanks

Dave Boswell

[Dai Bos]

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[Dai Bos]

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[Dai Bos]

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[Dai Bos]

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[66S]

Awesome car and lovely presentation. Thanks for sharing.

Al

[66Traveller]

Great car - superb detailing.

[nickacb]

What can I say, my favorite combination of feautures, '59 morris mini in clipper blue with the early fleck/black trim. I love the exta black vinyl in the back seat. Awesome mini. Just a quick question, in the cut of the news where a fellow is seen like driving the car and changing gear, the gear lever seems a bit crancked, but in the current photos it seem straight.

Nick

[tomkidd]

Wow, that is great. I love the story behind it

[Dai Bos]

What can I say, my favorite combination of feautures, '59 morris mini in clipper blue with the early fleck/black trim. I love the exta black vinyl in the back seat. Awesome mini. Just a quick question, in the cut of the news where a fellow is seen like driving the car and changing gear, the gear lever seems a bit crancked, but in the current photos it seem straight.

Nick

Hi Nick,

Thank you for the kind remarks. The person in the picture in the car is John Bolster he's doing a advertisment for the SPQR gear remote. Last summer I was getting the car ready to take it to Gayden, I was asked to get the UHR 850 Downton car and also take my car. Unfortunatley my car wasn't quite finished, I put that gearstick on the remote becuase the other one wasn't painted. There's still a couple of things that I need to do to the car, one is the clutch lever on the housing is the wrong one. In the 70's to 80's the clutch was stuck and John Bolsters son changed it for the one thats on it, I have the original one which was on it from new, just after Christmas I plan to finish off the little jobs. I hope to take it to a show at the end of the year.

I make the front floor plans left and right for 59 cars (these are the bigger type well ones), early extened bumpers, fuel pump brackets and also many other parts for 59 cars.

Cheers

Dave Boswell

[mk1]

A really beautiful restoration!

M

[JC T ONE]

Thats one nice car, and what a story

These cars really comes to "life" when the history is found & told.

thanks for posting.



Jens Christian

[STG95F]

What a nice car Dave .

Ian

[slowboy]

with this and the speedwell van, i think two of the best cars i have seen

[814CWE]

nice to see a 59 with provenance,,,and where authenticity and the period mods take precedence over shiny,over restored bits

most of these early minis had mods by thier first or second owners,,its refreshing to see dave hasnt gone "textbook" and done the car as a characterless clone to "please the masses"

right on fella-looks great.!!