Hot Car Magazines Modded Mini - April 1968

[mab01uk]

I guess you would have to find your dad's old bike with the GAY 40 registration still attached to re-claim it, there are ways to get back original numbers from the DVLA for classic cars/bikes but you need the original vehicle and some documentary evidence like old MOT's or tax discs to do it.

trouble is that even if you did find the bike and get the plate back, it would be non transferable,

so unless you REALLY want a derbi senda (or whatever ) with GAY 40 on it, its probably not worth the expense and hassle

I heard a cracking story recently about someone who 'parked' a load of valuable number plates on some mopeds as it was 'cheaper' than paying the retention certificates. trouble is the v5c's have been lost, the owner has died, the bikes have been sold and the plates are either now dead or stuck on the peds - its been a very expensive mistake as there was about 20 very desirable short numbers that are now worthless.......

However my brother and I recently retrieved a very nice 'personal' registration that had been transferred onto an early Mk1 Mini back in the 1970's by the current owner and then stored in a barn before DVLA computerisation came in. After a recent full restoration for the elderly lady owner we managed to retrieve her personal number from the DVLA after much form filling, old green log book, MOT and tax disc evidence and a visit with the Mini on trailer to the local DVLA office, just before it closed for good.......and much to our surprise the reg no. eventually came back on a new V5c and confirmed as fully transferable! The owner has no wish to transfer it but if she chose to in the future it is certainly a very valuable number.

[mab01uk]

Seen on Ebay recently:

'Build Your Own Car' - January 1959
Presented with 'Car Mechanics'
Tony Bostock's guide to kits and equipment
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Build-your-ow ... 7675.l2557

[mab01uk]

That brings back some memories, The days when we thought the Opus HRF pretty cool
Do I rmember one of the main contributers using the registration GAY40 on his cars?

Spotted on another forum
http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/histor ... 6290/page4

[mab01uk]

Lots more Hot Car nostalgia here
http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/histor ... 6290/page2

Including........

1959 BMW 600 6-wheeler with 850cc Mini engine in rear

[brbostock]

Great to see the copies of HC from you.
If I come across any Mini features in the old issues I have I'll make copies if they're of interest.
The bike with the plates is probably in the US now - it was a Ariel Square Four built to show and I think it went stateside.
B

[Tim]

How about that caption "Liberal quantities of dexion hold the mini subframe into the slightly overcrowded BMW rear compartment - all subtle stuff" ?

Tim

[nick rogers]

Interesting that this topic has come up just when i'm clearing out the loft. I will attempt to upload pictures of some nice 60's magazine covers.

[mab01uk]

Autospeed Show 1968
Horticultural Hall, London.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZANMfv2dko

Paddy Hopkirk on the stand with the 'Hot Car' Mini






Simon Flangeplate Special Mini - Boy Racer of the Year.....

[mab01uk]

[jay weinstein]

Theo sure looks pleased with himself...that mini would have been pretty stylish when that magazine came out.

About 10 or 12 years ago a friend gave me his collection CCC's and in there was a July 1967 issue with my S.A.

mini sprint...never knew it was in a magazine.

[Jeroen Booij]

Love it!
Now, when is someone going to replicate this beauty?

[Costafortune]

Hi there,
Spotted this post quite by accident - I am Tony Bostock's son and I have the original pictures of the Mini published on the front cover of the first issue of Hot Car. Let me know if you would like copies and I will dig them out.

The GAY 40 registration lapsed in the late 70s (I think) when my father loaned the bike which is was on to a friend while he was abroad. The friend didn't renew the tax = no more registration.
At least that's the story I got. He was understandably quite cross. Similar plates go for around £6k nowadays.

I have a whole library of back issues of Hot Car and Car Mechanics from the 60s and 70s so if there is anything else you are interested in, drop me a line. I do remember seeing the original test report of the Moke in one edition.

Cheers,
Ben.

I work for Car Mechanics mag now, have done since 2007. I started buying it around 1979 as a car mad nipper. Chris Horton is good mate, and he knew Tony very well.