Daytona, Florida 1967
I have recently added this Mini to the garage. In May I was at an annual swap meet and car show I attend every year in central Pennsylvania where I was talking to a man who spoke of a Downton car he had for sale. I talked to him in years past and he would mention the car, but I figured it was a Downton conversion on a street car. This year he was mentioning it being for sale, had some pictures on his camera and also a binder full of letters from Richard Miles (Downton, London) Ltd. After looking at the pictures, I took some time to read through the letters. I was quite taken by what I had read and saw and figured I needed to do something about it. I have been into the Mini scene in the States for quite a while now and have never seen anything quite like it. The man thought the original owner must have raced the car at some point, probably in New York since that is where its paperwork was from. He was never able to find any pictures or racing history of the car.
Within a couple of days, I received a nice group of pictures from the man. I sent them off to Mark for a second opinion, and he seemed to think the car was genuine. By Friday, I had enlisted my dad to go on a 1000 mile round trip with trailer in tow to look at this Mini. We brought the Mini home, and I have been doing a lot of research since. I soon learned that the original owner had quite a racing resumé. I found the original owner’s contact information, so I sent him a letter with some pictures. I was quite fortunate that he got the letter and is still doing well. I got to speak to him on the phone for a bit. He even went up to his attic and dug up a pile of treasures and sent them to me, with even more Downton letters and original photographs. It answered nearly all my questions. The letters, totaling about 50 pages, start off from the car’s initial order in December 1966 through most of its races and activities, until November of 1968, when Richard Miles left the company. JC kept copies of the letters he sent so you get both sides of the conversations. I will be adding more about the history of the car and owner soon.
To get started here is some information about the car.
• Full Group 2 1293cc FIA Appendix J car prepared for racing.
• Original Downton paint work, as requested by JC, never hit, rusted or repainted.
• 14,300 original miles
• Never disassembled, original car mostly as raced in 1967, 1968 and 1969
• JC asked his friend and fellow BMC teammate, Andrew Hedges, to order and oversee the build of this Downton Mini.
• Mechanic suggested a MK 2 versus MK 1 Limited Slip Differential and have a 3.9 installed.
• JC heard a “Restall” driver seat is good.
• Order initiated December 5th, 1966
• Richard Miles (Downton London) Ltd. had secured a Home Market Morris Cooper S from White Lodge Garage, a dealer with whom they were close friends. B.M.C. Export agreed to transfer to export allocation.
• The car was white with a black roof, Downton re-sprayed the roof white and painted a blue stripe to comply with American racing colors
• One item JC emphasized is “the car should be ready to win when I receive it.”
• The car was set up and tested at Brands Hatch
• Car was shipped on the Lulua, left London on April 19th, 1967
• Car was picked up on May 5th in New York City
• Had to install a roll bar inside car
• Had to put a scatter shield in, screwed a bulletproof vest to the floor and firewall
• JC, “standing order for anything that will improve the car.
•Currently engine is detuned a bit, different head and HS2 carbs are fitted.
Andy and Rachel Nelson's Paddock June 2014 Mid Ohio. The 45 and 68 car raced together at Daytona in 67. We did not know at the time but the 45 and 52 car raced together at Cumberland Airfield in May of 1967.
(and welcome inhere)
. My skin has turned a weird green colour 
Great provenance a true survivor!! 
