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Just found a shoebox full of some of my 1980's 'period' Mini racing photos in the bottom of a wardrobe and thought they may be of interest. Any additional information on drivers or their cars feel free to add.....I think there are many more photos of interest so will add more as time allows.......also more from the 1970's in other boxes!

A wet Brands Hatch paddock early 1980's, Wendy Wools Saloon Cars.

Driver Peter Bray




Interesting arches on this Clubman.....Driver: Pete Daniels, his teamate in the matching 1275GT/Clubman behind started on pole position (see grid photo below).

mab01uk wrote:

nice photos!

spot the Bedford VAL panorama in the back ground!

mab01uk wrote:Interesting arches on this Clubman.....Driver: Pete Daniels, his teamate in the matching 1275GT/Clubman behind started on pole position (see grid photo below).

Great pictures Martin, thanks for sharing.

Is it my imagination but has the No.29 car had it bonnet line pulled down to aid aerodynamics? It looks like it slopes at a steeper angle than standard to me.

surfblue63 wrote:
Is it my imagination but has the No.29 car had it bonnet line pulled down to aid aerodynamics? It looks like it slopes at a steeper angle than standard to me.

it has, yes


it looks like its looking down its nose at the eyesore in front of it!

I don't think aesthetics were top of the list win those days were they - can you imagine lining up at Goodwood Revival in one of them now!

GraemeC wrote:I don't think aesthetics were top of the list win those days were they - can you imagine lining up at Goodwood Revival in one of them now!

aye, there would be some sour faced posh people wouldn't there!!!!!

I think you would probably get blackballed from the circuit for ever!!




never mind track width and bore size infringements, arriving with one of those 'historic racers' would be a meltdown for the eligibility scrutineers.....





I love them!

I've just noticed the external hinges on the Clubman with the Persil Box arches, perhaps it's one of those experimental works Mk2 cars.

Great pics, there' a Maguire on Ebay at the moment.

The Mini with the 'Persil Box' arches (great description Stuart) seems to have such deep offset steel rims and low profile tyres that they look even less than 10" diameter but I guess its just an 'optical illusion'?

rich@minispares.com wrote: it looks like its looking down its nose at the eyesore in front of it!

I can't remember if I took the photo because I liked those unusual arches or just to keep a record of their very unique design for posterity!

Thanks for sharing this pics.

mab01uk wrote:
I can't remember if I took the photo because I liked those unusual arches or just to keep a record of their very unique design for posterity!

I suspect that you where so shocked to see them you shuddered and pressed the shutter on your camera!

mab01uk wrote:The Mini with the 'Persil Box' arches (great description Stuart) seems to have such deep offset steel rims and low profile tyres that they look even less than 10" diameter but I guess its just an 'optical illusion'?

It has been suggested these wide low profile 10" tyres were as used on the 6-wheel Tyrrell F1 car?

"Tire manufacturer Goodyear, then the sole supplier to F1, agreed to produce the required 10-inch rubber for the Tyrrel P34.
The main problem for the car was the front tyres, whilst Goodyear developed the rear and the standard sized front F1 tyres throughout the 1976 season, development of the bespoke P34 10" tyres was sadly lacking. Access to the tyre testing machines was limited to one plant in Belgium and only then on certain nights in the week, by the end of the season the P34's front tyres were almost six months behind in development compared to the rears."
http://www.project34.co.uk/index.php/te ... ifferent-3

a guy on the miniforum who goes by the user name 'oldskoolcool' has posted this about these cars

..................'I can shed a bit more light on the subject.The clubman with the big arches was built by my father (Peter Hill), it was raced by himself from 1975 to 1978.

It originally was a mini miglia (998). In 1977 he was able to obtain some set of tyres from the Tyrell 6 wheeled F1 car .
These were fitted to 8x10 mamba solar 3 piece split rim wheels .The front brakes were also from the Tryell, these were huge vented discs that were x-drilled and pegged with copper rods. The calipers were modified alloy F3 GR units with cortina brake pads. Probably the first vented disc set up inside 10s.

The arches were hand made and were originally polished alloy and looked a hell of a lot better! He only ever raced the car once with those arches on, as the scrutineers were not very impressed. He sold the car in 1978 to build a brand new miglia.

The other clubman was his brothers(Charles hill) old miglia that was also running with the Tyrell tyre set up'............












its great that he has posted this, I bet these cars where the business when they where built!

Thanks for posting the extra infomation and photos........nice to have the story about running on the 6-wheel F1 Tyrrell 10" tyres confirmed.

Had some of these tyres through my hands when I had the shop in Putney. From? To? .......Pass

May have been round about the time that Marc LeMaitre built up his car

Some more 1980's racing photos that I took at Lydden Hill circuit in Kent. My brother Steve was mechanic on a Mini 7 at the time and went on to become Chris Tyrrells mechanic in Mini 7 and for a while the Metro Challenge before reverting back to Mini7 and Miglia as a driver in the 1990's.

Ouch!
These was taken by me in the Brands Hatch paddock (I think) in the late 1970's.
These very quick green Longman short-stroke 850cc Mini's were driven by Neil Dineen and Peter Crouch.

Both photos above and below are from August 1981 at Brands Hatch.
Photo below is Chris Tyrrells Championship winning Mini 7 racer in the race paddock with Paddock Hill Bend in the background, my brother Steve Bell was by now his mechanic and had got him some sponsorship from 'Budget Hire' including the support van, many of the front running Sevens were using Chris Tyrrell heads or engines back then. The red Mk3 Mini with smoke tinted 'Tilling' glass was my much modified daily driver at the time.....quite quick and also with a Tyrrell modified S head all setup on Jon Mowatts rolling road.

mab01uk wrote:Ouch!

That wheel looks like the Brabham ones being discussed on this thread.

Another great set of pictures Martin, thanks for sharing.