Circuit Racing Minis - Early Years
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 9:37 pm
Hello,
I am wondering if any you knowledgeable people can help me with a bit of history with the circuit racing side of the mini. From the various researching that I have been doing, there isn't much info about this until around 65 where the Cooper Car Company cars seen to be the main topic.
I'm particularly interested in the early years, from 59 to around 63/64. I have seen from the main site that there are homologation papers from 59 and from touringcarracing.net there are results for the Morris Mini Minor in 1960, so they were used.
I have looked through the FIA Goup 1/2 regs, from 1961 and 1965 and I gather that the cars were still 'true' to the production models, but with some modifications. For cars which was raced at club level, rather than BSCC/ESCC, did they have to apply to the FIA regs, or did the RAC (did they have part in the circuit racing side?) provide their own regs?
From what I gather, most of them ran the standard wheels without hubcaps, but what year was the Rosepetal wheels introduced for the mini? They all seem to have a seat belt of some sort, mainly the static 3 point belts with harnesses coming more around 63. Again, most of the cars seem to have secured the bonnet with a bungee strap around the 'towel rail' but how were they attached to the bonnet?
Any help would be appreciated (pictures would be fantastic) and hopefully with a bit of luck, this will help me create a period early mini circuit racer.
Cheers
Chris
I am wondering if any you knowledgeable people can help me with a bit of history with the circuit racing side of the mini. From the various researching that I have been doing, there isn't much info about this until around 65 where the Cooper Car Company cars seen to be the main topic.
I'm particularly interested in the early years, from 59 to around 63/64. I have seen from the main site that there are homologation papers from 59 and from touringcarracing.net there are results for the Morris Mini Minor in 1960, so they were used.
I have looked through the FIA Goup 1/2 regs, from 1961 and 1965 and I gather that the cars were still 'true' to the production models, but with some modifications. For cars which was raced at club level, rather than BSCC/ESCC, did they have to apply to the FIA regs, or did the RAC (did they have part in the circuit racing side?) provide their own regs?
From what I gather, most of them ran the standard wheels without hubcaps, but what year was the Rosepetal wheels introduced for the mini? They all seem to have a seat belt of some sort, mainly the static 3 point belts with harnesses coming more around 63. Again, most of the cars seem to have secured the bonnet with a bungee strap around the 'towel rail' but how were they attached to the bonnet?
Any help would be appreciated (pictures would be fantastic) and hopefully with a bit of luck, this will help me create a period early mini circuit racer.
Cheers
Chris