mk1-forum.net

So as i've mentioned elsewhere, i've been looking for a comp car that was ready to go for me and Nick to share for next year, do Blyton (or where ever we are at next year) Harewood and a couple of local Historic road rallies.

KEC will probably be rested for next year as I want to develop it further as and when I can.

Only two years ago 4-5k would buy you a nice competition car that would be reasonably quick, but these cars have defiantly dried up, I was tempted by a couple of race prepp'd Metros, but this idea didn't quit click with what we wanted to do.

Forum members kept "in-boxing" me with various cars they had or knew of, which I'm thankful for, and that's whats so good about this forum.

In the end "smoke" came up trumps with a car advertised on the HRCR site, first impression is that it looks like a 1964 Austin Cooper in a later shell ( )(my pet hate !! )


but the 1964 number that is actually on the car is a cherished plate, and appealingly my first Mini was grey with the digits 595 on the plate, as this is !, as well as being Grey / White as was the original KEC of my fathers Austin Cooper, so altogether nice little coincident's

So with the gear on the car it was too good a deal to miss, and leads to all sorts of opportunities in the future, on further investigation our very own Tom Kidd's brother built the car originally in 2003 ish, another couple of owners then spent a good deal of money on it including the engine and another paint, files full of every invoice, before being bought and converted into a historic road rally car last year.

Car is painted Grey with a white roof, about 4k on a MED (sorry Mark ) rally spec engine, Weber 45, SCCR box, 113bhp, Brantz trip, Corbeau seats, all lines inside, 4 pot calipers, Alloys & Yokos, Mk 1 boot lid, Mk1 Austin Cooper badges and grille, group 2 arches, so a good starter car for Nick, paid a little more than budget, but hopefully be worth it.

Looks a good motor that mate - look forward to seeing it out

GraemeC wrote:Looks a good motor that mate - look forward to seeing it out

It needs a few jobs to bring it up to what we will be happy with, firstly a cage ! (anyone got one ?) , its been run without one, not keen on the seats, and it will know doubt need other fetling, its good shell, and hopefully the engine will be strong.


Not sure if the car is Tweed or Smoke, it looks inbetween !!

i like it, a presentable and usable car!

Might have a pair of seats available in the coming months............

GraemeC wrote:Might have a pair of seats available in the coming months............

ok keep in touch, ta

Nice looking car Steve.

By the way the colour looks like Cumulus Grey BLVC 194, used in the 1970s and 80s.

surfblue63 wrote:Nice looking car Steve.

By the way the colour looks like Cumulus Grey BLVC 194, used in the 1970s and 80s.

That's a good shout Stu, ive found it on a colour chart from 64 -67 too !

billycooper wrote:

surfblue63 wrote:Nice looking car Steve.

By the way the colour looks like Cumulus Grey BLVC 194, used in the 1970s and 80s.

That's a good shout Stu, ive found it on a colour chart from 64 -67 too !

On the money Stu, found some paperwork today in the files stating "Cumulus Grey"

Not really got going with the car yet, went in for an eye operation last Monday, I thought I'd be fit within a day or two, but still out of action , no work, no driving, no vision beyond my reading glasses, fooking frustrating, hopefully I'll get my distance glasses b4 weekend, got a driver for Monday for Oulton, as do not wanna miss that !

But found some seats, Tims (mini mail) found me some bits and pieces, still short of a cage, quite a few track days at Oulton in Oct/Nov that might be a good idea for Nick to start with, let's see how things go, need to start bloody earning again first !

Looks like an excellent basis for a fast car.

I look forward to seeing it out & about next year.

Well at last i've recovered from my eye op, and i'm back tinkering, its been a long old road to recovery, but hey it may give me a second up Harewood , so first run up the road in the car since I bought it, and the torque from the weber exceeds the SUs on KEC, up to 60 it feels quicker, but seems to suffer from quite a bit of torque steer, it looks like it needs tracking up, it on 6 x 10 s and i've got some 5 x 10 s to go on it, think we will strip the suspension down and re bush too.

The seats are very low and the steering wheels on "lob" sided, which doesn't help the feeling of the car mind, i've some seats coming but still waiting for a cage. (anyone got one ?)

As usual with a car that someone else has built there is stuff I don't like, the wiring's a mess, i've ripped loads of useless stuff out, and you cant see the rev counter when driving, ill stick a works dash in it I think, so lots of bits and bobs to sort.

First event will now have to be Blyton so plenty of time.

when do you get the prescription windscreen then steve?

rich@minispares.com wrote:when do you get the prescription windscreen then steve?

Now there's a good idea Rich

Hi Steve, good to see you're recovering, the cars looking good but think I you're going to need more than a second

JohnA wrote:Hi Steve, good to see you're recovering, the cars looking good but think I you're going to need more than a second

Its looking like we need to be in the 71s !!

I think there may well be a 72 in KEC once its re fetlled which may be end of 2018/ early 2019, but I think this car is too heavy to get anywhere near that

Quick up date, will be using this car for Blyton rather than KEC as predicted, managed to get an entry, both myself and Nick will be driving the car, managed to source a Safety Devices roll cage, looking for ages and then about 5 roll up on eBay within days of each other, coloured ones don't seem to fetch as much, so we won a red one and probably paint it, also managed to source some seats from a forum member, but i've had to put the car in storage till February so progress for now will be slow, but now I know we have an entry I can start preparing bits and pieces.

If the car runs ok probably stick with this car for Harewood Classic and Vintage, if its not full by the time Blyton is run !

I reckon the harewood event will be well busy this year, I know quite a few people champing at the bit to get their cars done for it.

it will be great if we get a full mini only grid for that

rich@minispares.com wrote:I reckon the harewood event will be well busy this year, I know quite a few people champing at the bit to get their cars done for it.

it will be great if we get a full mini only grid for that

Ive just checked back on the forum for last year and it was full the week after Blyton, i'll just keep an eye on the entry list and stick an entry in if its getting full I think.

the trick is to get your entry in on the day that the booking opens, much like Blyton!

Might need a booking sniper app for Harewood

Car looks great Steve