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Brian Culcheth 1938 - 2022

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2022 8:24 pm
by mab01uk
Image

BMC works rally driver Brian Culcheth died at the age of 84 on Sunday 11th September 2022
https://www.tr-register.co.uk/article/2 ... h-19382022

Re: Brian Culcheth 1938 - 2022

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2022 9:57 pm
by SMOKE GREY
What a brilliant photo, and also what a proper nice bloke Brian was, very amusing and helpful, just a nice guy. Also, probably one of the most underrated drivers, he could drive! Another one gone.

Re: Brian Culcheth 1938 - 2022

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2022 10:10 pm
by spoon.450
Sad news. I had a few interesting conversations with Brian, and considered him as one of the younger ex works heroes. I was surprised and saddened to hear this.

Re: Brian Culcheth 1938 - 2022

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 8:31 am
by Ronnie
Very sad news, but a superb picture to be remembered by. RIP

Re: Brian Culcheth 1938 - 2022

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 9:44 am
by AndyPen
Not a mini but Brian really helped me in my Dolomite Sprint days. I had little money for ST parts and they had lost their Technical Illustrator, so I swapped my TI skills for parts, for example doing the (long lost) drawings of the vented disc set up. When they sold the 'works' (it wasn't) car to an army captain I was asked if I wanted any second hand spares as they had a van full. It really was a van full!!!

Here's my car and although I have posted it before, the engine pic that I still have here - based on my own group 1 motor that I rebuilt.

Thank you Brian ;-)

dolly sprint engine artwork.jpg
dolly sprint in corner sm.jpg

Re: Brian Culcheth 1938 - 2022

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 9:48 am
by mk1
What a great story. Shows what a lovely bloke he was.

He'll be much missed.

Re: Brian Culcheth 1938 - 2022

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 8:26 pm
by big-un1967
We used to moor a boat in porlock harbour. Always popped into say hello to Brian in his family run hardware store.
He was always so enthusiastic about minis and rallying.
What a wonderful individual
RIP and thoughts to his family
Paul

Re: Brian Culcheth 1938 - 2022

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2022 3:57 pm
by Costafortune
I'm guessing it's just Rauno and Paul Easter left now from the BMC drivers?

Many of the Ford boys have gone: Mikkola, Waldegard, Clark, Brookes - I think it's only Ari Vatanen that's still around.

Re: Brian Culcheth 1938 - 2022

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2022 6:06 am
by winabbey
Brian was a regular visitor to Australia in his motorsport role.

Here is a before and after (with Andrew Cowan) pic in one of the works cars.

Brian Culcheth BMC Before.jpg

Brian Culcheth BMC After.jpg

Re: Brian Culcheth 1938 - 2022

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2022 7:48 pm
by Roadrunner
Very sad, I never heard about it till I just read the post. I remember him from his rallying back in the 1970's reading about him in MN. RIP