YJV 823 - 1071
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 11:25 am
Buried elsewhere in this section is my unfinished project ACS 65C, it is however becoming close to putting the bits together, Downton engine (Neil Slark) complete and painted, body shell painted (Ian Slark). But following my retirement I wanted to finally get my workshop re equipped and organised with a small paint booth with extraction for all those minor paint items including sub frames. An airline, that doesn't necessitate hoses dragged around the floor that stop trolley movement and a trip hazard, a plating area, to save all those thankless 2 hour journeys only to be profoundly disappointed with the finish and or missing parts!
Little knowing when I embarked on this September 21, that it was going to take me until end of November 22 to complete! As this 'take off' day is now fast approaching the excitement is rising. And what better way to cap this off than to realise an ambition that has hitherto remained quite dormant. I don't know why but something over the past 50 years has nagged that I loved my first decent car a Mk 2 998 Cooper, it was smooth, silent and it served me well for a number of years. Of course all the while itching to get the 1275 because it would be all things that the 998 was but even better!
I then found my project car (couldn't afford anything better) than a clapped out Mk 2 1275S also in El Paso beige (like my Cooper) and while I served my 3 month ban reduced from 6 months for my inevitable speeding offences I worked around the clock to carry out my first restoration project. I was happy with the project but always dissapointed in what I considered the roughness of the 1275. Company cars followed and time moved on.
The arrival of DON 55C in July to be auctioned at the CCA auction September 24th, had me captivated and started the ball rolling - I wanted that car badly. However and as a result of my incessant searching found YJV 823 as a project car and as discussion progressed. I went to Wawrick to inspect DON and registered to bid in the hope that others might be put off by its shabby state and well with an auction who knows what might happen!
I found out on the end of a phone that 'Did I want to place the next bid'? there wasn't even time to say yes to the next thousand before it had climbed yet again - as we know £54 became that number and this either included or not the 15% buyers commission. My ceiling was 34 - forget that then...
Back to negotiations and YJV 823 - off the road since the 80's and thanks to Simon 776 knew of the car and had the owners logged (from what must surely be the most amazing archive known to mini man). YJV 823 started life as EE 88 and was the road car for a Mr Geoff Wood who was a Lincolnshire ameteur race driver in the 60's/70's and appears in a video of "Mini Goes Racing" at Cadwell Park which so happens to be my favourite UK circuit. I have since made contact with Geoff's son and enjoying the sharing of stories and photos - hence the photo of Almond Green EE 88 in the Garage at his home in 1963.
There are also images in it's later re registered livery on the Rally of Lincolnshire (GW retained the EE 88 reg). I'm now on a quest to see if I can find the later owners and determine what happened to the car that caused it to be re shelled - was it rust or damage? The good news however is the shell is a Cooper shell from 1963 and the remains of paint show it to have been painted red/black and below that Surf Blue/White.
Surf Blue/White happens to be one of my favourite colours it reflects the cheeky nature of the car and is a good bright safety colour and I'm of the mind to restore it as such as a nod to the shell and from whatever car it started as. Had it not been reshelled I would have been very happy to stay with the build sheet Almond Green.
Engine wise it will be going to Neil Slark for a Downton conversion, the head work he did on my 1275 is a thing of beauty and to have this 1071 blue printed will I believe give me that sweet running A series I seem to crave....
My plea will be to source the genuine parts I need to get this project completed and will be compiling a list shortly, all help in doing this correctly and sourcing dated items (where possible) June 1963 and it is a Morris. Finally, thanks to Mark for his down to earth advice...
Little knowing when I embarked on this September 21, that it was going to take me until end of November 22 to complete! As this 'take off' day is now fast approaching the excitement is rising. And what better way to cap this off than to realise an ambition that has hitherto remained quite dormant. I don't know why but something over the past 50 years has nagged that I loved my first decent car a Mk 2 998 Cooper, it was smooth, silent and it served me well for a number of years. Of course all the while itching to get the 1275 because it would be all things that the 998 was but even better!
I then found my project car (couldn't afford anything better) than a clapped out Mk 2 1275S also in El Paso beige (like my Cooper) and while I served my 3 month ban reduced from 6 months for my inevitable speeding offences I worked around the clock to carry out my first restoration project. I was happy with the project but always dissapointed in what I considered the roughness of the 1275. Company cars followed and time moved on.
The arrival of DON 55C in July to be auctioned at the CCA auction September 24th, had me captivated and started the ball rolling - I wanted that car badly. However and as a result of my incessant searching found YJV 823 as a project car and as discussion progressed. I went to Wawrick to inspect DON and registered to bid in the hope that others might be put off by its shabby state and well with an auction who knows what might happen!
I found out on the end of a phone that 'Did I want to place the next bid'? there wasn't even time to say yes to the next thousand before it had climbed yet again - as we know £54 became that number and this either included or not the 15% buyers commission. My ceiling was 34 - forget that then...
Back to negotiations and YJV 823 - off the road since the 80's and thanks to Simon 776 knew of the car and had the owners logged (from what must surely be the most amazing archive known to mini man). YJV 823 started life as EE 88 and was the road car for a Mr Geoff Wood who was a Lincolnshire ameteur race driver in the 60's/70's and appears in a video of "Mini Goes Racing" at Cadwell Park which so happens to be my favourite UK circuit. I have since made contact with Geoff's son and enjoying the sharing of stories and photos - hence the photo of Almond Green EE 88 in the Garage at his home in 1963.
There are also images in it's later re registered livery on the Rally of Lincolnshire (GW retained the EE 88 reg). I'm now on a quest to see if I can find the later owners and determine what happened to the car that caused it to be re shelled - was it rust or damage? The good news however is the shell is a Cooper shell from 1963 and the remains of paint show it to have been painted red/black and below that Surf Blue/White.
Surf Blue/White happens to be one of my favourite colours it reflects the cheeky nature of the car and is a good bright safety colour and I'm of the mind to restore it as such as a nod to the shell and from whatever car it started as. Had it not been reshelled I would have been very happy to stay with the build sheet Almond Green.
Engine wise it will be going to Neil Slark for a Downton conversion, the head work he did on my 1275 is a thing of beauty and to have this 1071 blue printed will I believe give me that sweet running A series I seem to crave....
My plea will be to source the genuine parts I need to get this project completed and will be compiling a list shortly, all help in doing this correctly and sourcing dated items (where possible) June 1963 and it is a Morris. Finally, thanks to Mark for his down to earth advice...