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Hi - by way of introduction, my name is Paul, i'm based in sunny Essex, and i've been pointed to this forum by members of the Mini Cooper forum as i'm hoping the members on here can assist me in a quest. I am a keen model rally car collector and have over the years built an extensive collection of cars, including one group representing the winning drivers and vehicles from the British Rally Championship back to its inception in 1958. Not surprisingly, the further back you go, the harder it is to locate photos and information.

I will confess at this stage that I know very little about Mini Coopers other than what i can remember from my days of buying Cars and Car Conversions back in the late 1980s, so please forgive me if my questions are naive.

I am looking to build models representing the Tony Fisher car/s from 1962/1963 and for Will Sparrow from 1970.

For Tony Fisher the only information i have is that it was a green Mk1 Mini Cooper. I don't know if the roof was the same colour (possibly white?), and i believe it was 997cc but couldn't say for certain. I think the registration was 745 FNP. I am assuming Tony used the same car back to back years but am aware he had a 1071 built that was definitely green and white mid way through the 1963 season - 370 KUY which was works prepared for the '63 Alpine. Whether he then used this in the BRC in the second half of 1963 or whether it was only eligible for international spec events i am unable to say.

From what I have been able to gather, Will used 2 cars during 1970. I believe both were Mk2's but the first one may have been based a Mk1 shell as I am led to believe that Will built his cars from bare shells himself, so it may not be possible for anyone on this forum to assist with this part of the quest:

WNX700H. I believe it ran a 1275cc engine fitted to either a Mk1 or Mk2 shell. I am led to believe it may have had some form of bonnet "bulge" to accomodate a different carb at some point during 1970. It was rolled in Oct 1970 on the Tour of Mull and returned in 1971 with a Clubman front end. Apart from that I have no other information.

VNX700H. Group 2 1275 Mk 2 Cooper S (in red) used to win his class and finish 11th overall on 1970 RAC which was a qualifying event in the BRC that year.

Any help or assistance the members of this forum could provide would be hugely appreciated.

Thank you!

Hello again Paul I've pictures of both Fisher cars, both had a white roof, FNP was a 997 and KUY a very early 1071, the works just about got that car ready in time for the '63 Alpine. Steve (Smoke Grey) will know a lot more about them. The owner of the Sparrow car uses this forum so should be able to fill you in on the details there.

PM me your email address and I'll send you some pictures.

Talking of having to make two different cars for Sparrow's year, have you done two Cortinas for Eric Jackson's 1964 year?

Both 275 FNP AND 370 KUY were Almond Green/OEW.

FNP was a 997 Cooper and was still around and looking very tidy about twenty years ago although I see it hasn't been taxed since 1990.

Pete wrote:Hello again Paul I've pictures of both Fisher cars, both had a white roof, FNP was a 997 and KUY a very early 1071, the works just about got that car ready in time for the '63 Alpine. Steve (Smoke Grey) will know a lot more about them. The owner of the Sparrow car uses this forum so should be able to fill you in on the details there.

PM me your email address and I'll send you some pictures.

Pleased someone notices the significance of Tony Fishers cars Tony was a chap from Wolverhampton, he rallied his red 850 YUY952, an Austin before getting 745FNP in January 1962, a almond green and white Austin 997. FNP was his most successful Mini, in 1962 he won the Motoring News c/ship, the BTRDA silver star and the RAC rally championship in his self prepared car with soon to be Ford Works driver/co-driver Brian Melia reading the maps.

745FNP had the number plate on the bonnet, no bonnet badge, a pair of 576 Lucas lamps, nudge bars and over riders removed, SP3 tyres, RAF type sump guard, Perspex side and rear windows, twin tanks, no reverse lamp, stick on rear number plate. The interior had a Speedpilot, column mounted headlamp flasher etc. Engine was a Group 2 997, twin H4 carbs, Group 2 cylinder head and 4.1 diff.

The 1071 370KUY was built at Abingdon for Tony and was apart from being a green Austin was identical in preparation to 277EBL. Tony had a good run on that Coupe des Alpes, the debut of the S , but apart from one or two wins and top threes on home events it never seemed to be as good a car as the 997, he sold it in early 1964.

FNP has got to be one of the most successful rally cars, yet largely forgotten, would love to do a full size replica

Pete wrote:Hello again Paul I've pictures of both Fisher cars, both had a white roof, FNP was a 997 and KUY a very early 1071, the works just about got that car ready in time for the '63 Alpine. Steve (Smoke Grey) will know a lot more about them. The owner of the Sparrow car uses this forum so should be able to fill you in on the details there.

PM me your email address and I'll send you some pictures.

PM sent - Big thank you!

LMM76C wrote:Talking of having to make two different cars for Sparrow's year, have you done two Cortinas for Eric Jackson's 1964 year?

Hi - i have a base model for the grey/blue with red stripe car from the 64 COI and 64 Welsh. I know Eric set fire to that car (and somewhat amusingly to its replacement) but dont have pictures of the second car. There is a funny story in Eric's fantastic autobiography where he recounts the story of wrecking the first car when well positioned to win the BRC which was very highly regarded at the time. He approach Ford and although he had been a great driver for them for a couple of years (he spotted Roger Clark but it took Fords a couple of years to bide his suggestion to sign Roger), they wouldn't give him a replacement car. He approached Ford's Boreham (not far from me) workshop manager - by all accounts the man wasn't well liked by his staff. The manager sold him what he thought was a write off but everyone in the workshop knew was a works prepared shell just needing a lump and running gear. Eric was later accused of stealing that car even though he had a signed invoice. So any pics of Eric's second car would also be a great find for me!

Simon776 wrote:Both 275 FNP AND 370 KUY were Almond Green/OEW.

FNP was a 997 Cooper and was still around and looking very tidy about twenty years ago although I see it hasn't been taxed since 1990.

Sorry - out of my depth - "OWE"?

SMOKE GREY wrote:

Pete wrote:Hello again Paul I've pictures of both Fisher cars, both had a white roof, FNP was a 997 and KUY a very early 1071, the works just about got that car ready in time for the '63 Alpine. Steve (Smoke Grey) will know a lot more about them. The owner of the Sparrow car uses this forum so should be able to fill you in on the details there.

PM me your email address and I'll send you some pictures.

Pleased someone notices the significance of Tony Fishers cars Tony was a chap from Wolverhampton, he rallied his red 850 YUY952, an Austin before getting 745FNP in January 1962, a almond green and white Austin 997. FNP was his most successful Mini, in 1962 he won the Motoring News c/ship, the BTRDA silver star and the RAC rally championship in his self prepared car with soon to be Ford Works driver/co-driver Brian Melia reading the maps.

745FNP had the number plate on the bonnet, no bonnet badge, a pair of 576 Lucas lamps, nudge bars and over riders removed, SP3 tyres, RAF type sump guard, Perspex side and rear windows, twin tanks, no reverse lamp, stick on rear number plate. The interior had a Speedpilot, column mounted headlamp flasher etc. Engine was a Group 2 997, twin H4 carbs, Group 2 cylinder head and 4.1 diff.

The 1071 370KUY was built at Abingdon for Tony and was apart from being a green Austin was identical in preparation to 277EBL. Tony had a good run on that Coupe des Alpes, the debut of the S , but apart from one or two wins and top threes on home events it never seemed to be as good a car as the 997, he sold it in early 1964.

FNP has got to be one of the most successful rally cars, yet largely forgotten, would love to do a full size replica

Fantastic insight and great detail! I'd really value your opinion on what would be the right car/cars to model for the 1963 RAC BRC?

reeft1 wrote:

Simon776 wrote:Both 275 FNP AND 370 KUY were Almond Green/OEW.

FNP was a 997 Cooper and was still around and looking very tidy about twenty years ago although I see it hasn't been taxed since 1990.

Sorry - out of my depth - "OWE"?

Old English White......OEW you have it arse about face in your quote?

Thanks!

Will post pictures when I get back from Sunny Blyton.

fantastic

There must have been Foster and Skeffington photos of EJ's car on the 64 RAC but finding one now is another matter. I have had correspondence with his daughter (our grandfathers served together in WW1 - a bizarre coincidence discovered as a spin off from rallying) in Florida when she was editing his book but any photos EJ has will be in Yorkshire.
The overwhelming likelihood is that it was plain red. Seems to have been no time to repaint it. To be a virtually new works shell at that point it must have been one of the batch that were used as the red "DOO" registrations in 64 and into 65. DOO cars were still appearing as late as the 65 Circuit of Ireland. One of those new red works shells became Roger Clark's private 2ANR GT in 65, replacing his white 64 2ANR. "KPU" leaf spring Lotus Cortinas (from a new batch of red shells?) only took over after June 65 homologation.
Unlike BMC, Ford did not start with a complete new standard car.

I think you are correct that EJ's story initially involved someone other than Henry Taylor, who was a mere driver then before becoming Competitions Manager. This has a BMC/Mini context because the bad blood between Ford managers and mechanics depicted in the story continued under Taylor (on his first day as Comps Manager he caught one mechanic clocking in all the others, who turned up later).
This ultimately affected performance/organisation on events, which was sometimes a shambles when Ford had the best car (leaf spring Lotus). The contrast with the "band of brothers" from Abingdon (which would not have been quite so perfect as is sometimes claimed, given the times and the class-based UK business relations) was considerable.
However, BMC had the virtually unlimited budget then and Ford didn't...and which one is still around?

I find this sort of history really insightful! Many thanks!!

Hope you don't mind, i'm going to give this a little bump in the hope that some of you Mini guru's have pictures of either Fisher car from 62 and 63 and Sparrow's car from 70

Kind regards

Paul

Hi Paul, just emailed you a raft of photos of both Fisher cars, will sort the Sparrow car out when I get a minute.


Here's his works prepared 1071 on the '63 Alpine...




Pete

I can verify that Will Sparrow built VNX700H from a bare Mk2 shell, as the logbook says "built up vehicle" registered 22/8/69. It was originally sliver, and later changed to red CCC colours. The chassis was AG25/2/L075???, engine 38/G354/J/???. As you say it was Group 2, so standard size valves in the Downton engine. The suspension was wet. I think the loom was specially made by Lucas or even wired by them, because the fuses for every individual supply were on the dash. I was lucky enough to own it as my road car and road rally it in the North East around 1976. I sold it to City Speed in Gloucester and I would be surprised if they did not break it for parts as the shell was very tired by then, with the rear bump rubbers punched through the shell. I would have put up a scan of the photocopy of the logbook but the file size is too big. VNX700H was put together perfectly.

It’s actually quite surprising that VNX hasn’t suddenly reappeared like magic as so many scrapped rally cars miraculously do but I’d be tempted not to assist in that by posting the chassis and engine number!

Very good point. I have edited those. I changed the block to a 1275GT when it wore out, so if a block appears with the right number it will have been re-stamped. (Photographer unknown)