3 replies to this topic

[Cooperman]

I had a friend named Phil who, sadly, passed away a couple of years ago. He was an Engineering Apprentice with me and in 1962 his parents bought him a 997 Mini Cooper to replace his Minor 1000.
Now, Phil was into club motor sport and shortly after getting his new Cooper he entered a Production Car Trial (PCT) somewhere near Bournemouth where his family lived. As an engineer, he had realised how poor the air filters were on the early 997 Coopers, so he just took them off and fitted some cone trumpets. Unfortunately the PCT was in an old quarry in the middle of Summer and it was really dusty. The dust and grit got straight into the cylinders and 'honed' the bores until the engine was really smoking badly. So, he washed out the bores with paraffin, re-fitted the original air filters, ran it like that for a few miles, then took it back under warranty and had a new engine fitted. BMC paid!
He got the car back and it was fine until, one evening, he asked me if I wanted to go and visit another motor club at Cockfosters in N. London. So off we went on a wet evening and all was OK until we got to Potters Bar. There was a cross roads with traffic lights which were red for us so Phil stopped. The cross-roads were poorly sighted and as soon as we got the 'green' we were off. Unfortunately a guy in a Mk.2 Ford Zephyr 6 decided that he couldn't stop and came across on 'red' from the road crossing ours. Phil hit the Ford quite hard in the left rear panel just behind the rear wheel. The Mini just stopped whilst the Zephyr spun and stopped facing the other way, but on the other side of the road. Phil and I got out as did the 2 guys from the Zephyr. The two drivers started shouting at each other, but I recognised the Zephyr's passenger as a guy named Bob with whom I had been at school. In fact we had been good friends back then and as I recall, both of us were quite fond of a lovely blonde named Tina (that's another story, but I had lunch with Tina only last month). So Bob & I went into the pub on the cross-roads for beer and laughter whilst the other pair sorted out their problem!
We kicked the Mini's wing off the wheel and went on to the motor club - eventually. The Zephyr's insurance paid for the damage.
I last saw Phil when I was in California a few years ago at his home in Santa Barbara. In his garage he had a totally original and rust-free 850 Mini which his late mother had bought new in 1961. I sent him some bits for it, but I don't know what happened to it after he died.

[MaxAndPaddy]

Bit depressed tonight with not going to MITP...so glad you posted, smile back on face!

As a postscript...if you dont write a book at least write an over the years Mini diary, you'd cover your costs just with TMF users

[maggies_minder]

you should really try and get a book going.

[Cooperman]

The trouble is that in addition to Minis, I used to rally in the Datsun 240Z rally cars with a well-known driver named Kevin Videan (Google his name followed by 'rallying') and there are almost as many stories I could tell about that era as well. At least, some might be printable!