I've just head that Peter Tothill died at the beginning of the month. It's very sad losing people who were involved in bring Mini to us all.
Peter Tothill
Started by
Tanya
, Jan 22 2013 05:29 PM
4 replies to this topic
#1
Tanya
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Snuggle-Buddy
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Posted 22 January 2013 - 05:29 PM
#2
Bungle
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Original Spamster
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Posted 22 January 2013 - 05:44 PM
why what did he do ?
#3
Kam
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Straight to the Point
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#4
Tanya
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Snuggle-Buddy
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Posted 22 January 2013 - 05:52 PM
He was a production engineer working for BMC and helped built 621 AOK.
So, was 621 AOK the first Mini (Morris Mini Minor)?
"According to retired BMC engineer Peter Tothill, who was responsible for the design and supervision of the Mini production line at Cowley (Morris) and performed rectification work on Mini prototypes, 621 AOK was the first production Mini. Peter Tothill’s story is that four employees – Bob Moore, Tony Monk, Bob Hollis and Peter Tothill himself – built 621 AOK over the weekend of Good Friday 27 March to Easter Monday 30 March 1959.
‘There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, because on the Wednesday of that week, Les Ford (chief planning engineer) said to me, “We want you to build the first ADO15 over the Easter weekend when there will be no-one in the factory, and I want you there.” I had recently got married and we had planned to go away for the weekend, so I had to tell my wife that the trip was off! The car was loaded onto a truck, sheeted up and delivered to Longbridge (Austin) on the Tuesday, ready for the directors to view on the Wednesday. Tuesday was a holiday in Birmingham because they always worked on Good Friday.’
This version of the Mini story has it that (Morris Mini) 621 AOK was used as the reference for Longbridge foreman Albert Green to build the first Austin Minis. Peter Tothill reckoned it was impossible for Cowley to pilot build ten ADO15s in one day and that these cars were built in the preceding weeks with records commencing on 8 May 1959."
http://www.aronline....history-part-1/
Just seen Kam's beaten me to it
So, was 621 AOK the first Mini (Morris Mini Minor)?
"According to retired BMC engineer Peter Tothill, who was responsible for the design and supervision of the Mini production line at Cowley (Morris) and performed rectification work on Mini prototypes, 621 AOK was the first production Mini. Peter Tothill’s story is that four employees – Bob Moore, Tony Monk, Bob Hollis and Peter Tothill himself – built 621 AOK over the weekend of Good Friday 27 March to Easter Monday 30 March 1959.
‘There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, because on the Wednesday of that week, Les Ford (chief planning engineer) said to me, “We want you to build the first ADO15 over the Easter weekend when there will be no-one in the factory, and I want you there.” I had recently got married and we had planned to go away for the weekend, so I had to tell my wife that the trip was off! The car was loaded onto a truck, sheeted up and delivered to Longbridge (Austin) on the Tuesday, ready for the directors to view on the Wednesday. Tuesday was a holiday in Birmingham because they always worked on Good Friday.’
This version of the Mini story has it that (Morris Mini) 621 AOK was used as the reference for Longbridge foreman Albert Green to build the first Austin Minis. Peter Tothill reckoned it was impossible for Cowley to pilot build ten ADO15s in one day and that these cars were built in the preceding weeks with records commencing on 8 May 1959."
http://www.aronline....history-part-1/
Just seen Kam's beaten me to it
#5
Tanya
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Snuggle-Buddy
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