CAN THE MINI COMMUNITY GET BOB HOLDEN (AND FRIENDS?) TO BATHURST 2016 FOR SOME CELEBRATORY LAPS?

I had a chat to Bob over Easter and asked if he had anything planned for the 50th Anniversary..."nothing as yet" was the answer. Bob is certainly up for doing something...

It would be terrific to see the V8s honour Bob sometime over the weekend.

Bob has two requests: car has to be the RIGHT COLOUR and must have some GRUNT!
[evidently the TAFE built replica that sat in the Bathurst Motoring Museum for many years is not the colour he raced and was fairly down on power according to Bob]

So...what can be done? Can a donor car be dressed up as a replica? Can other notables like John Leffler, Rauno August Aaltonen etc be invited? Can a group of NINE (standard looking) Cooper S be assembled to participate?

I have an in with the V8 PR crowd that may get something happening...

Its early days...but these things take a lot of planning and preparation (a bit like taking your Mini for a run!)

I'm happy to help out/coordinate etc what can others do?

Cheers, Mick

Background

The1966 Gallaher 500 was an endurance motor race for production cars, held on 2 October 1966 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, New South Wales in Australia. It was the seventh running of the Bathurst 500 race [1] and the first time that the event had been staged under the Gallaher 500 name. 250 examples of a particular model had to be registered for a vehicle to be eligible for the race, up from the 100 examples required in previous years.[2]

The race was dominated by the Morris Cooper S. It was won by the BMC entered example of Finnish rally star Rauno Aaltonen and experienced Australian Mini racer Bob Holden a lap ahead of Fred Gibson and Bill Stanley, leading home a flotilla of Cooper Ss that filled the first nine outright race positions. The best non-Mini was a Chrysler Valiant, some six laps behind Aaltonen and Holden in tenth position

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_Gallaher_500

[PS MODS can this somehow be a sticky?]

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"Show me the Mini!"

Pretty cool footage. Brave men in the tow truck collecting the crashed cars!

Sounds like a great idea Mick. Hope you get some support and it grows from here.

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1963 Morris 850 Smoke Grey
1963 Morris 850 Shadow Blue
1965 Morris Mini Smooth Van
1966 Morris Mini Van
1969 Morris Mini Deluxe Resto
5/72 Clubman Gt

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"Show me the Mini!"

I'd be keen. I've got lake green 1967 with a Downton S engine and was used by unique cars magazine with Bob Holden. Ruth Harrison of club mini Victoria is also trying to get It happening. She is talking with mini australia.

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Perhaps Greg (low n blown) would be interested in helping out seeing as he is restoring an original bathurst car to its orignal colour? He should be finished before then.

Only Greg could answer to what the power will be like . . .

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the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates

I can get in contact with John Leffler to see if he's interested. Everytime i have asked if he would tell his story he has modestly declined saying he was never in it for fame, but he does love doing the laps at MCM whenever he gets a chance.

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1963 850 - laid up
1970 Morris mini K van - eating up the kms!

I would happily volunteer to be one of the 9 "standard looking" Cooper S.

I think it's essential something is done to celebrate. The one model filling the first 9 spots was an incredible result.

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

Should have a whole fleet of Mk1s cruising the track!

Maybe it'll make me get mine finished....

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Cooper S Mk2
Cooper S Mk1
ex Cooper S Mk2, various Morris 1100s, 1300s, 1500s, Leyland Sherpa!

or

wait for it

Morris 1100's unit

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"Show me the Mini!"

The one thing I would not like to see is BMW MINI's celebrating something from 1966

I know Bob has had a commercial arrangement with that vehicle in the past but Shirley, for a 50th Anniversary of a particular event we can leave the crass commercialism out?

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"Show me the Mini!"

I have also spoken to Leffo a few times and agree...however, before we contact people, how about we work out what is possible or indeed whether it is plausible

AND who can do WHAT and WHEN?

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"Show me the Mini!"

That's been done before...this is not so much about the Mini per se but the hero's (Bob etc) that carried out the surprise attack on the mountain

There are not a lot of these people still around...so if 3-4 of the original 9 times 2, equals 18 drivers could be honoured along with Bob and Rauno as the winners, then we could all be justly proud.

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"Show me the Mini!"

Wonder if Watto is interested in helping organise something. I think mini 50 was enough for him.

Maybe he could invite rauno over for the event? And paddy while he is at it (or did paddy retire broken that race?)

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Someone should invite Ford, to make up for not being invited in 1966.