If you are interested in the motorsport history of the BMC Works rally cars you will find the articles done by Watto in The Mini Experience and BMC Experience magazines essential reading. The latest issue of BMCE has an excellent story on the rediscovery and restoration of LRX829E, sister car to LRX828E that has been in Graeme Urch's safe hands for many decades.

http://www.bmcexperience.com.au/bmce-issue19/phoenix

We lucky people living in Melbourne will have a chance to see both cars, plus Paddy, the 1967 Bathurst Works car beautifully restored by Greg Coates (low n blown on here) at Motorclassica, Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne on the weekend of 21-23 October.

http://www.motorclassica.com.au/

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Doug,
To clear thing up Paddy won't be attending. The organisers were lets say.......not very organised. After initial discussions and I raised a few concerns, I received no further contact from them for nearly 3 months. They couldn't provide me with suitable transportation of the vehicle from QLD to Melbourne. I was not happy with the car being transported on an open car carrier for 2000km. In addition to that security of the car was less than I was satisfied with. It may just be a mini but it represents 2500 hours of work and its worth more than that to me.

For those who are interested in seeing Paddy or 28C, the car is on display along with the Keeffe/Olsen Bathurst car and Rocky Canto's Leggatt/Lander car at Bathurst this weekend in the display tent with a large collection of Brock's cars. The cars have been received well all weekend and viewed by an estimated 100,000 people
Greg

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1970 Cooper S ex-Bathurst & ATCC
1964 Austin Cooper S ex-Group C race car
1967 Morris Cooper S ex-Group B
1962 Mini Speed sports sedan
1968-71 ex-Peter Manton Shell car

Thanks for the update Greg. That's a real shame for we Melbourne'ites, but I fully understand the reasons. I would take exactly the same position if I was in your shoes.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Greg
For clarity... is that the overall organisers of motorclassica or the organisers of the individual display that your car and the works cars were to be part of that let you down quite understandibly?

As added incentive for people to attend, it is likely to be the only time you will see the two works cars together. In addition Rauno Aaltonen and Bob Holden are special guests of Mtorclassica and will be interviewed on stage daily over the course of the event.

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1960 Morris Mini Minor

It was the organisers of the event that really let us down. I had no idea about the display details until 3 weeks ago when I was contacted by a gentleman (sorry forgot his name) who was involved in the display of the 3 cars which would also have something to do with the Southern Cross Rally celebrations. He was confused as to why I had no idea that the display involved the other 2 cars or that the display was in another area. From what I could tell it was being organised by 2 separate parties and I don't think either knew what the other had organised, which only emphasised my concerns for the safe custody of the car.

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1970 Cooper S ex-Bathurst & ATCC
1964 Austin Cooper S ex-Group C race car
1967 Morris Cooper S ex-Group B
1962 Mini Speed sports sedan
1968-71 ex-Peter Manton Shell car

A friend sent me photos of his works rally replica and the Lord WD40 Bathurst car that are on display at the Motorclassica so if anyone is going there will be at least two minis to see.

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Flute - 68 MK I Cooper S
Member: VMCI #2474
Member: International Mini Model Collectors Club

Left it late, but still thinking of flying down...just have to check first if BMW MINI also want to claim some sort of connection/lineage to 1960s/1970s Rally Mini's

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"Show me the Mini!"

well technically they do, Austin Morris bought by Leyland, then sold to Rover, then in 1996 sold to BMW so yes BMW made the last 4 or 5 years of Rover Minis in the classic shape

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Ohhhhh? Do tell

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"Show me the Mini!"

Simply when you buy a company and its assets you are also purchasing the companies history... no different ifbyou bought an ex race car.... just cause you didn't race it does it become a car with no history.?

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Ummmmm....I don't think you are getting the point...a friend of mine gets great delight showing Bentley owners his new VW bonnet ornament when they visit (because VW now owns Bentley!)

I don't care about BMW changing automotive archaeology, just don't mess with Classic history...

I care about people showing the proper respect for Classic Mini and not taking advantage of tenuous historical links and treating it as a marketing opportunity...and that's my opinion FWIW

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"Show me the Mini!"

I agree, they loose the sense of history and it's all about marketing. Different generations conflicting.

Mick you cynical old bugger

BMW wouldn't put two genuine works Cooper S and a Group C race car in the corner and then make sure the current model BMW Mini was out in the open to gain maximum exposure!

Oh hang on yes they did at Motorclassica!

My apologies

HRS

Yep

Not all that cynical, maybe just passionate about seeing things done the right way (and that don't mean my way!)

Sorry I didn't say hello...I spotted the family Mini and I think HistoricRacingS Snr maybe? and immediately got distracted by Rauno

Love the way the Bini people were hiding behind the column!!

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"Show me the Mini!"

Shame I missed having a chat Mick. Although I was only there on Sunday.

Even though a Melbournian, Saturdays weather was not inviting

(Although Canberra is not much better!)