Mate, there's only so many hours in the day and lots of competing priorities in my retirement to simply click my fingers and publish the contents of my library on a website or CD, or whatever. I've come clean about my plans to share what I've got when I can. Unfortunately the time-frame has changed in the last 12 months. If you do a search on my posts since being on Ausmini you'll find a large number of my documents that relate to the topic in question. I know because they're all stored on Photobucket and the albums are quite big. Almost all the paint cards and all the trim guides in the sticky are mine. I also post my documents on other Mini and Moke forums. I don't want to publish partial sets of Technical Bulletins, for example, and I don't have a complete set at the moment. I'm not hiding them away. I'm collecting, cleaning, collating, scanning, registering, etc. as time permits (my wife's priorities sometimes conflict with mine and of course she wins ).

I hope you understand. If not drop me a PM and will answer any questions you have.

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

No need to explain doug you do it in ya own time

I know about the few weeks you spent in sydney with a camera and john earlier this year and your from victoria

I offered to come and give john a hand myself but injured myself a week or so later and had to stay of me feet for a while then my dad had a operation and had to look after him after that so never got there

I think we're all trying to say the same thing anyway. cd_design was offering his services to help restore a copy of the poster so it can be made available to everyone, and I really appreciate the sentiment. I would not want to own an original copy of one of these posters, as I wouldn't want to hide it away. But I wouldn't mind paying for a reproduction.

im more than happy to pay, the same would be to winnabey if he decided to sell reproductions to help cover the cost of his investment.

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SPO41 Mk2 Cooper S very original
1993 R32 Nissan Skyline GTR

Does anyone know a Copyright lawyer who can advise me on the implications of reproducing material which clearly shows the copyright is with BMC and Leyland in Australia? I've heard the statements from some saying the companies don't exist any more so you can do what you like as far as copying, selling and distributing documents but I'm not so sure, and I'm the bunny who would be the subject of legal action. I think it's likely that ownership of the intellectual property has been transferred to some other entity somewhere in the world as part of the break-up and takeover of Leyland under it's various names.

This is a major sticking point in any plans to do what's being requested. I need to be absolutely sure that I don't make myself liable for prosecution.

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

Fair call winnabey.

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SPO41 Mk2 Cooper S very original
1993 R32 Nissan Skyline GTR

I was under the impression copyright lasted 50 years.
If that is correct, you'll be ok up to 1965.

My better half ex-husband is a world renounced Copyright lawyer (he won the Ugg Boot battle many years ago). I'll email him (so I have a reply I can forward to you) I don't expect a quick response but he should be able to shed some light on the issue.

sounds good. Watto might know as well, as he publishes the brochures in the magazines

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I cant even find it for sale anymore

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when it comes to collecting correlating and storing technical and historical information, with regards to the Mini if there is anyone on this forum that is as selfless, or more willing to share this information to help the mini enthusiast than Doug, I am yet to meet him.
anyone who decides to take the time to review Winabbey's posts would soon see just how much he shares with the Mini community freely, I happen to have been present on a few occasions when Doug has had to shell out a lot of money
for such items, which he has then shared with this forum freely,
I do not think that it is improper or unfair especially on some items, that Doug would seek to have his costs offset a little, Because despite what some may think it is a hobby to Doug. so that means a fair bit of money going out, and little to zero coming in.
Now I know some people may say that I am sticking up for Doug because of all the help he is to me setting my website up.
well my answer to that is NO, but during the time I have worked with him on the website. I learned a lot about the Man. and witnessed him on numerous occasions go to great lengths to search through his records to help a Mini enthusiast.
Doug, You are a Man amongst Men, And I for one respect you for what you are trying to do for all of us

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" A Hundred Years From Now It will not Matter what my Bank Acount Was,
The Sort Of House I Lived in, Or The Kind Of Car I drove ... But The World May Be A Better Place
Because I was Once Important In The Life Of A Child"

Well said John.
I also know Doug and I second your comments, I have provided my own documents to Doug an have gotten much more back in return. He is a good friend and a top bloke.

I wonder if Minijcar will be willing to share his collection with Doug if ever asked?

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Have a Nice Day.
If already having a nice day please disregard.

I don't think there's much to worry about there, Winabbey.
Prints of famous art works don't diminish the value of the original. Reproduction prints of rare prints
don't diminish the originals value.
In fact I'm sure that an argument could be made that the reproductions increase the value of originals because of increased awareness.
And besides a scan will look like an obvious copy and could not possibly compare, say to a reproduction where a lot of effort was made to carefully duplicate it on the paper and printing presses like they had in the '60s.

MG Rocket - thanks for the comments, and for everyone else's participation in this discussion. The members of this forum (for the most part) are true Mini enthusiasts and it's people like you that deserve to see some more of the content of my library. But I hope you also understand that first I need to fully understand the implications of copying and distributing these publications, especially regarding copyright. It's OK for others to dismiss the copyright threat and say there's no problem because BMC and Leyland don't exist any more, but I'll be the poor bunny standing in court if a legitimate copyright holder appears and wants to take legal action against me. I need to be absolutely clear on the situation before I do anything, that's why I've asked for help.

The analogies mentioned above regarding rare prints and famous artwork, or a replica Cooper S versus a real one I don't think are appropriate in this situation. The value of these documents is primarily the information contained in them and not in the actual piece of paper or the book itself. If all of the BMC Technical & Service Bulletins for 1960-1980 were readily available as a scanned or photocopied set I doubt many would pay the current price if a pile of originals came up for sale on eBay. I have often paid over $100 for an incomplete set for a particular year, so a complete set for, say, a five year period would currently be worth quite a bit on the open market. I know of several other collectors who have spent more time, effort and money than me to build their library of original documents. The dilemma I have is how to spread the knowledge whilst taking account of the implications for myself and others.

In the meantime I'll continue to post items of interest on forums, and supply individuals with copies of things in the background as I do now. Watto has a pile of my material on loan at the moment because the next issue of The BMC Experience is focussing on the Marina, Kimberley, Tasman, X6 and 1500. He's one of the primary beneficiaries of my collection.

In the spirit of sharing, below is an example of a Bulletin for the Mini.

P.S. Note the Leyland Australia copyright symbol in the footer.

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

I caught up with David (my better half ex-husband) last night and he said the copyright issue in this case is very complicated! He told me he would look into it and try to find out who, if any one currently holds the rights

Winabbey, it would appear you have been very smart in being prudent with this issue, fingers crossed an answer will be found soon.