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The famous Paddock Hill bend at Brands Hatch
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A little about me........
I remember the publicity in 1959 when the Mini was launched by the British Motor Corporation, everyone seemed to be talking about it, and my first ride in a Mini at the age of 11 shortly after the launch sticks in my mind.
My interest in Minis grew through the sixties and I received my first Mini for my 21st birthday ....a brand new Mini Countryman. It cost £750. My interest in modification grew rapidly in the months to come, I managed to get the speedo needle to touch the fuel gauge, well over 100 mph, approaching The Clock roundabout on the A1 on a trip to London one weekend!
Unfortunately the car only lasted 18 months and 35,000 miles until I drove it into Huntingdon bridge wrighting it off much to my dismay and the alarm and worry my parents had to endure. Unfortunately I forgot that in order to turn a corner successfully it is best to slow down and turn the steering wheel!
My next car was a bright orange Mini 1275 GT which had just superseded the Cooper S in 1971 costing £825. Not as traditional as the 1275 Cooper S but I still enjoyed it as it was a car with its own character. The registration was PEW 640K, you can imagine its unfortunate nick name.
The engine from the Countryman made an excellent engine for my first racing car in the mid seventies when I decided to compete a Mini Miglia in which was then the Leyland Challenge and Graham Hill Memorial Championship. My success was moderate achieving a win at Cadwell Park in 1978.
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