Lot 206: 1966 Austin Mini Cooper 'S'

Having won both the 1964 and 1965 Monte Carlo rallies in the hands of Paddy Hopkirk and Timo Makinen, a Mini hat-trick of victories on the world�s most famous rally should have been a formality in 1966. Thanks to some partisan scrutineering however, not only was the 1275S denied victory, but all three Abingdon prepared Minis, including Hopkirk and Liddon in GRX 5D in second place, were disqualified for headlamp regulation infringements and Citroen was awarded a controversial victory (an Automobile Club of Monaco archive copy of the disqualification notification is among this historic rally car�s paperwork). Only a month later, this time with Tony Fall driving, the car was to suffer a second disqualification after Italian scrutineers discovered that a paper air filter element had been removed. Makinen did drive it to 9th place on the Tulip, however, though failed to finish the 1966 RAC.

Re-shelled as a Mk2 with distinctive angular grille and wider rear window by the Competitions Department, GRX 5D was then driven by Hopkirk to 1967 Circuit of Ireland victory, one of the iconic model�s 23 international victories, and also did the Tulip, Scottish and Gulf London rallies of that year. Driven round the Nurburgring for a gruelling 85 hours on the Marathon De La Route by Fall, Vernaeve and Hedges, the little car came home second overall only being beaten by a Porsche. Having non-finished in the car in Corsica, Hopkirk tackled the 1968 Shell 4000 in Canada, making GRX 5D not only one of the most extensively campaigned of all of the Abingdon cars, but the only works Mini ever to have competed on the North American Continent. After an eleven-event career over three seasons with the factory team - during which time, as with so many other works cars, it was re-shelled as a Mk2 and re-prepared a number of times depending on the category entered - GRX 5D was sold to the Pressed Steel Apprentices.

Following a return to period authentic Group 2 specification in 1982, the car, appropriately carrying �Number 50�, took part in the RAC Golden Classic 50 Rally, when it was fastest on the tests, and then went on to win the Association of Welsh Motor Clubs� Silver Jubilee Rally during the ownership of Gethin Jones. Acquired at auction in 1989 by the late Victor Gauntlett, the car was sympathetically restored by David Curran at Cedar Classics in Hartley Wintney with bodyshell and one sub-frame retained as well as the original engine rebuilt. Among quirky Comps Department features to survive refurbishment are a hand, rather than foot-operated dip-switch and a cigarette lighter, so that the Flying Finns in the BMC Team could concentrate on their left-foot braking and light-up on the move, and boot-lid lights fitted for the Nurburgring.

In May 1992, the car passed into the ownership of Simon and Sara Howes in the South of France, revisiting many of the classic Monte sections in between shopping trips to the Principality and, as recorded by a 1995 photo on file, being checked out by Lancia works driver Sandro Munari. Forming the centre-piece of the Tom Turkington Mini Collection in Northern Ireland from January 1997, GRX 5D has been a regular participant on the UK Mini display circuit, most recently being reunited with its most successful driver, Hopkirk, in the Bonhams tent at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Presented today, in Mk2 1275S form, very much as it would have been when it won in Ireland, GRX 5D is finished, of course, in the obligatory and correct works colours of red with a white roof, sits on Minilites, has twin tanks and a battery of Lucas lamps. A single-stay roll-over bar from the period and full complement of rally instruments and navigation equipment, including twin-trip and Monte Carlo inscribed timing pieces, completes the authentic Abingdon car spec.

Among paperwork with the car are the continuation buff log book from the Oxford Licensing Department confirming original registration 1st of January 1966, a UK Registration Certificate from when it joined the Turkington Collection in Northern Ireland 1st of January 1997 and the latest MOT Test Certificate valid until June 2008. The document file also contains a wealth of period and retro event material and rally photos together with several magazine articles that chart this famous Mini�s extraordinary competition history. Included, too, are a pair of lightweight �Rallycross� doors in Players No 6 livery with Perspex windows, spare boot and bonnet panels in glass fibre, a Dural under-shield and a pair headlamp units for legal night driving on the Continent.

GRX 5D�s BMC factory team rally history
1966 Monte Carlo Rally Hopkirk Disqualified
1966 Rally of the Flowers Fall Disqualified
1966 Tulip Makinen 9th
1966 RAC Makinen Retired
1967 Circuit of Ireland Hopkirk 1st
1967 Tulip Benzimra Retired
1967 Scottish Fall Retired
1967 London Fall Retired
1967 84 Hour Marathon Fall/Vernaeve/Hedges 2nd
1967 Tour de Corse Hopkirk Retired
1968 Shell 4000 Hopkirk Retired
Apart from Hopkirk, among the other works drivers who have driven the most exercised of all Abingdon Minis have been Makinen, Fall, Julian Vernaeve and the late Andrew Hedges. The roll call of co-drivers, equally impressive, includes Paul Easter, Terry Harriman, Mike Wood, Ron Crellin and the late Henry Liddon.

Here is a rare opportunity to become the next owner of one of the most celebrated of all the BMC Team cars. Works-entered on eleven internationals and one of the Minis infamously disqualified from the Monte, GRX 5D went on to win the Circuit of Ireland and finish second at the Ring, and is the only Mini to have been rallied by the factory in North America.

Apart from being a historically important addition to any discerning collector�s portfolio, with freshly passed MOT, this ex-works Mini should be ready to serve its next guardian as a regular high days and holidays driver or a classic tour entry. It could also fulfil a more serious road rally regularity contender role, be a star turn with the Slowly Sideways Group or, with the addition of modern safety equipment, be potentially competitive in the up to 1300cc class of the HRCR-run MSA British Special Stage Rally Championship.