Minors in competition

[chris lambert]

Have any of you pictures of Minors competing in trials, sprints or hill climbs? Doesn't matter if the photos or images are old or not photographic master pieces as long as they are of our type of car.
Here is one to kick off with - this is my coachbuilt saloon competing at VSCC Colern in July 2004 where it was one of only two saloon cars participating and it didn't pick up an award for slowest time of the day! It had been stood idling for ten minutes waiting to be called forward and so was just "clearing its lungs" as it started down the course.
Chris.

[Ian Grace]

Plenty to choose from - here are just one or two to get started:

David Roscoe heads up a mountain:



Redmond hunts down a 30-98 at Cadwell Park during our Leicestershire Summer Rally:



Sue and Richard Woodward on a Light Car Welsh in the ex-Rosemary Burke 2-seater (OHC, and with a Hundred Pound body):



General view of Welsh competitors waiting for their turn at the hill - note four Minors in the queue - those were the days!

[Ian Grace]

And how could I leave this superbly atmospheric shot out. The best trials action photo I have ever seen. Geraint in Jemima, taken by Evans junior. Rain, Steam and Speed (with apologies to JMWT):

[DF9053]

Here is DF9053 having a go at the LC&ES Welsh Trial in March 2006 - and yes tyre smoke!

[chris lambert]

Surfing the net the other day I came across this image of a 34 Minor competing in a trial sometime betwean '34 and '39 I would guess. The vehicle registration sounded vaguely familar and sure enough I found another image of the same car that I had taken almost 3 years ago to the day whilst at the VSCC driving tests at Brooklands. Perhaps 70 years seperates the two shots. I understand that the car is now owned by Roger Bird , fomerly of the Morris Register and now running the IAMO (Int. Alliance of Morris Owners - I think?)





Chris

[David Whittle]

I think I may have stumbled on one of the earliest examples of a vintage Minor in real competition (as opposed to publicy stunts by the factory)
C.A.E Paget ran a Morris Minor in class c event 1 at the Ewelme Down Speed Hill Climb on 8th June 1929 an inter varsity event. The event was run again in February 1931 and again a Minor was entered but this time by J.M.Sugg. Both times the field included top cars such as Bugattis Invictas and Mercedes Super Sports Cars and Top drivers such as Vicount Curzon, Spottiswood, Blackenbury, Hon Chetwynd.

in 31 the Minor did 59.6 seconds - FTD was the Invicta at 39.01 seconds.

[chris lambert]

Hi David,
The club's real expert and historian on Competition Minors is Ken Martin who is an infrequent visitor to the Forum. I am going to email him your post which will no doubt make him sit up and take notice!
Regards,
Chris

[Ken Martin]

I have researched Minors in competition for my book project ‘Enjoying the Original Morris Minor’ and this work is ongoing. The earliest MM participant in a sporting event I have found is Mr RJG McHugh who entered his MM saloon in the NW London MCs London-Gloucester Trial in Dec 28 winning a second class award. JM Sugg evidently transferred to a Wolseley Hornet in the Intervarsity Trial held in Nov 31. W Wright was in an OHC MM Arrow and Clowes was in a MM (semi-sports I believe). The Oxford Team of Clowes. Sugg and Mere (in an MG Midget) evidently won the Team Award. I would be very pleased to see and perhaps be allowed to copy any contemporary photos of MMs in motoring trials.

[David Whittle]

C.A.E Paget also entered the 1929 Exeter Trial in his Morris Minor and six new hills caused many failures. Heavy rain and a gale made conditions very severe in the MCC's 15th Winter Trial. I believe the Minor was not in the points!

Whilst a Minor is a perfectly good trials car, what amazed me were the Minors in the Speed Hill Climb for which they are not really suitable in standard tune, as I keep finding out at Prescott, and heaven forbid what one would be like at Shelsley Walsh.

[Ken Martin]

JD Jeavons entered a MM saloon in Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb on 4th May 1929
climbing in 88.6 seconds. FTD was by Davenport who drove his special up in 46.4 secs. There was some disquiet amongst spectators regarding the inclusion of such cars in speed events.

[chris lambert]

[quote] Jeavons entered a MM saloon in Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb on 4th May 1929
climbing in 88.6 seconds. FTD was by Davenport who drove his special up in 46.4 secs. There was some disquiet amongst spectators regarding the inclusion of such cars in speed events.Ken Martin

The shame is that these days, with grids thinning out in most speed events, that they don't allow more saloons to compete. I expect the H&S police are no doubt lurking behind the scenes, killing Joy as usual.
By the way Ken, was that a Minor special with FTD?
Chris

[Ken Martin]

Chris
No the special achieving FTD was certainly not Minor based! It is a well known hill climb special that survives to compete to this day in VSCC events - one of several built by Basil Davenport. I think they were based on Fraser Nash and/or GN parts with V twin air cooled engines. To cheer you up - the run up the hill by Jeavons was reported to have been accompanied by 'the applause he mertited'. A Few MM saloons were used in trials.

[chris lambert]

[quote]JD Jeavons entered a MM saloon in Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb on 4th May 1929
climbing in 88.6 seconds.[/quote]
Mr. Jeavons would have had plenty of time to 'milk' his applause on his leisurely progress up the hill!!

[chris lambert]

Below is an image taken on Sunday morning 2nd August 2007 at Prescott. This show piece meeting is the VSCC's most prestigeous event and is almost becoming part of the English summer 'season' along with Ascot, Henley, Goodwood and so on. Certainly taking a champagne picnic in the Prescott Orchard is 'de riguer' for many and a wonderful site to behold if the sun shines over the weekend.
This image depicts at least six Austin Severns (in one shot!), awaiting their turn to be called forward to the starting line. These cars are no doubt much modified but have survived, and are competing, due in no small part to the patronage of the VSCC. Some of these are no doubt true vintage cars, others will have been re-built as specials on post vintage chassis. None of this is important to the owners or drivers of these cars, as their entries have been accepted and they are competing. What wonderful memories they will be able to look back upon.
Why is this 'piece' sitting in the Minors in Competition thread? A good question.

[David Whittle]

Sports Austin 7s tend to attract pretty young ladies - note the lovely Katey in car No 10. I'm afraid she overdid things at Pardon on that day and inverted the Ulster. Happily she was not injured and sprinted round to the Kill switches after wriggling out of tiny gap available in the upturned Austin!

Morris Minors just don't seem to do it for the younger Ladies! However MG Ms do, and as they are 'our' equivelent of the Austin Ulster- Speedy - Nippy - 65 Models, I think we can claim some presence in Hillclimbs, Sprints, and Races etc! You don't tend to see standard Chummies in the same places you don't see Minors!