16 replies to this topic

[Mistron]

Just re-reading a Motorsport article on Jim Clark which detailed how busy his first F1 championship winning year was with F1, F2, Indycars, Tasman, Saloon Cars etc. and came across this:

December 7th 1963: He drives a twin-engine Mini Moke in the televised Autopoint at Bagshot. He gets bogged in mud in the first heat but wins the remaining two.

Has anyone heard of this event taking place? I have just about all the books on Jimmy, and I don't recall this ever being mentioned, or any photos. He's famous of course for wanting to try any kind of racing cars such as pre war ERA etc, so the twini isn't a huge surprise, I suppose, being inovative.

That said, as I've mentioned before, I've never seen any mention of him ever driving a Lotus 7, which is odd, given the market his employers at Lotus were pushing that car at!

Im intrigued,

Al

 

[Vitesse2]

BBC Genome says that there was indeed an Autopoint broadcast on that date. No mention of Clark though.

 

Autopoint FROM HAMPSHIRE at 1.40, 2.40 and 3.25 British Army Motoring Association v. London Motor Club A motorised point-to-point over rough country (by permission of the Commandant, Army M.T. School, Col. G. L. M. Smith-Mesters) Commentator: Raymond Baxter Presented for television by JOHN VERNON

http://genome.ch.bbc...5b1d27cdcf7385d

 

I do vaguely recall the twin-engined Moke doing autopoints. Although the Haflinger is the one which really sticks in the mind!

[Alan Cox]

Like a lot of people here, I'm sure, I well remember watching the London Motor Club vs. the Army Autopoints which were televised on Grandstand and I do remember watching this particular one. Autosport of the 13th December contains a report on the event by Colin Taylor, and even includes a grainy pic of Jim in the 'Twinny' Moke. The report confirmed that he won two of the heats

[David Beard]

Like a lot of people here, I'm sure, I well remember watching the London Motor Club vs. the Army Autopoints which were televised on Grandstand and I do remember watching this particular one. Autosport of the 13th December contains a report on the event by Colin Taylor, and even includes a grainy pic of Jim in the 'Twinny' Moke. The report confirmed that he won two of the heats

 

I remember watching this on TV too. Raymond Baxter said of the Steyr Puch driver "he doesn't half fling her about"

[Dipster]

Yes, I remember that "half flinger" line too.  But not Jim Clark`s participation.....

[Alan Cox]

I think the time is ripe to revive an event of this sort. It could become the 'jewel in the crown' of BBC's sporting coverage, particularly now that it has lost all of its other sporting events

[Roger Clark]

 

Motoring News

[Mistron]

Fantastic! 

 

Al

[Bumblyari]

Referring to the little Standard 8 engined 'Bug', Raymond Baxter's other famous quote from this event was of course  "... and now the little Bug has gone into the lead."

[Doug Nye]

This is probably wrong, but I've got a feeling that the televised event in question was run at Hankley Common, in sight over the ridge from our house this Christmas morning... It's military land, for many years known as Hankley DZ and used regularly by paras toppling out of Hastings(es), Beverleys, Andovers, Hercs, Islanders and balloons. Not so much used these days as Aldershot has become progressively denuded of the military, after 120 years and more, but the tracks and hills within 'Hankley Bowl' still provide wonderful trialling terrain...

 

DCN

[Vitesse2]

Well, it does say it was in Hampshire, which would fit Hankley (just!) From memory, they also used Bagshot Heath and the tank testing grounds at Chobham Heath for Autopoints - but they're both very firmly in Surrey.

 

The mentioned Army Mechanical Transport School was (according to Motor Sport March 1963, p29) based at Bordon at the time - not a million miles from Hankley Common.

[Roger Clark]

Autosport and MN both said it was Hungry Hill which i think is the other side of Farnham.

[BRG]

Hungry Hill is bang on the county boundary.  I too was wondering about the location of these events, which I do vaguely remember seeing on TV  They were of course held in black and white!  Hungry Hill is part of the Bricksbury Hill area which has been a regular rally stage used for decades, and to this day.

 

I seem to recall Standard Vanguard Phase 2 or 3 staff cars being used to some effect.  

[RS2000]

I remember it as being Long Valley (between Bricksbury and the Eelmoor sprint course).

[BRG]

I found this piece about Triumph rallying which says that the event was at Hungry Hill.  The picture looks like it could be - but then, all those Surrey and Hampshire heathlands look much of a muchness.

 

Meanwhile, it is getting circular, as the Mini Forum is quoting us!  Does anyone have a copy of the Autosport of 13/12/63 report?

[Ian G]

A bit OT but we had a twin-engined Mini in NSW(Oz.) in the late 1960's/early 1970's.AFAIK it was used was mainly used in Gymkhanas but may have done Rallycross which was popular out here at the time.I just did a Google and nothing(other than a Mini with dual Supercharges) showed but someone on here may know its background,i don't think there was any Factory involvement from BMC/BL Zetland,Sydney.  

Ray may know more as it found its way into at least one Oz. Motoring Mag.

Edited by Ian G, 27 December 2015 - 22:56.

[cooper997]

Another world champ to drive the Twini Moke was John Surtees at the December 1964 LMC/BBC Autopoint event.

 

Stephen