3 replies to this topic

[yellowcooper]

First post...deep breath...I have just purchased a yellow 1963 mini cooper. The last owner told me that it was raced (unsure of what period) in Italy (the car is LHD)

The livery is yellow, with yellow / black chequered roof. Though engine is missing, the car is relatively standard, and has not been developed - i surmised from this that if it had been raced it would have been fairly early on in its life.

I know this is the root of bugger all to go on, but curiosity has prompted me just to investigate; the past owner knew no more than what i have repeated here, but i suppose the car is quite distinctive and just wondered if anyone knew anything about it.

Many thanks

Will

[Mistron]

If you post some pictures of the car and in particular any unique features that would help identify it from any other yellow minis it'll help.

Is it Fiesta Yellow, or a non standard colour? Is it a UK assembled car rather than an innoccenti?

I'd recomend you try posting on the Mk1-performance-conversions mini forum as there is a guy (in the Netherlands, i think) compiling a database of Mini race results

If it was in local Italian events it might be a bit of a long shot, but at least there would be less minis racing in Italy than the UK at the time!

[hansfohr]

Is it Fiesta Yellow, or a non standard colour? Is it a UK assembled car rather than an innoccenti?

AFAIK Innocenti only started assembling Mini's in 1965.

If your acquired Mini raced in Italy it could probably be Piero Conte's BMC Mini Cooper S who ran in the 1964 and 1965 Monza ETCC round.
In the latter race Domenico Cedrati (nicked "Poker") ran an identical car. Just a theory......

Quite a lot of Italian ´Mini´ drivers competed in the 1964 La Consuma hillclimb:
#189 Franco Zaniratti, Austin Mini-Cooper
#187 Roberto Benelli, Morris Mini-Cooper
#192 Gilberto Bagnasacco, Austin Mini-Cooper
#183 Fernando Wissel, Austin Mini-Cooper
#177 Enrico Verga, Austin Mini-Cooper
#191 Piero Conte, Austin Mini-Cooper S

Only entered
#180 Sergio Fiorentino, Morris Mini-Cooper S
#188 Gianfranco Padoan, Austin Mini-Cooper S

Probably one of those? There weren't so many in Italy.

Edited by hansfohr, 16 April 2010 - 09:04.

[yellowcooper]

AFAIK Innocenti only started assembling Mini's in 1965.

If your acquired Mini raced in Italy it could probably be Piero Conte's BMC Mini Cooper S who ran in the 1964 and 1965 Monza ETCC round.
In the latter race Domenico Cedrati (nicked "Poker") ran an identical car. Just a theory......

Quite a lot of Italian ´Mini´ drivers competed in the 1964 La Consuma hillclimb:
#189 Franco Zaniratti, Austin Mini-Cooper
#187 Roberto Benelli, Morris Mini-Cooper
#192 Gilberto Bagnasacco, Austin Mini-Cooper
#183 Fernando Wissel, Austin Mini-Cooper
#177 Enrico Verga, Austin Mini-Cooper
#191 Piero Conte, Austin Mini-Cooper S

Only entered
#180 Sergio Fiorentino, Morris Mini-Cooper S
#188 Gianfranco Padoan, Austin Mini-Cooper S

Probably one of those? There weren't so many in Italy.

Hello Hansfohr,

Many thanks for these leads - i have discovered the car was dispatched to Dusseldorf when new, to the dealership of A. Bruggeman & Co - cant find any info. Searching Gianfranco Padoan brings up the Voelkel racing team.

Any idea who was involved with Voelkel? Running it through a search engine reveals a large manufacturing operation just outside, wait for it, Dusseldorf! I know this is a selective and VERY contrived way of analysing evidence, too good to be true - but fun nethertheless!

Thanks for your continued help

Will