worksmini.com        by Guy Smith                

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LRX 829E

          LRX 829E                              

1965 Tulip Rally Rauno Aaltonen/Henry Liddon

Competition History,

  LRX 829E

1967 Tulip Rally Rauno Aaltonen/ Henry Liddon, 3rd overall (Group II)

1967 Geneva Rally Julian Vernaeve/Henry Liddon 2nd overall, 2nd Class (Group II)

Same car competed as GRX 311D on:

1967 Alpine Rally Timo Makinen/Paul Easter, retired (Group 6)

1967 Tulip Rally Rauno Aaltonen/ Henry Liddon, 3rd overall (Group II)

1967 Geneva RallyJulian Vernaeve/Henry Liddon 2nd overall, 2nd Class

1967 Alpine Rally   (LRX 829E as GRX 311D)

Driven by Timo Makinen/Paul Easter, retired (Group 6)

The complex history of this car, i.e. its use on the 67 Alpine was researched by me. The car is covered in works modifications, some of which were directly attributable to Group six  mods. Research, paperwork and photos, have proved beyond doubt that this car competed on the Alpine in Group six form, but for some now unknown reason had its number plate changed at the last minute.

Original panel being Dymo labelled at Abingdon

Panel kindly donated by Bill Price

Now owned by me (Guy Smith) seen here at Beaulieu Mini Day shorlty after discovery of the car, which had been used for shopping for 25 years by an ex Abingdon employee. Bought from the works in 1967/8 for £25, as a slightly rallied car, (it had only been used on tarmac)and converted for everyday use.

The car is in amazingly original condition, still sporting its twin fuel pumps, grab handles etc, even the competition numbers are still visible under the red paint on the doors . This is one of several cars to leave Comps in this way. Employees were allowed to purchase the least damaged of the cars, and several did. A hard pressed mini will slightly bow in the floor pan (an egg job) and although it does not affect the car in any way, BMC could not sit a car on a start line of an international event, before the world, in this condition. On some of the off road cars, Comps sometimes went to great lengths to invisibly strengthen the floor crossmember. This undoubtedly accounts for why this car was sold on. Most other cars that were not kept as show cars, or sold as rally cars,  were torched up by the Abingdon scrapman.

Due to the fact that this car was not subsequently rallied after 1967, (as many were, and were sort after for that reason) it  has escaped in totally original condition, being one of only a handful of original Competitions Department bodyshells in existence.

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