Mike Costigan

I have a couple of duplicate plates, one black and white, one reflective, that are surplus to requirements; I'm just up the road from you in Warsop, so we cane meet up easily.

The white car at the top is a Simca 1000. My guess is the compound of an auction house; apart from the MkVII Jaguar in the top left they are all early to mid-1960s, and not a reflective plate in sight so probably taken around 1968/69 when they were all about five to seven years old.

It's easy to forget just how popular the BMC 1100 range was - the best-selling car in the UK for eight years between 1963 and 1971. Over two million built, compared to perhaps half a million Heralds, nowadays the Herald probably outnumbers them two-to-one!

Shiply: https://www.shiply.com/

The Works cars were run under Ken Richardson's control; he was well-known for insisting his cars were completely standard, so I doubt they were fitted with additional straps. Static shots show the back-end set very low, so presumably the rear spring was set to give minimal ground clearance thus reducing the amount of camber in these circumstances. Had it been 'Tiny' Lewis' car I would be less convinced - he was equally well-known for his individual approach to preparation!

Apologies for my absence over the last few weeks. I've been pretty heavily involved in the Austin Seven Centenary Rally. Anyway that's now all behind me, and so I can return to this thread, although I am beginning to run out of piccies (I've still got lots, but many of them are almost-duplicates, or are of rather poor quality, which may get a bit boring). So, let's see what I can manage today; here are three similar shots all taken at Pardon corner at Prescott during the 1959 RAC Rally, and show Tiny Lewis in TL5, Peter Bolton in YRW 266, and Keith Ballisat in YRW 267:

Back in the 'sixties we used to print the British Rabbit Association's handbook; the secretary at the time was known as 'Bunny' Labbit.

Yup; I can confirm that when painted white they were Triumph White code 19.

Well, there's at least half your problem!

Three photos from the 1960 Monte Carlo Rally today; the Paris-registered coupe of Gilbert Albadi and Bernard Salmon at the Paris start: The same car looking well-travel stained on the harbour front in Monaco at the end of the rally: Also at Monaco at the end of the rally, the Works-entered coupe YWK 534 of Annie Soisbault and Annie Speirs:

I have the Herald version which I bought new in the late-1980s or maybe early 1990s - I think it was couple of pounds at the time from an autojumble stall; I agree with Clive on value, too. I think I'd want a hallmarked gold one for £95!

Windows and suspension were big selling points at the time. Corgi, of course, had had windows from the mid-1950s, but the Herald was one of the first Dinkies to have them. I remember being fascinated by the suspension and experimenting to see how much could be added under one wheel before one of the other wheels lifted off the ground - great play-value!

Three shots of the Mike Sutcliffe/Roy Fidler TR4, 6VC, on the 1962 RAC Rally:

Seeing Unkel Kunkel's thread on the Michelotti-designed bus reminded me I have these Michelotti drawings which may not be familiar: The first two are his early Zobo designs which Harry Webster dismissed as 'too dumpy', whilst the third is the final design which we can all recognise.

One of Michelotti's designs for that Scammell:

Quite correct, Chris. Note to self: engage brain before posting next time!

Three shots of Annie Soisbault's YWK 534 on the 1960 Monte Carlo Rally. Famously the car started with Annie's pet leopard in the back - it can just be seen in the first picture; later in the rally the leopard was reported as looking rather worse for wear!

I just revisited the pics and was going to add them - I reckon they're twin reversing lights.

Nice! A 948cc Herald, registered April 1960, with loads of extras: twin wing mirrors, chrome bumper trims, a pair of large spotlights, and a radio.

Three more from the 1963 Marathon; two more views of 6003VC being prepared before the start, and another shot of the Thuner and Gretener TR4 being serviced, with 6002VC in attendance:

Chesterfield born and breed, too. It's a Saxon Model A from 1914, US-built, 1.5 litre side-valve, 2-speed transaxle:

Katie Boyle's car is an early 1200 from 1961 - it retains the 948-pattern bonnet handle and front valence without the air intake, but has HERALD lettering and rubber bumpers.

You would have felt right at home in one of my cars, Chris - no gauges at all! Just one switch (for ignition) and three buttons for choke, mixture and revs.

Three more Canley publicity shots featuring WRW 404:

That was in the days when fuel was 100% petrol! I have revived cars which hadn't been run since before the War, and they have run perfectly well on forty-year-old petrol, these days petrol has a shelf life of six months if you're lucky.