The Mini Works Events Page

In 1968 BMC entered the Monte Carlo rally in high spirits following their win the previous year with Rauno Aaltonen in LBL 6D. However this year the opposition were to be even stronger and the despite the works team running with split weber carbs (which added about 5bhp), the weather was unkind in that it was abnormally dry and the event was won the rear wheel drive opposition from Porsche. This was to be the last year that the Mini Coopers tackled the most prestigious rally event on the world calendar.

In 2008 40 years after the last BMC entry on the Monte Carlo rally the Mini Cooper Register (MCR) are holding a celebration touring assembly using as far as possible the exact mountain route followed by the 68 event. The schedule to be followed later this year is as follows:

Monday 29th September. Assemble at Tournon-sur-Rhône, join the 1968 Monte Carlo Rally Common Route through the mountainous Ardèche area including the famous Burzet loop.

Tuesday 30th September. Vals les Bains or Orange - Col St Hippolyte. Cross the Rhône valley, skirt Mont Ventoux and continue via Gap to Embrum.

Wednesday 1^st October. Embrun - Monte Carlo. Rejoining the Common Route heading south to Monte Carlo.

Thursday 2nd October. Monte Carlo - Digne. Start off on the stages of the Mountain Circuit over the Col de Turini and Col de Couillole and then pick up the early part of the Common Route to Digne.

Friday 3rd October. Digne - Tournon. We continue on the Common Route via Die and the Col de Rousset on the way to the finish back in Tournon.

This is not the first time that the MCR have undertaken such an event as they celebrated the first success in 1964 by Paddy Hopkirk in 33 EJB with a run to Monte Carlo in 2004. This was then followed up in 2006 with a run to celebrate the disqualification in 1966 when the works cars lighting was deemed by the organisers to be illegal and the team who had been placed 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd were disqualified.

Back in the 1960’s starters for the Monte picked locations throughout Europe to start the concentration run from; diverse locations such as Athens and Oslo being amongst them. For 68 one such start point was Oslo and for the 2008 celebration run a ‘team’ have designated this as their start point. This is not a necessity of entry to the event but was thought as a ‘one off’ idea by some of the entrants in keeping with the true Monte spirit. There are 5 entrants participating in this epic journey to celebrate the last works entry. Starting from Oslo the ‘team’ will travel through Norway, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic and France. Mileage for the concentration run is 2,200 miles.

Of the 5 entrants taking part in the concentration run 4 are Mk1 Mini Cooper S with the 5^th car a Mk 2 Mini Cooper S; the latter car being an exact replica of the 68 entry; split webers and all. It even carries a number plate as per the original entries starting with ORX.

You may well be asking yourself what does the above have to do with a mini restoration business in Edinburgh?

Preparation for this event is significant as the cars will be driven as they were meant to be on such an event; full out up and down the mountain hairpins with tyres screeching and brakes glowing. Trusted to deliver the level of preparation for the cars is the team from ‘The Mini Works’ Simon Drew and Owen Cooper. From a total rebuild to just minor repairs the team deliver a first class service. BMC mechanics were renowned for their first class presentation of cars and this team are no exception.

For more information on this years event please click on the link below.

www.ministomonte.com/

Works Minis