Millie Master
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In 1968 I took delivery of a brand new Morris Cooper 1275S, it was brilliant until July 1969 when on a rally in Devon it suddeny became 3' 6" shorter when it came in direct contact with a very solid bank of trackside rock & earth!Standard Mini 1968 (probably) aged 17
Complete with rusted sub-frame !
Huh Teenage drivers !In 1968 I took delivery of a brand new Morris Cooper 1275S, it was brilliant until July 1969 when on a rally in Devon it suddeny became 3' 6" shorter when it came in direct contact with a very solid bank of trackside rock & earth!
I remember at the local college one of the guys had a Fiat 127, and each term, the thick underseal got higher and higher as it was reapplied to keep the rust in place...great gearstick for bringing home a Chinese takeaway, more rust than car.....
Which rally? Lived in Taunton then and campaigned a 1275 S. Oddly my hearing now sounds just like the straight cut gearbox under load...... Remember the Porlock Toll Road stage where I had a moment and a couple of spectator/ photographers disappeared backwards down a bank! Fun days.In 1968 I took delivery of a brand new Morris Cooper 1275S, it was brilliant until July 1969 when on a rally in Devon it suddeny became 3' 6" shorter when it came in direct contact with a very solid bank of trackside rock & earth!
Which rally? Lived in Taunton then and campaigned a 1275 S. Oddly my hearing now sounds just like the straight cut gearbox under load...... Remember the Porlock Toll Road stage where I had a moment and a couple of spectator/ photographers disappeared backwards down a bank! Fun days.
What I really wanted was one of these .....................
My Parents had such a car ....We had to reverse up a hill in Woolacombe as first gear was not low enough !.1961 My first car was a 1936 Morris 8 like this
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My 1st was a '38 Morris 8 with wire wheels. A neighbour gave it to me because the clutch had gone and it would have cost more than the car was worth to fix it. Well at nearly 16 it was a challenge, but I dunnit !!! Then a pals dad said that he had a twin carb Aquaplane head for side valve engine, so he came round and fitted it (2 x 1"1/2 SU's too). So for a nearly 17 year old it was a rocket, sadly pre stretched cable brakes are more ornamental than functional and showing off it got kinda bent, but the scrappy gave me 30/- for it. For my birthday I got driving lessons and bought an ancient aluminium rag top Reliant, followed by a Jowett Bradford and then an Isetta, Hillman Minx, MG 1100 and a whole procession of Beetles. Cars were cheap before the MoT came into force1961 My first car was a 1936 Morris 8 like this
View attachment 52369