vintage tin - history. facts. stories.

Mini Moments

In the mid-1970s, while working at Charles Hurst, I bought an ex-works Mini Cooper S, ORX 707F. This wasn't just any Mini,it came from the same works team as Paddy Hopkirk's Monte Carlo-winning car. ORX had its own competition pedigree too, finishing 2nd in class and 4th overall in the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally. At 18, I dreamed of rallying it myself, but enthusiasm far outweighed both talent and budget. Two memorable incidents from my ownership have stayed with me. The first came during an attempt to recreate a night rally on quiet roads near Ballygowan. My complete lack of experience ended with ORX sliding into a ditch and finishing in a farmer's field. Thankfully, neither my navigator nor I was hurt. The farmer kindly pulled the Mini out with his tractor, and after a couple of weeks' repairs, ORX was back on the road. The second incident came during a local Boxing Day autotest, where I managed to shear the differential, leaving me with another repair bill I couldn't afford. Eventually, apprentice wages and motorsport simply didn't mix, so I reluctantly sold ORX. The car is still in Northern Ireland, and in a twist of fate, its current owner remembers visiting my house in the 1970s to buy a straight cut gearbox. He desperately wanted ORX too but couldn't afford it. Today, he owns the car, now worth over £100,000, well beyond my reach, although unlikely to ever come up for sal Looking back, selling ORX remains one of my biggest regrets. Photo - Me reunited with ORX in 2023