Ex-anita Taylor Mini ready for return
The early Mini Cooper S initially raced by Anita Taylor, and which subsequently won its class in the 1965 Snetterton 500 in the hands of David Wansborough and Gerry Marshall, is set to return to competition this season.
Prepared for Taylor to contest the 1964 British Saloon Car Championship, initially in 1071cc specification, the Mini is back in South Yorkshire where the Taylor family’s Aurora Gears Company was based, and being fettled for owner Peter Flanagan to use in speed events.
One of two supplied to brother and sister Trevor and Anita Taylor by Douglas Wilson-spratt, ‘110 NNM’ had an engine from Wiltshire tuning ace Daniel Richmond’s Downton Engineering. It was painted in Aurora Gear (Racing) turquoise with a crimson stripe, which will now be used again, 57 years later.
Anita debuted the car at Goodwood and raced it all over the country, including in the British Grand Prix-supporting race at Brands Hatch. During the season, a
1275cc engine was fitted to match former Team Lotus F1 racer Trevor’s machine.
While Anita switched to the British Racing Drivers’ School’s Cooper S in 1965, Robbie Gordon bought her first Mini. Reliveried in gunmetal and maroon and fielded under the Newtune banner, it put Marshall on the radar at Snetterton.
The late rollbar pioneer John Aley bought the Mini in 1966, changing its colour to Cirrus White. Mini fan Flanagan is researching its subsequent history, and has evidence of British Automobile Racing Club Forward Trust Special Saloon Championship action in 1977. Thereafter it was laid up in a Leicester garage for 20 years.
When disinterred by a previous owner, the Mini still had its original shell and Aurora documentation. Remarkably, its history was supported by automotive archaeology as its warpaint layers were exposed during restoration, plus evidence of a long-range fuel tank’s fitment.
Flanagan, who sold his ex-janspeed Unipower GT to buy the Mini last year, is delighted with its period look.
“It’s too far from current [Motorsport UK roll cage] spec to race, but I’m planning to sprint and hillclimb it,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll be out in the Mini Festival I’m co-organising at Prescott on 22 May.”