Hey Dan, is this you?? Two shells in OK

Started by velopackrat, September 17, 2018, 08:49:05 AM

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drmini

Mike B, AFAIK the new bodied Luggage was a MK3 body and not MK4 or later.  It has MK3 taillights, and that's as far as I really know.  Can you verify this?  Ron Graham left England in 93 and they were building MK5 bodies at that time.  I'm not sure where Ron sourced the body from, but it's possible it was NOS body that had been assembled several years earlier.  I know the racing community over there tried their best to get Ron into a later body style than the MKi he was racing.  Between the historical aspect of the Trickey Mini and the possible deterioration of the MKI body, I know they really didn't want him racing that.  That is really irrelevant now, but might shed light on why Ron got the body in the first place.  Issues to consider would be what type of front subframe it has, which might also have been taken into consideration for Ron to use earlier subframes in a racecar.  Do you remember such details? 

meb

Quote from: drmini on October 09, 2018, 01:26:29 PM
Mike B, AFAIK the new bodied Luggage was a MK3 body and not MK4 or later.  It has MK3 taillights, and that's as far as I really know.  Can you verify this?  Ron Graham left England in 93 and they were building MK5 bodies at that time.  I'm not sure where Ron sourced the body from, but it's possible it was NOS body that had been assembled several years earlier.  I know the racing community over there tried their best to get Ron into a later body style than the MKi he was racing.  Between the historical aspect of the Trickey Mini and the possible deterioration of the MKI body, I know they really didn't want him racing that.  That is really irrelevant now, but might shed light on why Ron got the body in the first place.  Issues to consider would be what type of front subframe it has, which might also have been taken into consideration for Ron to use earlier subframes in a racecar.  Do you remember such details?

The shell I got from Ron and sold to Rocky was a contemporary production shell. It was not a MK3 body. Ron bought the shell specifically for me, it was not intended for the Trickey Mini. It was just that as a racer he had access to purchasing the shell. Rocky may have simply installed the MK3 lights because that's what he had. I've forgotten whether or not the shell had the big hole in the LH inner fender for the electric fan. When I got the shell from Ron it included used front and rear subframes, and other used and new parts. When I sold it to Rocky I kept the parts including the single-bolt front subframe. Don't know if Rocky modified the shell to accept the twin-bolt subframe setup, or if he bought a single-bolt subframe.

As an aside, it was while I was arranging to purchase the shell from Ron that I mentioned to him that Henry had left Seven Ent and he decided apply for the job with Michael A. After Ron and the shell got here I think Bob J and I, and possibly Paul S, went down to Hampton Roads/Newport New to pick it up. After I sold the shell to Rocky I regretted it, so in 2000 I bought a Heritage shell which I had painted and partially assembled in the UK. I completed that car in 2001 and I still have it.

velopackrat

I made contact with a couple of the Tulsa area guys in regard to The Luggage and they say it's now sold.  I wasn't comfortable prying for details, sorry guys.  Hopefully one of you guys struck while the iron was hot and if so, good on ya!

One of the fellows, Brad, relayed a good story about Rocky having rebuilt the motor himself.  They fired it up and it ran for about 3-4 minutes before developing a nasty, loud rod knock or similar.  Rocky shut it down and that was that. 

So whoever tears it down?  Ya gotta share with us what you found:)