14. Henry Hardiment – 1964 Austin Mini Cooper S

This desirable Cooper S rally car certainly has an interesting history, not least of which is the fact that it has remained in the same ownership since 1967 and is still used in competitive events.

Its competition story dates back to 1967 when it was entered in Club events, and in 1969 it tackled the RAC Rally of Great Britain, finishing an impressive twenty ninth overall and second in class. Entered again in 1970, 1971 and 1972 353 ACE once again achieved some excellent class results, but by 1976 it had ended up in storage.

It wasn’t until 1990 that the historic rally scene saw a return to the road, and after careful preparation it would once again see rally action in the UK and Europe. Much of the work involved upgrades to the safety equipment so it met the latest FIA standards, and items such as the roll cage, seats and harnesses and the fire extinguisher system all received attention.

Henry says that the body shell is still the original although some panels have been replaced over the years as age and competition damage took their toll. And the engine has been rebuilt a number of times, and now produces around 110bhp - that’s enough for 100mph with the current gearing.

It’s second life as a historic rally machine has seen the Mini entered into more than forty events across England and Ireland, and it has also ventured further afield to take part in closed road events in Belgium. And following a suspension rebuild it also finished second in class on the 2010 WRC Wales Rally. A terrific achievement.

The owner adds that both of his grandsons have acted as co-driver, and he’s hopeful that the future holds many more rallying adventures for this capable little car.