The story of the journey

by Carlos Frade and David Antão

(text and some pictures published in Cooper World magazine, issue number 352, April 2017)

A few years ago some "Minis de Lisboa" club mates decided to build Cooper S Woks replicas which they would take to Monte-Carlo and its mountains someday. Last January 25th that dream came true.  Given that this year was the 50th anniversary of Mini 3rd win at the Monte-Carlo Rally, we decided to pay tribute to Rauno Aaltonen-Henry Liddon crew, by driving a #177 Morris Mini Cooper S Works replica to Monte-Carlo along with other classic Minis. 

So, there were our Minis ready to depart from Lisbon/Portugal beside the 14 official cars of the XXe 2017 Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique (RMCH). The Mini cars and crews were the following:

• 1967 Morris Cooper S Works (#177) replica, David Antão - Miguel Antão

• 1964 Morris Cooper S Works (former BMC recce car), Rui Abreu - Eduardo Perdigão;

• 1966 Austin 850 (Works alike), Sérgio Pereira - Cristina Gouveia;

• 1976 Mini IMA (Portuguese built Mini van), Mário Abreu (our mechanical guru);

• 1991 Rover Cooper 1.3, Jorge Pais - Diogo Pais;

• 1991 Mini After Eigth (special Portuguese edition of a 1000cc engine Mini), Paulo Dionísio - António Cid;

• 2016 BMW Mini One D (we call it Bini), Carlos Frade.

(Picture 1A/B - The competitors and the Minis before departure at ACP headquarters)

Day 1 (25 January, Wednesday):  Lisbon (Portugal) – Mérida (Spain) [289 Km]

18H00 We attended to the Departure Ceremony Cocktail at the Automóvel Clube de Portugal (ACP) headquarters, where we met and chat with the participants of the Rally and also famous former portuguese rally/race pilots present;

19H00 The first official participant departed;

19H15 The first of our Minis also started the adventure and all the cars run into the traffic during the rush hour of the city of Lisbon.
Still in town one of Mini 850 hydrolastic units failed. The group had to split as “Doctor” Mário and Sérgio got back to the shop to replace that unit. 
After a couple of hours running on the highway the first group crosses the Spanish border and arrives safely at the hotel in Mérida; Mário and Sérgio arrived two hour later but safe too. 

(Picture 2A/B - #177 replica starts the Mini’s run and the Bini follows)

Day 2:  Mérida (Spain) – Barcelona (Spain) [961 Km]

10H00 Little sleep but we really had to move on as we had almost a thousand kilometres to do that day. We organized ourselves by putting the cars which had a radio transmitter/receiver unit, one in the front, one in the middle and the Bini in the tail of the group. This late car was supposed to carry a towing cable, tools, battery extension cables and a jerrycan with that precious fluid… gasoline!

This proved to be a good strategy as we discovered when arriving to Madrid, where Rui’s Mini Works stopped dead dry at the middle of the highway… and… no jerrycan present at its boot! While the Bini went to do on the fly refill, the others minimized the fault by taking the opportunity to eat some «bocadillos de jamon» (ham sandwiches).

14H00 We ran the radial highway of Madrid and all went well, even if the speed regime was a bit low, around 100 km/h, but OK this is already a good speed on the Mini however a terrible one on the Bini. The Bini driver had trouble to stay awake… Coffee please…!!

18H20 Close to Calatayud while going down to Zaragoza, Sergio’s car got a stone in the windscreen coming from the wheel of a truck ahead and … bang!… gone in pieces. Now, where can we find a replacement? Zaragoza was 60 km way! Barcelona was too far to reach too. Without a practical solution we decided to leave the car at the closest hotel which by chance was Hotel Marivella (one of the previously booked for the returning route) and proceed while taking with us the two passengers. But to drive to the hotel we had to improvise some sort of windscreen as the outside temperature was close to zero degrees centigrade and it was a couple of km away. So we went to a Chinese store at Calatayud and bought a roll of plastic film for packing, adhesive tape and two wooden frames of adequate size with plastic glass. All in all we spent 23 euros and it worked just fine.

Again on the road we just left the Minis glide to Barcelona’s hotel where we all arrived… very late and very tired.

( Picture 03 - Improvised windscreen )

Day 3: Barcelona (Spain)  – Dignes-les-Bains (France) [612 Km]

10H00 Last night we recovered some good sleeping hours, so we are starting later today. We had a problem with the ignition coil of Rui’s Mini but didn’t lose too much time after all. 
While he was improving electrical connections we had some harmonic «blues» played by David which made great success at the hotel parking. 
11H30 We left Barcelona. Rainy weather journey but went on smoothly without problems and the team arrived around 10 PM at Digne-les-bains village, where all the participants of the rally will converge tomorrow after completing the different routes and the common route to Monte-Carlo starts at 10 AM.

Day 4: Dignes-les-Bains – Monte-Carlo (Mónaco) [167 Km]

Road Book

10H00 We were already at the Central Square of Digne where «park fermée» was. Our objective: feel the spirit of the Rally, view the cars, ask questions to the pilots and meet the two most famous drivers, Jean Ragnoti on the Renault R8 Gordini and our 1967 winner Rauno Aaltonen in the Mini Cooper S Works. We saw none of these two as they were late and we had to comply with our schedule and drive on the same road Rauno did in 1967 from here Digne-les-bains to Monaco, going across the Park du Verdon to Castellane, Gregolliéres, Thorenc and Monaco, just in time to see the participant cars arriving there.

( Picture 04 - Time control Station at Digne-les-bains )

 ( Picture 05 - The Classic Mini presence …. )

 ( Picture 06 - Most well-dressed team of the rally….British of course! )

( Picture 06A/B/C – Some of the Minis we found attending the Rally )

 ( Picture 07 - One of the nicest Works Mini attending the Rally and a famous one it was LBL 666D )

( Picture 08/09 – LBL666D a living legend )

( Picture 10 – LBL666D cockpit : like it should be….awesome! )

14H00 On a fantastic road with stunning landscapes and lots of delightful curves to handle, this time without snow, but with the ever present u-bends to give o good “massage” to the Minis. 

After a short stop for a hot chocolate in a small village in the mountains we got back to the road to Monte-Carlo and took a picture at the same corner to Coursegolles where the original #177 was caught by a camera fifty years ago.

( Picture 10B/A – 50 years later the spirit of #177 at the same corner to Coursegoules )

19H00 Given Monte-Carlo city traffic and so many roundabouts trying to keep the group together was not a simple task so we were split in two groups both trying to find “park fermée” (radios didn´t work at all between walls). One group actually found it while the other was lucky enough to find instead, the Monte-Carlo Arrival Time Control Station where by mistake the Rally “Comissaire” invited our Minis to enter. This place as you know is like a retain valve. You enter one side and leave by the other side, the control gate on your ideal time. Well, yes, but we are not in the rally so what shall we do now? To complicate a bit things one of our cars had the 177 number with a big cross over it on the doors so the verifying official on the ground was really confused. We decided to leave the cars to avoid questions and while we were laughing about the situation we heard a quick grasping in the tarmac and guess what… Rauno Aaltonen and the Works Mini Cooper S were arriving to control! My Goodness, is this luck?! He was very late, trying to control at the earliest but had to wait on the queue, so we approached him and gave him a special salute from Portugal and took photos of this so special occasion.

21H30 Night stop was at Nice and the group reunited again for dinner and a well-deserved sleep.

( Picture 10B/C – Congratulating Rauno Aaltonen at the Monte-Carlo Arrival Time Control)

Day 5:  Nice (France) – Col de Turini – Nice   [140 Km]

Road Book

Finally the most expected day! It was time to climb up to Col de Turini and then come down through those outrageous rally roads where snow usually makes its appearance. As expected nobody claimed by leaving bed early in the morning! No wonder.

9H00 At the hotel’s garage during the warm-up we discover that David’s #177 Works steering is not working at all! We felt a chilly thing going down the spine as we realized that if that would have happened during yesterday’s «action» at the mountains, it could cause some nasty consequences. Steering column out quickly, gap on the tightening end enlarged with a grinder and … it’s working again. In the meantime Rui changed his Works fuel pump for a new one.

( Picture 11A/B – Steering problems on #177 )

12H00 On the road again the day was shinny and the views awesome with the road going progressively from smooth to tight corners as we reached the mountains.

13H30 Lunch at the beautiful Lantosque village.

15H00 Back on the road again, as the Col de Turini was closer the snow begins to show but not much to worry about so we proceed at a good pace. Finally we reached the Col and made a stop for photos and celebration as this was a unique moment. Next we went down playing the «lacets» (Double U-bends) and going faster and faster as we realize there was no more snow, ice or «verglass» to spoil the amusement. Night falls while arriving at sea level and the cars speeding after an amazing journey which most certainly will remember for a long time the spirit of those moments.

19H00 We reached the hotel at Nice at a decent hour for the first time… dinner and rest expected us.

 ( Picture 11C/12 - Reaching the top of the mountain and the team at the Col de Turini)

( Picture 13/14 – Celebration at the Col de Turini )

( Picture 15A/B/C - Going down the mountain…)

Day 6: Nice ( France ) – La Jonquera (Spain)  [521 Km] 

We had reserved this day for some sightseeing of the beautiful Côte d’Azur coast while driving back home, so we started by going back to Monaco where we also wanted to drive the Formula 1 circuit and feel in first hand those curves, tunnel, chicane and so on. After that, a brief stop for photos by the marina and we headed, always by the seaside, to Cannes where we had lunch and then left directly to Spain.

( Picture 16A/B/C – Sightseeing at Monte-Carlo marina )

Day 7: La Jonquera (Spain) – Calatayud  [564 Km]

Again, we started early in the morning because we had to stop at Barcelona in order to buy the windscreen and rubber seal for Sergio’s Mini left at Calatayud.  The Auto Storica workshop they say it is worth a visit. 

10H30 On the way Rui´s car blows the head gasket but this is quickly solved as he has all necessary items with him. However and after so many troubles with his car we start to call it the “Works… sometimes”! From now on average speed is going to increase to a decent 120 km/h…

12H00 We reach Auto Storica close to Barcelona’s airport. They rebuild classics of all brands in a huge space (10.000 m²) and with a great level of craftsmanship. They also maintain a shop for parts and accessories, Minis included. After visiting all the facilities we all agree: such a nice place and such a wonderful people.

( Pic 19A/B/C Visiting the Auto Storica at Barcelona )

18H00 After having lunch at Barcelona we left to Calatayud with all the cars running perfectly. Well, not all as Rui had to spoil it again… on a hill climbing to Calatayud the engine suddenly stops in a very dangerous situation on a very narrow section of the road with trucks speeding in both ways, with little space to cross and playing the horn to protest our presence. The Bini had to enter in action by giving a quick tow and fleeing the spot in a hurry. Scary I must say. Then the  ignition coil was replaced and off we go!

19H00 We arrived at dinner time and had a fantastic dinner at the hotel with main coarse dishes being “callos a la Madrileña” and “bacalao a la Viscayna”. Just perfect! Afterwards we mounted the windscreen on Sergio’s car… no worries.

Day 8: Calatayud – Lisbon (Portugal) [ 874 Km ]

The last day arrived and the Mini’s team was complete again. We roll back home making jokes over the radios to encourage everybody, while remembering the big adventure at the Col de Turini. No more stops except for lunch and refuelling until Lisbon, where we all finally reached with the sun going down. Maybe a little tiring but it was worth every mile!

( Picture 20A/B – The fleet and the team… already in Portugal after some 4000 kms )

Acknowledgments

Finalising we would like to thank all our sponsors for their support but we want to specially thank President Carlos Barbosa of ACP-Automóvel Club de Portugal which from the very first moment took our project in hands and encouraged us to make it together with the Ralliye Monte Carlo Historique. Also, Luís Cunha and Filipe Gaivão the two Classic rally experts from ACP were fantastic in guiding us in sponsoring and all the logistics related with the departure at Lisbon. Last but not least important thank Bryan Purves for the precious 1967 Monte-Carlo Rallye Road Book information and Luís Frasco for the amazing “Minis ao Monte 2017” logo.

To BP Portugal, our thanks for the fuel provided for our journey;

CARTRACK  for giving us the possibility of having all our cars being followed 24 hours over 24 hours trough Internet both for safety and promotion of the event;

ECAV automobile driving school for the extraordinary work of dealing with our photos and videos on a daily basis on social media;

Godspeed Engineering for the technical support before and during our journey personalized by Eng. Mário Abreu our ever present Mechanical Guru;

BMW Group Portugal, for the Mini One D that made a fantastic support car but also for the beautiful jackets that dressed our team, which made a very strong impression everywhere we went.

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