Joy’s Journal

Week 28 – 19^th to 25^th January 2004

I’m not going to mention much about the Morris Minor this week. Visible progress is minimal due to modification to some parts, wrong bits sent and so on. The negative aspect never seems to end. Just hope the actual Marathon will be less stressful than the preparation of the car.

On Tuesday morning the BBC sent one of their radio cars just before 7a.m. for a breakfast programme interview about the preparation of the Minor. As I’m not normally a morning person, it proved rather difficult leaping out of bed while it was still dark to talk enthusiastically about working on a Morris Minor. I was impressed with the radio car though. They pulled up in front of the garage, pressed a button and the massive aerial shot way up above the trees. Then out came the microphone, I talked for about five minutes or so and then they were off again.

After that, the phone started ringing from local newspapers wanting an interview. I was asked the same question by every interviewer, “Why do you want to do the London to Sydney Marathon?” The problem is, I couldn’t seem to come up with the answer they were looking for. “Why not?” didn’t seem to go down too well. I did say, “Well, I’m used to concentrating for just 1000 yards or so, in a racing car and I thought I would go to an extreme and drive 10,000 miles in a Morris Minor to test my concentration.”

But what they really wanted to hear was, “I’ve had 12 children, I’m now a great grandmother, my husband has just left me for a younger woman after 45 years of marriage and I thought I would do something for myself for a change.” Oh well, my story is not as interesting as that.

I’ve had to search through hundreds of photos this week to select some for inclusion my book. It certainly sets one off reminiscing.

As you saw lots of Minor photos last week I thought I would include a photo taken in 1988 when I had a guest drive in my father’s Cooper-Norton at the Classic Prescott meeting. I’d forgotten all about that drive until I found the photo, but it really was exciting. Perhaps we will bring the Cooper out of mothballs after the LSM. That’s my friend Les Stone watching. Les used to race a Cooper in the 50’s and at age 82 is still racing a single-seater Delta.

The second photo of the same Cooper has Ron Tauranac, (manufacturer of Brabham racing cars, then RALT) in the driver’s seat. Ron built and raced his own 500 in Australia before he came to England to set up business with Jack Brabham. He hadn’t driven in competition since the early 60’s and Dad lent him the Cooper for a few sprint meetings, I think it was during 1992. He had some fun, but he wanted to win. No such luck.

More next week. Go onto Week 29 – 26th January to 1st February 2004