In 1987 Gareth started the build of the World’s first Mini film set in his second home garage Nr. Reading then later for the final two weeks setup at his parent’s home in Balsall Common getting help from his brothers and friends in the final two weeks of the build for to the 20th Anniversary of the film and 30th of the Mini in September 1989 at Silverstone.
They had to be Mk2 1969 shells as Gareth wanted the registration suffix letter ‘G’ as the Mk1 had seized production in August 1967 making way for the new Mk2 Model with panel changes to the Boot, Bonnet, Rear window and light panels as well as new bumper and new grill and surround are some of the changes..
This new second build to promote the film meant one thing! Gareth had to recreate "The Italian Job" Minis as original Mk1’s to celebrate the Films 40th and the Minis 50th Anniversary on DVD and at Silverstone again once again in 2009.
Gareth's converted Mk2 Minis were later sold in the late 1990’s by brother David after a financil split to buy out Gareth who ran a Mini business which meant only one thing the new build had to be original Mk1 cars to be exactly the samevintage as the ones used by Paramount Pictures. This new set is a partner-ship between David & Gareth had to be all original factory MK1’s later used by Paramount Pictures on the DVD and to promote the film which can be seen on the new updated DVD or HD video released in 2009.
On its first release in 1969 Daryl aged 14, Antony aged 10 and Gareth aged 12 saw the film on the Big Screen at the Odeon Cinema Coventry where Daryl and Gareth were born. We were instantly captivated by the 20 minute car chase featuring the mini coopers as they roared around Turin (and through Coventry sewers) to avoid capture with the old "over and under routine"?.
As children the three older brothers on a Saturday would play in the river and fields where the sewer scene were filmed as their father played Cricket at the GEC sports ground at Stoke Aldermoor.
Four years later and Gareth is seventeen and guess what his first car was a Mk2 Mini Cooper POJ 121G and from the day he purchased it his plan was one day to build all three.
30 years on and still rolling on…
Gareth purchased POJ 121G privately only a mile away from my parents house in Balsall Common in 1974 who I recall could hear me driving home from the pub as the car was fitted with a PECO straight through exhaust, The girls loved it, but it gave me headaches.
In 1987 Gareth started a complete ground up restoration converting the Mk2 body shell into a 1967 Mk1 shell to match the film cars.
"Why Mk1"- The car chase scenes were filmed during 1968 but used the 1969 Mk2 registration letter 'G' to coincide with the films release in 1969. "not allot of people know that"
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