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As the 50th anniversary of the incomparable Jaguar E-Type draws to a close, British Motor Heritage (BMH) has been celebrating an E-Type milestone of its own – the production of its 100th replacement bonnet.

Best known for the manufacture of replacement bodyshells and individual panels for the MGB, MGR V8, MG Midget, Austin Healey Sprite, Triumph TR6 and original Minis etc, BMH these days also produces bonnets for the Series 1, 2 and 3 Jaguar E-Types.

Supplied exclusively to Unipart Jaguar Classic and distributed by Jaguar Classic Parts, the bonnets are manufactured using the original Jaguar tooling and the 100th one (that for a Series 1 model) was completed on September 11 by Stephen Fry, Martin Pollard, Alan Stacey and Dave Jeffs, who between can boast over 40 years’ service to BMH. The E-Type bonnet is just one of a range of body panels now made by BMH for Unipart Jaguar Classic.

Said BMH’s Managing Director John Yea, “Enthusiasts restoring or repairing treasured classics are increasingly particular about the fit and finish of any replacement panels, and never more so than with the bonnet of the E-type, which forms such a large percentage of the car. Not only are our pressings identical to the originals, but they benefit from the quality of hand finishing for which all our products are renowned.”

Further information on BMH’s replacement parts for the Jaguar E-Type; Mini; MG B, F, TF and Midget; Triumph TR6, TR7, TR8, Spitfire, GT6 and Stag; Austin-Healey Sprite; Morris Minor etc can be found at bmh-ltd.com.

Morris Minor enthusiasts from Ireland and the Netherlands joined British motoring fans to celebrate the history of the icon. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the one millionth Morris Minor rolling off the production line.

To celebrate the million mark, 350 bright lilac models were produced and 10 of the special cars took part in Sunday’s rally. Enthusiasts travelled from far and wide to be part of the event, which took the cars from Steeple Aston to Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire.

Oxfordshire was chosen for the event because the car was produced at the Cowley car plant. It was 40 years ago the last Morris Minor was built in this country.

Denis Lynch, 69, owns one of the limited edition Minors and travelled from West Limerick in Ireland to be part of the event. He said, “I am a Minor fanatic – my first car, back in 1962, was a Minor – and we like going to these events. It was a very enjoyable event because everyone was so enthusiastic about the rally and the anniversary. The Minor was one of the first cars people were able to afford back in the late 60s, and it is a British icon.”

Ken Giller, 54, from Wageningen in Holland, also owns a lilac Minor and travelled down in the vehicle on Friday with his son, Onno, 22, to be part of the event.

He said: “I have had this car for 28 years and, to me, it is very special. The Morris Minor is a car that is very, very easy to work on, it is amazingly reliable and it is part of English history.”

Assistant organiser Andrew Dyer, originally from Oxfordshire, said: “The Morris Minor was the first British car that ever sold one million units. At the time, to celebrate Morris made a specially edition of 350 cars, the idea being to send them out to each of the dealers for publicity.

“They are spread all around and today was about getting to see how many of those special edition cars that have survived we could get together. We think there is somewhere around 40 of the 350 that were originally made on the road and we managed to get 10, which is pretty good.”

On Sunday 12 October, an estimated 10,000 spectators packed the streets of Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire to support Lola Cars landmark 50th Anniversary parade of racing cars. The impressive display of 16 cars represented the marque’s most iconic models from the past half century through to Lola’s all-new 2008 designs. Some of Lola’s most successful drivers were reunited with the winning line-up of cars supporting Lola’s Golden celebration.

The Lola legends included John Surtees OBE, Richard Attwood, Hugh Dibley, Teddy Pilette, Chris Craft, Mike Blanchet, James Weaver, Julian Bailey, Anthony Reid and Peter Ashdown. Current racers included Le Mans Series driver Mike Newton, Malaysian A1 Grand Prix driver Fairuz Fauzy and Danny Watts.

At midday and in brilliant autumn sunshine, Councillor Saeed Akthar, the Mayor of Huntingdon, waved the Union Jack to officially start the parade from Lola’s state-of-the-art headquarters in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. The roadside was packed with spectators from start to finish as the snake of 16 cars travelled up the 1.6 route via the local ring road and in to the historic market square where Oliver Cromwell rallied his troops during the Civil War.

Heading up the parade was the all-new RML MG-Lola LMP2 Coupe dressed in the patriotic red, white and blue livery, followed by Lola’s latest track day car B07/90 which had Jonathan Djanogly, MP for the Huntingdon constituency enjoying a passenger ride with sportscar driver Calum Lockie. Other star participants included a Lola T70 Mk111B that cemented the marque’s status in world motorsport during the 1960′s, Sir Jackie Stewart’s 1967 Indy 500 Lola T92 driven by Lola owner and Executive Chairman Martin Birrane and the Mark 1, the first car built by Lola driven by James Leslie, son of the late, great David Leslie.
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Morris Minor lovers from across the globe will descend on Oxford this year to mark the 60th anniversary of the Cowley-built car.

The iconic vehicle, designed by Mini creator Alec Issigonis, first rolled off the production line in 1948.

It became the first British car to sell a million units and went on to shift 1.6 million by the end of its 23-year lifespan.

As part of the birthday celebrations, the Morris Minor Owners’ Club will drive a procession of members’ cars from each year of production through Oxford city center in November.

Ray Newell, whose book Morris Minor: 60 years on the road was published this month, said the Cowley craftsmanship had helped keep so many examples running.

He said: “At the time they were solid, dependable vehicles. In post-war Britain they were really economical to run.
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“Morris had a reputation for quality cars and that reputation was enduring. They became part of the British way of life.

“Minors were cars people could afford and they were widely used as fleet cars for people like district nurses and the Post Office.

“The build quality was very good – they certainly stood the test of time.”

The club’s assistant secretary, Ann Ford, of Didcot, fell in love with Minors after meeting her husband John.

She said: “My husband had a 25-year-long love affair with them. I thought ‘If you can’t beat them, join them’ and I’ve been into them ever since.

“I think the camaraderie among Minor drivers is great. There is a sort of kinship between us, which is rather good.

“We are all trying to preserve these cars for the future against all odds.”

Mrs Ford said the owners’ club has teamed up with Marie Curie Cancer Care, which is also celebrating its diamond jubilee, to honour the Minor’s milestone in the coming year.

She said: “One of the events is the Morris Minor Million-Mile Challenge for members to enjoy driving their cars in an approved sponsored event.

“As there are approximately 10,000 members in Great Britain, and another 5,000 worldwide, it is hoped that 1,000,000 miles can be achieved during 2008.

“We hope to clock up the millionth mile in Oxford.

“On Sunday, November 30, a cavalcade of Minors, one representing each year of manufacture, will depart from Cowley and drive through Oxford, finishing at the Oxford Spires Four Pillars Hotel, where a presentation of a cheque will be made to Marie Curie Cancer Care.”

Mrs Ford is compiling a personal look at the history of the Minor’s production at Cowley for the owners’ club magazine.

Former workers with stories to share should contact her on 01235 511188 or ann.johnford@ukonline.co.uk The Oxford branch of the club meets on the first Wednesday of the month at the Foxcombe Lodge Hotel, Boars Hill, Oxford, at 8pm.