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While Daniel & Bunty Richmond became personal friends with Alec Issigonis, and Mr Issigonis was very happy with the Downton conversion fitted to a number of his cars, the relationship between Downton and BMC was always on a STRICTLY commercial basis! Barry Hawkins, describes how this relationship could work in practice. BMC competition department at Abingdon, when it was under the control of Stewart Turner was interested in getting as much publicity as possible and succeeded in it very well on the Rally scene. Eventually shaking the established teams with the Monte Mini's. Downton parts found their way into many of the Competitions dept. prepared cars. This relationship began when either Cliff Humphreys (foreman Mechanic) or Denny Green their (Charge hand mechanic) tried them on one of their personal cars and were very pleased with the results. From then on Downton started to receive a steady flow of orders. I (BH) had the job of visiting the Competitions Department about once a month, supplying Downton parts to their chief head of parts and all round good guy Neville Challis. I should also point out that Abingdon where charged for all the parts Downton supplied! Stewart Turner had a very keen mind and always seemed to spot every opportunity to promote BMC & the competitions Department, their services and products. If a private entrants was really exceptionally outstanding, they got varying degrees of help. So it happened when, on one of my (Barry Hawkins') visits to Abingdon that I was asked if Stewart Turner could meet Richard Longman, who he must have realised was an outstanding Mini racer. Soon afterwards Richard and Barry went for a working lunch with Stewart Turner. The outcome of the meeting was that 3 Mini cooper 1275 S body shells, complete with, sub frame/suspension assemblies, 1275cc power units and all the necessary parts to build them into club racers where delivered direct from Abingdon to Barry's home. One at a time they were taken to Bill Abbott's little workshop to be built up into appropriately smart race cars.
The arrangement with Stewart Turner was for these Downton Social Club cars to be entered in as many races as possible at all the countries circuit to help promote BMC products. One of the big benefits that came out of the meeting was that Barry was given a "supply parts as required" chitty for Neville Challis chief of Abingdon parts department! Eventually about the time Peter Browning took over the mantle at Abingdon, things had to change and BMC where by now expecting Abingdon to pay it's own way. As Special Tuning, Peter Browning was now marketing parts under the Special Tuning logo.
It was during this period when business for Downton was at it's zenith and they where receiving orders from Special Tuning for most of the bolt on kits by the hundred. Barry remembers one particular week Daniel and Bunty gave a party for producing 100 Special Tuning bolt on kits in a single week.
When you realise at the same time, the Downton workshops where busy building full race cars and where fully booked fitting bolt on kits for private customers, and new products still being developed, they were very busy times for all. Despite all this the atmosphere was always full of enthusiasm, it was a marvelous time! |
