1965 Austin Westminster A110 MkII 3. 0 Manual - BMC Competitions Department Recreation.

'On the button' and ready to use.

24k miles on the clock, believed to be genuine. The file with the car includes paperwork and photos of the car (including the odometer) from 1987 that shows 6k miles at that time, and the overall condition of the car in those photos suggests that mileage was genuine.

The car has been owned by my father for the past ten years, and prior to that it belonged to the late racing driver Norman Grimshaw for the previous 24 years. It was Norman who converted the car into a recreation of one of the BMC Competitions Department 'service barges' for which Westminsters were used in period. The roof rack is believed to be an original BMC item that Norman managed to track down for the project. For those who don't recall the name, Norman Grimshaw was the Nick Swift of his day and primarily raced Mini Coopers that he towed to and from events using the Westminster. It was Nick Swift who introduced my father to Norman Grimshaw at the time, which led to my father buying the car from him.

The car boasts a wealth of history, having been used to support historic motorsport events during the 1990’s and 2000's. It was a regular feature in the Goodwood Revival paddock, and in 1992 it was specifically used as a servicing car for Rauno Aaltonen in the Historic RAC Rally. The folder with the car includes many great photos of the car in action at many different events. In 2017, the car was invited to a special reunion event at Abingdon where 20 of the original BMC Mini Cooper works cars were reunited with many special guests in attendance including Paddy Hopkirk and team bosses Stuart Turner, Peter Browning and Bill Price. A copy of the magazine article about that event, including photos of the Westminster among the Mini Coopers is included in the file. The car was also displayed on the lawn in front of Goodwood House for the 2017 Goodwood Road Racing Club Annual Vehicle Display.

When Norman Grimshaw retired from racing, he restored the Westminster to the fabulous condition that it is still in today as a thank you to a car that served him so well. My father bought the car in 2014 and continued the work that Norman had started. He had the interior fully carpeted, restored the original leather seats, trimmed the boot and put the car on a set of Minilite style wheels and new Vredstein tyres. The car also underwent a nose-to-tail service and mechanical overhaul at Orchard Restorations in Lewes including the brakes, hubs, fuel system and engine tuning. Invoices for all works are included in the file. Orchard Restorations are renowned for their work on Austin Healeys, and the beauty of this Westminister is that it has the same 3. 0 litre engine as a Healey 3000. This Westminster drives and handles beautifully having been tuned to very fine fettle.

I have included a lot of photos in this listing so you will be able to see the wonderful condition that the car is in today. The bodywork is solid and blemish free, the paint is lovely and the interior still looks like it was restored yesterday.

In my father's ownership, the car has been a regular feature on the Lavant Bank at the Goodwood Revival and Member's Meeting as well as many other events. It's a car that always draws a big crowd of admirers, particularly those with an interest in the BMC Competitions Department.

My father is no longer able to enjoy the car, so the time has come to find it a new home.