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mab01
MCR Member
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Posted: Friday December 29th, 2006 09:59 am |
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Somewhere in my loft I have a press cutting/photo from the Daily Express in December 1984 (I think) showing a very upset Britt Ekland and the Peter Sellers Radford Mini Cooper given to her by her late husband. The Mini is partly stripped on the back of a tow truck having been stolen then recovered in London. I remember at the time wishing I could locate & purchase the salvage but of course never did follow it up. Anyone out there remember this or know if the car was ever restored?
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Mk 3 S Meister
MCR Member
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Posted: Friday December 29th, 2006 10:12 am |
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| Britt Ekland was on a TV programme the other night and she looked in need of some restoration herself. She has always looked much the same but on this occasion I wouldn't have recognised her had her name not been on the screen.
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Andrew1967
MCR Member
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Posted: Friday December 29th, 2006 10:11 pm |
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I remember seeing a Radford Cooper S on display at the Mini Cooper Weekend in (I think) 1989 that was supposed to be the Sellers car (not the wicker sided one in the Pink Panther film). I can't remember the number of it but may have a photo of it somewhere. If my mind serves me correct it was gold and brown with a light brown leather interior. The car was unrestored and the owner was going to leave it like it as restoring it would have destroyed its originality. I seem to recall that it had been in a London lock-up for many years but was complete.
If I find the picture, I'll post it up.
Andrew
Last edited on Friday December 29th, 2006 10:12 pm by Andrew1967 |
Glen Ponder
MCR Member
| Joined: | Sunday November 13th, 2005 |
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| Posts: | 851 |
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Posted: Friday December 29th, 2006 10:53 pm |
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I have a pic of the same car on a trailor at Stanford Hall , early 90's, parked next to a Broadspeed GT on a trailor ! Can't see that happening too often.  As I remember it was trailored to Walworth Castle too. What did happen to that car ?
Last edited on Friday December 29th, 2006 10:55 pm by Glen Ponder |
Mk 3 S Meister
MCR Member
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Posted: Saturday December 30th, 2006 08:03 am |
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| The car at Bournemouth was claimed to be a Sellers car but wasn't, it was the Radford demonstrator.
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Andrew1967
MCR Member
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Posted: Saturday December 30th, 2006 03:52 pm |
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| Do you know what happened to that one then?
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Mk 3 S Meister
MCR Member
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Posted: Saturday December 30th, 2006 05:32 pm |
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| I saw the owner at Mini 45 but never thought to ask him about the car. I wouldn't be surprised if he still had it.
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taffy1967
Member
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Posted: Tuesday January 2nd, 2007 02:36 pm |
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I remember reading the article too and feeling a bit sad that her Mini had got trashed.
Still I always loved seeing her dance in "The Wicker Man" even though it's not her naked bum and body because she was pregnant at the time.
And from the film "The Life & Death Of Peter Sellers" it seems Britt was a lovely girl and Peter was a monster?
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Mk 3 S Meister
MCR Member
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Posted: Tuesday January 2nd, 2007 06:08 pm |
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| There is a fine line between genius and madness and there are two sides to every story.
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taffy1967
Member
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Posted: Tuesday January 2nd, 2007 07:35 pm |
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True but the facts or stories didn't only come from her but from many other people close to Peter Sellers.
He was a comedy genius, but it appears he could be a very different person behind the camera and those close to him did tend to suffer as a result.
After all just how many times was he married and he said some terrible things about Blake Edwards and to his face in front of everybody.Last edited on Tuesday January 2nd, 2007 07:40 pm by taffy1967 |
minirad
MCR Member
| Joined: | Monday January 29th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 13 |
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Posted: Thursday February 22nd, 2007 09:39 am |
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mab01
It was interesting to see your item about the Britt Ekland Radford Mini, you say you have a press cutting/photo from the Daily Express dated December 1984 (is this date correct?) When I spoke to Miss Ekland in January 2000 she also said that the Mini was stolen and when recovered had been stripped of its parts, but this was not long after she had received the Mini in 1965. As I am interested in Radford Minis I would be grateful for a copy of the press cutting when you find it or the date it appeared so that I can follow it up. No idea what happened to this Mini, I was given the registration number by Sellers son (Michael) some years ago and as of yet nothing has surfaced.
Last edited on Thursday February 22nd, 2007 09:40 am by minirad |
taffy1967
Member
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Posted: Thursday February 22nd, 2007 01:59 pm |
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Like I said, I remember reading an article in the papers around the mid 1980's about how upset Britt was because her hatchback Mini ended up a wreck after being stolen.
The article did make out that it had only recently happened though.
The only image I have of Britt, Peter and her Radford Mini Cooper S is this one:-
 Last edited on Thursday February 22nd, 2007 02:00 pm by taffy1967 |
minirad
MCR Member
| Joined: | Monday January 29th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 13 |
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Posted: Saturday February 24th, 2007 06:31 pm |
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Hi taffy1967
Thanks for the reply and picture I have many pictures of this Mini when new in 1965 at the Radford showrooms, the picture you have sent has appeared in many motoring magazines and also on the cover of MCR own magazine.
I was hoping that mab01 may have now come across the press cutting/photo from his loft or someone else has a copy as I wanted to check this out and see the picture.
Miss Ekland also had a new Mini Cooper in the 90’s I went to buy it from her home in Chelsea but it had already been sold.
So if anyone comes across the Daily Express article as I said I would be grateful for a copy.
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mab01
MCR Member
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Posted: Thursday March 1st, 2007 10:31 pm |
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| Minirad just read your reply, I will try to go through my Mini loft 'archive' this weekend & get back to you. I am pretty sure the date is correct, it sticks in my mind as it appeared in the paper around the time my father died....Dec 1984. (He had the Express delivered every day). A few years ago I dug it out made some p.copies & sent to Miniworld / Mini Magazine. Watch this space!
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minirad
MCR Member
| Joined: | Monday January 29th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 13 |
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Posted: Friday March 2nd, 2007 08:52 am |
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mab01
Thank you kindly for your reply.
I am very grateful for you taking time to look for this article and if possible would l appreciate a photo-copy when you find it, please.
The date may be right when this article was published, but the event may have been a good few years earlier as I cannot see Sellers letting Miss Ekland keep the Mini once they parted?. Although in her book she said after she split with Rod the Mod she went back to Sweden and rode round in a Mini an ex-Sellers one that he had built by Wood & Pickett in 1969. (This Mini was also confirmed by Sellers son).
Look forward to hear from you.
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mab01
MCR Member
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Posted: Friday March 2nd, 2007 10:35 pm |
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Here are the details from the press cutting now retrieved from my loft!
Daily Express Monday December 31 1984
EXPRESS PICTURE EXCLUSIVE
Britt's dream ends as a wreck
by John McCormick. Picture: Barry Gomer
Small B&W picture of Peter Sellers, caption: He sold the car.
Large (1/2 page) B&W picture of Britt Ekland actually sitting on the front of the stripped Mini which is sitting on the road vandalised with no wheels, no bonnet, no grille, dark paintwork looks damaged with light patchwork areas,front bumper with overiders & Mk1 corner bars is present, visible headlamp shell is the rectangular style (were these fitted to Radford & Wood & Pickett?) No.Plate backing plate is still fitted but no Reg plate unfortunately. Leather steering wheel & probably a sunroof can also be seen.
The Article reads:-
Forlorn and sad film star Britt Ekland was reunited yesterday with her "dream car" - now a complete wreck.
She burst into tears when she found the car, stolen before Christmas from outside her Chelsea home.
Engine, battery, doors, windows, headlamps and even numberplates were missing when it was found at Ealing, West London.
"They have done everything they could to it. The only way I could recognise what remained of my car was the little black aerial which I painted myself", said Britt.
"I was heartbroken when I first saw it. There was hardly anything left. It's like a sardine tin now."
A shocked vehicle recovery expert who saw the car also said: "This was not the work of professionals. It was sheer vandalism."
The 20 year-old Mini-Cooper had been treasured by Britt, ever since she bought it from her former husband, the late Peter Sellers.
She said the custom-built Mini was like a Rolls inside, with leather seats and dashboard.
Britt, who married 23 year-old rock singer Slim Jim McDonnel earlier this year, said: "We had been looking forward to spending our first Christmas and New Year as husband and wife in London. Now it has been soured.
"That little car was one of my prized possessions. It has a lot of fine memories." END.
Minirad PM (Private Message) me your address & I will send you a photo-copy by post. I will also get it scanned at work next week and will try to post it here so others can see the photo. Hope this helps your research, let us know if you find any further info on this Mini.
Do you think it is the Radford or W&P, if it was 20 years old as stated at the time it was circa 1964/65?
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taffy1967
Member
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Posted: Saturday March 3rd, 2007 06:26 pm |
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That's great news that you found the article mab01, even though it's slightly harrowing. I remember a similar story appearing in the Daily Mirror at the time, but without any photographs. At the time I was learning to drive in my first Mini and so I was starting to get into the Mini scene and becoming enthusiastic towards the breed, but I also remember feeling very sad after reading that article back then.
So yes it'd be great if you can provide a scanned copy of it here.Last edited on Saturday March 3rd, 2007 06:29 pm by taffy1967 |
minirad
MCR Member
| Joined: | Monday January 29th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 13 |
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Posted: Wednesday March 7th, 2007 07:47 am |
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Thank you mab01 for the information from the Daily Express, I found it very interesting.
I would say that this is the Wood & Pickett Mini she brought from Sellers and mentioned in her book as owning in about 1970, and not the Radford from 1965.
There was a programme screened a couple of years ago about Sellers (not the one with the Hooper Mini in) and it pictured him driving a 1969 Wood & Pickett Mini. The Mini was ‘G’ registered with oblong headlamps (typical of W&P) and Silver over Black in colour. This Mini has also been confirmed by Sellers son.
When I meet Miss Ekland in 2007 she signed a couple of pictures of the 1965 Radford Mini for me and said that had been stolen, so if she is not getting mixed up with the two Minis then she must have had two stolen.
I have also sent you a PM with my address details.
Last edited on Wednesday March 7th, 2007 07:54 am by minirad |
minirad
MCR Member
| Joined: | Monday January 29th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 13 |
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Posted: Friday March 9th, 2007 09:25 pm |
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| mab01 has now sent me the cutting of Britt Ekland and has asked me if I can scan and post I hope you can read it OK? Attachment: britt 2.JPG (Downloaded 83 times) Last edited on Saturday March 10th, 2007 06:46 pm by minirad |
minirad
MCR Member
| Joined: | Monday January 29th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 13 |
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Posted: Monday March 12th, 2007 02:36 pm |
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With reference to the posting by Andrew1967 re Sellers car. The Mini in question is BGJ 947B and at that time owned by Mini toy collector Mike Elkins, Mike was a member of the Mini Cooper register and supported the club stand in the early nineties on a number of occasion (MCR magazine April 1990 pages 11/12). At the time this Mini was said to have been belonged to Peter Sellers or his daughter? although have never seen any proof of this, Sellers did own a 1964 Mini but not this registration number and was not by Radford. Of all that has been written and said Sellers never owned a Mini built by Harold Radfords unless you count the one he purchased for Britt Ekland in 1965.
BGJ 947B was the Harold Radford Sand over Sable demo from 1967, but its history before that date is not known, it made an appearance on a trailer at the ‘Mini in the Park’ show August 1998 and still belongs to the above owner.
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