Does anyone know of what happened to the car of Paddy and Tony GRX 5D that competed in the 1968 Shell 4000 Rally?
Did it stay in North America or did it return to the UK?
Here is a promotional picture of them in Calgary I believe.
GRX 5D started its competion career as a 1275 cooper in group 1 form in the 1966 monte carlo rally with Paddy Hopkirk/Henry Liddon but was disqualified. with following disappointing results until the MASTER Paddy took it to a 1st overall/1st in class on the 1967 curcuit of Ireland in group II, the next best result for GRX 5D was by the late Tony Fall on the 1967 84 hour marathon in group V1 970.Finishing its career on the 1968 Canada shell 4000 with Paddy Hopkirk at the wheel but was disqualified because of a very inventive second radiator fitted to race No 119. at the end of GRX 5Ds career it was passed on to Pressed Steel of Cowley, and then bought by rally man Trevor Smith.then acquired by Gethin Jones. it was later sold at auction by Coys of London on february 14th 1989 for £55.OOO although i do not know who the vendor was. GRX 5D was then acquired by one Simon Howes of St Martin near Monaco who used to drive it to John Cooper Works for his MOT certificate in order to keep the Works registration. GRX 5D has had many changes, ie body shells, engines,gearboxes,racing groupes,equipment, etc,that there is probably four different GRX 5Ds out there, but in my opinion, looking at all the pictures and information available, the car sold at Goodwood is the real GRX 5D footnote, researching Works Minis/Works MGs is a nightmare
