It's always nice to receive a message from a manufacturer of Mini based cars, former or even current, and I was thrilled to hear from Scamp-man Andrew MacLean this week. He wrote: "Hi Jeroen, at very long last….we've managed to find a copy of the famous BBC Tomorrow's World and BBC Top Gear footage of the Robert Mandry Mini based RTV, dating back to 1983." You may remember the RTV as the go-anywhere Rough Terrain Vehicle seen in Maximum Mini 2 and on these pages.
In fact, we saw an RTV in moving images before as the vehicle to be driven to a most unusual record, but Andrew has to put some things straight on that one. Andrew: By the way, the 'Blind Run' RTV was not built by Robert Mandry. Robert sold the RTV manufacturing rights to Lawrence Hawgood, (not Spyder Sport as mentioned in Maximum Mini 2) who took it to the next level. The Blue RTV in the Blind Run video is Ford Escort based....It is badged as Ford...Perry's Ford. It mentions that it is Ford Escort based in the video as Ford were sponsoring the run as well. Please correct this on your website. Thanks. And please mention that a Robert Mandry RTV played a big part as well, in the run, as back up vehicle....It was painted the same colours and carried the British Gas and Perry's Ford logos. I still own this amazing Mini based vehicle and it still wears the same colours...undergoing a slow restoration. Thanks again. Andrew MacLean."
Thank you for letting me know this, Andrew. I have updated the Blind Run article now - see here. Andrew still owns two RTVs and tells me he took over all the spares and production rights from Lawrence Hawgood about 5 years ago, now having enough to build several new Mini based RTVs. Have a look here when interested. Andrew also shared some more information on another of his former Mini-based adventures, but I'll keep that for the next time. Enjoy the video for now.
In fact, we saw an RTV in moving images before as the vehicle to be driven to a most unusual record, but Andrew has to put some things straight on that one. Andrew: By the way, the 'Blind Run' RTV was not built by Robert Mandry. Robert sold the RTV manufacturing rights to Lawrence Hawgood, (not Spyder Sport as mentioned in Maximum Mini 2) who took it to the next level. The Blue RTV in the Blind Run video is Ford Escort based....It is badged as Ford...Perry's Ford. It mentions that it is Ford Escort based in the video as Ford were sponsoring the run as well. Please correct this on your website. Thanks. And please mention that a Robert Mandry RTV played a big part as well, in the run, as back up vehicle....It was painted the same colours and carried the British Gas and Perry's Ford logos. I still own this amazing Mini based vehicle and it still wears the same colours...undergoing a slow restoration. Thanks again. Andrew MacLean."
Thank you for letting me know this, Andrew. I have updated the Blind Run article now - see here. Andrew still owns two RTVs and tells me he took over all the spares and production rights from Lawrence Hawgood about 5 years ago, now having enough to build several new Mini based RTVs. Have a look here when interested. Andrew also shared some more information on another of his former Mini-based adventures, but I'll keep that for the next time. Enjoy the video for now.
VideoBBC Tomorrow's World / BBC Top Gear via Andrew MacLean