Another little piece of Mini derivative history has just been saved, with the prototype of the Brookwell Trifid (6 built in the early 1990s) fully restored. The three-wheeler was originally built on a shoestring (they spent £90) by Phil Wells and Mark Spriddell with the idea to beat other entries in local Norfolk trials, where it did remarkably well.
Some years ago I spent a great day with Phil, who is still in the Norfolk countryside, only to find the prototype three-wheeler as a hulk of rust in one of his barns. Fast forward to earlier this month and a message from the man arrived: "The prototype is back together. Mark’s done a sterling job with no help from me…" Well done chaps. And now time to play with it!
This was a few years ago. Not easy to recognize the Brookwell Trifid in it…
Picture Jeroen Booij
Clever engineering using as much of the Mini's mechanicals as was possible
Picture Jeroen Booij
Classed for local production car trials,it weighed around 390kg and did really well
Picture Jeroen Booij archive
Just like then, but now fully restored by Mark Spridell and back in its original colour
Picture courtesy Phil Wells
The Mini’s rear subframe was modified to take one wheel with a front rubber suspension block
Picture courtesy Phil Wells
Mark and Phil have been into Mini derivatives for decades. Here Mark's Trifids and a Minus
Picture courtesy Phil Wells