Racing Post

Inspired by Swiftune’s 2014 Longman GT replica, historic Mini racer Steve Jones commissioned Dale Racing to build another. This time it had to be based on Alan Curnow’s awesome Datapost GT.

- Stephen Colbran

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Mention tribute acts to anyone who’s done time in a Spanish holiday resort and you’ll be met with a grimace. ‘Tribute’ has become well and truly tarnished by trashy Elvis suits and try-hard vocals, yet in the Mini scene, things couldn’t be more different. Think of the fabulous 33 EJB rally replica and Swiftune’s Patrick Motorsport 1275 GT from 2014 – both amazing tributes, and arguably even better than the genuine museum pieces.

Swiftune’s GT replicated the original Richard Longman racer that dominated its sub-1300cc class and took two overall wins in the British Saloon Car Championship, predecessor to the BTCC, in 1978 and 1979. The famous blue, white and red colour scheme was an instant hit with the crowds at Goodwood’s 72nd Members Meeting, and Swiftune was subsequently invited to build another replica the following year. The obvious choice then was to recreate the sister car, an attractive Datapost-liveried GT once raced by 1975 Mini Miglia champion Alan Curnow. As with Longman’s GT, the original car still exists, but that was also deemed too valuable to modify and race.

Presumably the build would follow a similar story, job done, but then a curve ball appeared. Jon Mowatt’s former saloon car championship GT came on the market, much modified since the ‘70s, and Swiftune decided to fully rebuild that one instead. You may recall the Mini from our July 2015 issue, when we questioned how long it would be till a third car was born. Thankfully, by then a new project was already brewing…

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