1966 poster
pic 1
1.
pic 2
2.
pic 3
3.
pic 4
4.
pic 5
5.
pic 6
6.
pic 7
7.
pic 8
8.
pic 9
9.
pic 10
10.
pic 11
11.
pic 12
12.
pic 13
13.
pic 14
14.
pic 15
15.
pic 16
16.
pic 17
17.
pic 18
18.
pic 19
19.
pic 20
20.
pic 21
21.
pic 22
22.
pic 23
23.
pic 24
24.
pic 25
25.
pic 26
26.
pic 27
27.
pic 28
28.
pic 29
29.
pic 30
30.
pic 31
31.
pic 32
32.
pic 33
33.
pic 34
34.
pic 35
35.
pic 36
36.
pic 37
37.
pic 38
38.
pic 39
39.
pic 40
40.
pic 41
41.
pic 42
42.
pic 43
43.
pic 44
44.
pic 45
45.
pic 46
46.
pic 47
47.
pic 48
48.
pic 49
49.
pic 50
50.
pic 51
51.
pic 52
52.
pic 53
53.
pic 54
54.
pic 55
55.
pic 56
56.
pic 57
57.
pic 58
58.
pic 59
59.
pic 60
60.
pic 61
61.
pic 62
62.
pic 63
63.
pic 64
64.
pic 65
65.
pic 66
66.
pic 67
67.
pic 68
68.
pic 69
69.
pic 70
70.
pic 71
71.
pic 72
72.
pic 73
73.

24 heures du Mans, 1966

The Mini Marcos Mk.I (MM 6102) of Claude Ballot-Léna and Jean-Louis Marnat finished the race in 15th and last place but was the only British car to qualify as a finisher in 1966. The engine was a Monte-Carlo Rally spec. 1275 Mini Cooper 'S' unit ordered off the shelf from the BMC Competitions Department who had no idea what it was going to be used for!

The pictures showing the car without headlamp covers were taken on the Sunday of the race as the covers were removed during the night to improve illumination. Photos 1 and 15 were probably taken during qualification or testing - note the fewer air holes at the top of the radiator box. 28 was noted as 'Avril 1966' so was also during qualification. Photo 62 is also thought to have been taken during testing. Note no number circle lamps.

Picture 32 shows how the kit got to France, piggy-backing on Billy Dulles’s Mini Pick-up.

Photos 1 to 5 © Washington Photo, 194 bis rue Nationale, F-72000 Le Mans.
Photos 6 to 10 kindly scanned for us by Gérard Boulin.
Photos 11 to 13 © Sport Auto 1966
Photos 18 and 38 © Michel Bollée
Photo 21 by Paul Parker, Sportscar racing in Camera © Ferret Fotographic
Photos 29, 30 and 32 source pilotos-muertos.com (Spanish)
Photo 31 © l'Automobile 1966
Photos 33, 34 via Maximum Mini
Photo 39 © Archives Dominique Pascal
Photo 40 © Autosport
Photo 41 © Motorsport
Photo 43 © RENAULT TV from Film Club Les Mans 1966-1977 (frame grab) (Watch video here)
Photos 44-48 © David Friedman Collection
Photos 49-50 © Guy le Page - taken at the Esses during qualifying, 2nd April 1966.
Photo 52 by Max Le Grand © Ludvigsen Library Ltd., London.
Photos 53 and 54 taken during Le Mans trials, April 1966.
Photo 55 is at Tertre Rouge.
Photo 56 © motoring-man.
Photo 58 courtesy of Richard Heseltine.
Photos 59-61 courtesy of Volker Holz.
Photo 63 © Philip Hazen via racingsportscars.com
Photo 64 © Sport Auto.
Photo 65 © Autocar & Motor.
Photos 66-69 courtesy of Tom Wiggers.
Photo 70 © British Pathé 1966 (frame grab) (Watch video here)
Photo 72 offered by “Motoring-man”.

Thanks to all the photographers concerned, and to Tom Wiggers, Axel Desjardins, Billy Dulles and others for the leads.

View all photos as Slide Show

See also Auto Passion profile of Claude Ballot-Léna.
Obituary: Claude Ballot-Léna
and Mini Marcos 6102 in Members' Cars.

<back | sport | next>

Valid HTML 4.0! Acorn computer Home

Last updated 16th April, 2023