RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

Sometimes a chance encounter can have a dramatic effect. So often it’s a case of being in the right place at the right time and making the most of the situation. One seemingly average day, Darren Needham was working in his kitchen and bathroom shop when the conversation with a customer turned to the subject of cars. Once a 1976 Leyland Mini that might soon become available was mentioned, Darren’s ears suddenly pricked up and before he knew it he’d bagged himself a new project.

“My first car wasn’t a Mini, it was the Mini’s roomier relative, a 1000cc Metro,” Darren recalls. “I ended up turning it into an MG replica using parts from a donor car with a blown engine.” The lookalike theme continued