After cutting his teeth modifying Ford RS and Cosworth models while working for the Hendy Ford Rally Team, and having a Mk1 Fiesta as his first car, you might think Nigel Marsh was destined for modifying future fast blue-oval models. So why did this Ford fan end up owning and building this MINI track car? Well, Nigel admits his admiration of the firstgeneration grew from running a garage (Engine Evolution), which specialises in them. “Lots of customers started needing theirs fixing, some wanting them modified. I enjoyed the challenge and decided to make my own, ” he tells us as we chat, and a damaged R50 Cooper Challenge car quickly followed. “I used to work in a bodyshop, so we got it in and repaired it – or so we thought. Then, we tried to put a cage in it as I was going to build it – and the cage wouldn’t fit! It turns
