In 1973 Stephen, the owner of this featured Mini de Joux, went to a gravel hill-climb held at Hoopers Inlet on the Otago Peninsula. The event was won by John Rush driving a car he had never seen before, it was a de Joux GT, better known as the ‘Mini de Joux’. At the time he had no idea that it was a car designed and manufactured in New Zealand. Its handling and performance caught his attention, and he thought that one day he would like to own one.
The Mini de Joux first appeared in a 1965 edition of the Motorman magazine as a series of sketches and a clay mock-up. Early interest was high but potential buyers would have to wait until 1969 before the prototype rolled onto the road. It was based on one of the most popular cars of the day, the Leyland Mini, and took the ‘flying brick’ to a completely new level.
SIDELINE SPECIAL
At the time its creator, Ferris de Joux was working full time
