RALLY 1275 GT - The Mini Works

RALLY 1275 GT
ot Works
g
T
G
5
7
12
y
ll
a
R
ex-RAC
Not only has this e sixth off the production line,
connections, it’s th t surviving production example.
es
making it the old
e car that
ing 1275 GT, th
pp
to
eng
ra
e
Cooper but
particularly th
organ Jone
ent for the 998
em
ac
pl
e
S.
re
th
e
Words Martyn M
re
th
fo
as
ndar y Cooper
67, well be
was billed
Mini
onceived in 19
persede the lege
e
su
th
ld
st
d,
ou
be
an
s
w
yl
d’
y
Le
el
ylan
itish
ultimat
spite Br itish Le
formation of Br
in 1969
fill the void
as a mistake ; de
ry shak y star t
w
to
t
ve
pe
a
ha
T
d
ho
ha
’t
dn
an
e
ul
ov
co
m
a
st
Clubm
ju
be
T
to
G
y
e
S in 1971.
ved by man
intentions, th
e demise of the
new
th
e
and was percei
th
ith
w
of
e
ft
le
ov
be
pr
has to be
didn’t ap
that would
t, the 1275 GT
oured.
en
too far. Purists
am
em
en
ac
tly
pl
ac
re
S
ex
t
As an
alone spor ting
the press wasn’
But, as a stand.
n was very
re
tio
ilu
uc
success. It
body st yle, and
fa
od
a
tr
ed
in
judg
n be counted a
behind its
ket
ca
le
ar
it
m
t,
na
up
gh
tio
i
ri
ra
in
n
e
M
th
ow
e
Yet
e th
nudge
model in its
al, nippy, could
as a need to mov t to fit different/
ug
fr
,
re
su
in
to
sound. T here w
afoo
as also pretty
was cheap
ere were plans
ite refined. It w
lised ), a
qu
ia
an
er
as
at
w
d
m
and, because th
ly
an
,
al
ichard Longm
90mph
(this never actu
ce circuits, as R itish Saloon Car
us, the
ra
Pl
e
y.
th
ba
larger engines
on
ne
e
iv
gi
ct
en
Br
effe
space in the
to w inning the
legislation
need for more
nd, although
oved on his way
ith future crash
A
w
pr
.
ed
79
19
gn
d
si
de
an
as
78
19
in
ip
sh
it!
Clubman w
prof
Champion
to make a tidy
ion,
in mind – and
y divided opin
nl
ai
rt
ce
an
T he new Clubm
C
rard Hughes
s Photography Ge
50
MIM212.first_GT.indd 50
4/18/13 1:01 PM
TECH SPEC
inted
all-steel shell, repa
BODY 1969 1275 GTproduction period graphics.
re
Aquamarine with
htened,
ly-balanced and lig
ENGINE 1293cc, ful , S head, 649 camshaft, S
Duplex timing chain ion bottle and Special
ns
radiator with expa oler kit, Longman split 45
co
oil
w
ro
13g
old and
Tunin
urettors, LCB manif
DCOE Weber carb stem.
sy
twin-box exhaust
-ratio fourStraight-cut, close
TR ANSMISSION .
tch
speed, Orange clu
dampers.
y with Armstrong
SUSPENSION Dr
dian
S front discs, Cana ard rear
BR AKES 7.5-inch
nd
sta
r,
de
lin
ster cy
‘export’ tandem ma etition pads and linings,
drums, Mintex comp
fly-off handbrake.
inilite
RES 4.5x10-inch M
WHEELS AND TY eels with 165/ 70x10
wh
magnesium-alloy s.
re
Dunlop SP Super ty
er
ddy Hopkirk co-driv
th
Pa
d
rt in bo
INTERIOR Perio bucket seats, rear ST
SOH 956H took pa 72 RAC
recliner and driver’s sh and instrumentation,
the 1971 and 19
da
s.
llie
Ra
l
na
io
rollcage, full rally
at
rn
te
In
r.
and fresh air heate
ld
u
o
c
,
y
p
ip
n
l,
a
g
u
ure, fr
s
in
o
t
p
a
e
h
c
s
a
"The 1275 GT w mph and was quite refined..."
nudge 90
51
MIM212.first_GT.indd 51
4/18/13 1:02 PM
RALLY 1275 GT
r to its period
Returning the ca
. Ade had to
livery wasn’t easy d white
an
k
ac
bl
study period
e right sizes.
th
s
es
gu
d
an
photos
a nd
h
s
a
d
y
ll
a
r
ll
u
f
,
e
r ‘cag
a
e
r
e
h
t
d
e
t
it
..."
f
g
"Special Tunin of the Group 2 rally preparation
did the bulk
with
Right: SOH 956H an
St
ru
gu
g
rin
Lucas wi
er
Chalmers and form er
ag
an
M
ng
ni
Tu
Special
Basil Wales.
stalled a full
Special Tuning in ments in
ru
st
in
d
an
rally dash
Rally.
for the 1971 RAC
y kind
An H-reg GT of an the
is
is
th
t
bu
,
re
ra
is
oldest survivor.
52
MIM212.first_GT.indd 52
4/18/13 1:02 PM
RALLY 1275 GT
1275 GT
ing production
iv
rv
su
st
de
ol
the
five no longer
gular ‘Works’
. T he prev ious
re
et
a
an
ve
pl
e
ha
’t
th
dn
on
r
’s also the very
the 1275 GT di
there’s more. It
y, a good numbe
or
nd
st
A
hi
t.
is
lly
ex
ra
n
road-tested, as
es,
competitio
GT to have been the very first
to the rally stag
75
on
12
e
st
ur
fir
nt
ve
d
ch is a
ocar did
of cars di
SOH 956H, whi
elaborates : “Aut T hen, a year later,
e,
de
on
A
is
th
g
in
includ
this car.
ample.
road test using
ing a
is
th
s,
very special ex
nd
o-back test pitt
-t
ha
ck
d
ba
ge
a
an
d
ch
di
ly
ey
nt
th
ce
H
re
t SO 956H
nged
Until it
1275 GT agains
inctive car belo
rd
st
di
da
by
ry
an
st
ve
d
an
d
rchase
fabulous
d been modified pear
ith. Since he pu
ch, by then, ha
ap
hi
’t
w
dn
di
its
ar
an
oc
to Ade Wildsm
en more th
ng. But Aut
be
ni
s
Tu
ha
l
ia
had
de
ec
A
,
Sp
th
85
it in 19
odian,
e very car ey
e that it was th
en the car’s cust
is
al
be
!”
’s
re
ne
he
to
the GT through its
tu
r;
rd
ne
ow
in standa
ount of
die Plant putting
re
Ed
am
fo
ge
be
hu
ar
a
ye
ed
a
of
st
s
Airfield,
tested
the hand
and has inve
paces at Hemswell the late ‘70s.
verify ing its
br ief tenure in
d
its
an
g
g
in
in
a
ur
g
ch
n
D
rin
ar
give
time rese
Lincolnshire, du
also
, SOH 956H was
ovenance. He’s
gine was
Special Tuning
en
e
th
f,
histor y and pr
ie
d
br
an
ver. In
erous shows
serious makeo
a big-valve
taken it to num
complete w ith
blinkered. In
,
t
cc
no
93
’s
12
he
t
to
d
Bu
bore
ld.
rallied it too.
e
and LCB manifo
y aware that th
head, 649 cam
ted front
fit
e
er
w
fact, he’s acutel
rs
ion.
n displace
in
io
op
tit
s
pe
de
m
vi
di
Co
e
kitted out w ith
Clubman
mite thing. Som te and rear and it was also
ar
M
a
of
d a 3.9 diff.
t
bi
a
“It’s
people ha
e-ratio gears an
e
os
m
cl
,
so
,
ut
an
-c
ht
bm
ig
Clu
stra
be kept for a
people like the
a candle for
ess cars tend to
ld
pr
,
he
er
s
ev
ay
w
ow
al
H
e
is hard-worked
it. Personally, I’v e 1275 GT,” admits Ade.
and by 1971, th
od
ri
pe
t
w ith
th
or
ly
sh
al
r
end of its time
them, especi
rally replica fo
coming to the
an
ce
as
w
an
bm
r
lu
ch
ca
C
a
od
ilt
go
“I even bu
here was a
ronation
T
.
Co
e
ng
th
ni
d
Tu
di
l
d
ia
st
g an
Spec
on and lo to
histor ic rally in
rly in 1985, this
have been sold
ea
ht
ig
n,
m
he
T
it
.
at
84
th
il Cooper
Rally in it in 19
leav ing work in
t fortunately Ph
er
bu
ft
A
y,
e.
e.
or
st
lif
y
hi
m
new lease of lif
py of
one entered
in and gave it a
d
ip in
I picked up a co
,
pe
sh
ng
er
ep
ni
al
st
or
de
m
e
r
BL
Br igg on
n a large
e advert fo
ra
th
ho
d
w
te
,
ot
er
sp
op
d
Co
s an
ith
Motor ing New
e association w
rimsby.
eds, had a clos
as for sale in G
Le
and had
w
,
ch
am
d
hi
te
w
an
,
ks
H
er
or
SO
and the W
I headed ov
n
n,
do
tio
ng
ta
si
bi
-Works
A
he
ex
y
of
mber
ng a
Without an
and dr iven a nu ing RJB 326F
replica to ow ni
ht
a
ug
ng
bo
vi
ha
om
went fr
or y.”
cars, includ
d a Works hist
r. A very
Cooper S rally
a
d
1275 GT that ha
di
used Group 6 ca the
de
un
A
,
an
or
as
tit
w
pe
m
ch
hi
co
w
on
h
A keen rally
ring 1985,
he finished si xt ed the car
es in the car du
capable dr iver,
us
so
al
e
e
H
on
.
JB
on
R
number of ralli
n
AC Rally in
ht inversio
R
ig
sl
68
a
g
19
ajor
in
m
ag
a
an
though
even m
of a few
e 1969 R AC, al
, albeit in need
th
ed
on
iv
d. His next
rv
lle
su
he
ck
It
-s
t.
ba
re
even
to it being
nded to get
d
te
le
in
s
nt
ay
de
w
ci
al
ac
“I
ts
Cup Rally 1275
new panels.
s Ade. “But even
the 1970 World
ue
as
in
w
i
nt
in
ation
co
”
M
n,
Eddie (left) with
ai
out in it ag
due to homolog
, plus the
t
is
bu
e.
,
th
as
8H
w
30
It
JB
e.
X
recent owner Ad
ok m
GT,
ork, he
kind of over to
me how
Group 6 body w ents. So
on
its
n
ith
w
w
da
es
to
su
n
is
l ev
fact that it bega
e me decide
on internationa see if they
was, which mad
couldn’t use it
to
ng
a
ni
as
it
Tu
l
e
ia
us
unique this car
ched Spec
tition and
oa
pe
pr
m
ap
:
co
he
om
fr
de
r
uld, as A tells ning
w ill neve
to retire it
d help. T hey co
gh the 1275 GT
Tu
ul
l
ou
ia
co
ec
lth
A
Sp
t
,
r.
lo
ly
ca
a
show
it has
AC Ral
of a Cooper S,
ted
“For the 1971 R
fit
us
at
ey
st
th
e
,
l
th
ia
6H
e
ec
95
ev
sp
achi
rticularly
nt him SOH
pa
le
is
ly
e
de the
on
on
t
si
s
in
no
hi
T
es
ake lin
going for it.
‘cage, ran the br
s.”
ar
do
re
e
ku
th
of
d
t
an
lo
a
and has
full rally dash
car, installed a
lk of the
n and did the bu then
tio
ta
s
en
rk
m
o
ru
st
W
in
Given thaleluded to, Ade has undertaken Group 2 rally preparation. Cooppaerred fiveAs already
ch that
s Longman-pre
search – resear
fitted it w ith hi
ith
w
ge S engine.
ng
considerable re
ti
ee
chance m
1293 thick-flan
,
a
rt
g
in
po
w
e event. T he
llo
fo
.
d
star te
didn’t finish th
tion Rally
he
na
,
ro
ly
ab
Co
tt
85
re
19
eg
e
R
s
r its ex treme
Ian Giles on th
tion in his Lotu
was notable fo
na
C
ro
A
R
Co
e
71
th
19
on
cr ippling
e that
“Ian, who w
conditions and
me and told m
er
to
th
ss
e
ea
ro
w
ac
n
ra
e
d a larg
Cortina,
eless, the advers or t, it
zards. Never th
y car and still ha
sh
iz
m
bl
n
up
ow
6H
n
to
95
Ia
H
ed
e.
he us
’t br ing SO
in his offic
dn
sk
di
de
s
er
hi
th
e
ea
ov
.”
w
sket
that it had
picture of it ab
blow n head ga
ask me if I knew
failed due to a
ship based in
er
al
de
BL
then went on to
or
aj
m
(a
s
am
.”
th
La
Rally
the car
done the R AC
uently bought
hing of an
eq
et
bs
m
su
so
r)
as
te
w
es
s
ic
hi
Le
er ted it to dr y
Ade didn’t. T
a jour ney of
ial Tuning, conv ave Lucas, a
n
ec
ga
Sp
be
us
om
th
fr
d
epiphany an
find out that
d loaned it to D
a
was amazed to
suspension an
who used it for
e
discover y. Ade
th
f
lly champion,
mber si x of
ra
l
nu
ca
r
lo
ca
is
6H
be
SOH 95
ppens to
e, and just so ha
production lin
53
MIM212.first_GT.indd 53
4/18/13 1:02 PM
RALLY 1275 GT
Ade originally pu
rchased the
car from Eddie in
early 1985.
number of club
rallies. T he car
was later
loaned to Coop
gear lever and
er for the 1972
this is still fitte
R AC. Cooper
fitted the 1293
d. T he rally
dash, another
S engine from
Special Tuning
XJB 308H
(which he still
fitment, is
battered, the in
ow ns ), and he
conver ted it to
stru
wet suspension
some of the labe mentation is aged, and
using XJB’s disp
lling is delightfu
lacers and
subframes. Unf
lly rustic.
or tunately, som
Talk ing of rust
ething must
ic
have gone aw ry
matting lurks th , beneath the rubber
during the susp
e cr umbling re
ension
swap as, on sp
mains of the
ecial stage eigh
or iginal asbest
os-laden unde
t (Clocaenog),
SOH 956H spat
rfelt. Good for
or iginality – no
out its offside re
t as good for on
ar wheel;
dr um brake, an
e’s health, as
Ade appreciate
d ra
s. Yet, it’s all pa
subsequently ex dius ar m. It
rt of this car’s
link w ith the pa
ited the stage on
st – and it’s all
wheels and was
th
the better for
it. SOH 956H is
promptly retire ree
dr ipping w ith
d! T he
damage inflicte
or iginality
and Ade has go
d by the depart
ne to enor mou
ing rear
suspension is st
s le
keep it so. But
ill ev ident.
he’s only human ngths to
T he car was re
, and he’s
m
ade one or two
turned to Lath
mistakes along
ams w ith
dr y suspension
the way.
and the Specia
“I
re
painted the car
l Tuning
1275 GT engine
back in 1986,”
Ade. “Unfor tu
. In 1973 it was
recalls
nate
purchased
by Peter Shar pe
colour ! T he logb ly, I painted it the w rong
who lived in Sh
ook said Aquam
epshed. T he
car doesn’t appe
the car actually
ar ine, but
ar
left Longbr idge
deal and was so to have been used a great
painted
Aqua. I repain
ld, a year later,
ted it
to Ian Giles,
who broke it fo
two shades light Aquamar ine, which is
r parts. In 1975
, the rolling
er. Funnily enou
shell, the Spec
gh, the car
ial Tuning engi
has been the w
rong colour fo
ne, and the
magnesium M
r much longer
than it was pain
inilites were bo
ught by Eddie
ted its or iginal
Plant. Eddie th
colour ! T his
all adds to its st
en went on to su
or y of course.
ccessfully
campaign the
In fact, Basil
car for a decade
Wales spotted
the car at Beau
.
lieu and he
came up to talk
to me. He hadn
True Blue
’t se
since Special Tu
ning sold it to La en it
Apart from th
thams in
e car’s rally and
1972, but he st
ill noticed that
Special
Tuning histor y,
it was the
w rong colour.
and the fact th
Incredible !”
at it’
oldest surv iv in
g production 12 s the
As well as bein
75 GT, the
g two shades lig
real attraction
it should be, SO
is its authentic
hter than
ity. T he
H 956H is also
body work still
wearing the
w rong seats. “A
bears ev idence
fter the car’s in
to its various
br ushes w ith th
vers
1985, one of th
e scener y and th
e Special Tuning ion in
e interior is
not just patina
bucket seats
separated from
ted, it bears the
its mounting fr
hallmarks of
hard use. T he pa
ame,” says
Ade. “So in the
rts and equipm
quest for safety
ent are
almost all or ig
, I binned
both seats and
inal too. Specia
replaced them
l Tuning
installed a talle
w ith Paddy
Hopkirk bucket
r Austin/ Mor ri
s 1100 /130 0
s. I really shou
ld have kept
the or iginals th
ough !”
54
MIM212.first_GT.indd 54
4/18/13 1:02 PM
EDDIE PLANT
- TEN YEARS W
ITH SOH 956H
“I bought SOH 956H
from Ian
Giles in 1975,”
remembers Eddie. “It
was always up again
w
st
advertised by Minibi as in Motoring News and
more money than m a couple of guys who had
ts in Weston super
e and used top-notc
Mare,
which was run by Ian
h engine
builders. That’s my
Gi
excuse
ex-Works. I was rally les. The advert said
ing a Mini at the tim
The car was a joy to anyway!
e and SOH
956H looked to be
so much power that drive. There wasn’t
a re
it be
on the Friday; paid ally good car. I drove down
un
Ian
controllable and it ha came
borrowed a van, drov the deposit, and then
And, compared to ev d terrific handling.
e
er
picked it up. I boug down on the Saturday and
previously, it was ex ything else I’d had
ht it
ceptionally well built
negotiate separate as a rolling shell and had to
and very strong. It w
ly fo
as reliable too. I lov
engine that’s still in r the engine, which is the
ed
driving it.
the car. I seem to re
member
paying £750 for the
sh
Then, after ten year
windscreen, which ell. I wanted the heated
work commitments s of use, family and
Ian had removed, bu
int
t I didn’t
have enough pound
up for sale. The first ervened and I put it
notes left!
pe
I built the car up an
was Adrian. He said rson to contact me
wha
Midlands and in the d rallied it in the East
before I get there. Ad tever you do; don’t sell it
no
ria
club rallies; I also di rth of England. Some were
and I was still in my n had come off night shift
da
pyjamas when he ar
rallies such as the Du good number of national
rived! I
have very happy m
ke
emor
gravel events – I pref ries. I contested tarmac and
happy memories ind ies of SOH 956H, very
erred the gravel. M
eed.”
y be
was third in class, w
hich was a regular oc st result
currence. I
Eddie throwing up
the dust in 1984,
a year before Ad
e took ownership.
SOH enjoyed muc
coverage in the ha h press
nds of BL
and Special Tuning
.
Below: 1293cc m
otor
fully balanced, an has been
d features a
Cooper S head, a
649 camshaft
and split twin Web
ers.
"Apart from the
ra
Special Tuning hlly and
ist
the real attractioory,
n is
its authenticity..
."
MIM212.first_GT.indd 55
4/18/13 1:02 PM
RALLY 1275 GT
or iginal, as
sumpguard is
Even the Dural
the
d
an
sium Minilites
Tuning
l
are the Magne
ia
ec
Sp
ing system.
ak
br
e
et
pl
m
co
discs, a tandem
7.5-inch front
fitted Cooper S
dr ums, and a
r, standard rear
master cylinde
is system
th
ake. On paper
fly- off handbr
not really up
s
it’
e
t in practic
bu
,
od
go
ds
un
so
der gives a
em master cylin
to it. “T he tand
d capacity
the limited flui
poor pedal and
de. “Phil
A
boiling,” says
tends to lead to
it’s something
d
an
is
ained of th
pl
m
co
er
op
Co
rd single
ced. T he standa
I also experien
uch better.”
r S system is m
master cylinde
too.
other changes
T here have been
is
th
went to tow n on
om
Special Tuning
-lo
in
e, it had a tw
car. For exampl
itch has two
where each sw
em
st
electr ical sy
the event of
o positions. “In
the sw itch
circuits and tw
you’d just flick
,
ng
ili
fa
t
ui
rc
one ci
presto, power
sition and, hey
po
nd
co
se
its
to
de. “It was a bit
ed,” explains A
ed it to a
would be restor
I’ve since return
d
an
gh
ou
th
complex
single loom.”
much simpler
to its period
turned the car
Ade has also re
ptionally well,
been done exce
aken not
liver y. T his has
ork was undert
w
e
th
l
al
as
ly
especial
fore the
apter ncée Rachael
ters, but well be
A New Cy whon
derful fia
only pre- compu et. “When I bought the
m
hter,”
“In 2012,
gely faithful to
tern
in
e
th
of
en
nt
a beautiful daug ging
be
ve
terior remains lar
d
ad
In
ith
ha
e
w
ls
e
ca
m
d
de
te
al
Tuning days, asid
presen
e chan
e or igin
the car’s Special
his has been lif
llow ing my
car, most of th
s.
fo
“T
.
et
ut
ck
de
“B
bu
A
.
y
irk
es
m
de
pk
k
us
A
Ho
ea
enth
tions
from the Paddy
se I needed to br
hich was
removed,” men
d it was the excu remarkable car.”
ith Ian Giles, w
w
an
ng
ti
y,
ee
or
m
st
ce
hi
this
chan
d some
s in fact,
long tenure w ith
that the car ha
tenure, 28 year
time
ng
of
when I realised
lo
nt
a
ou
en
be
am
s
ge
It ha
r SOH 956H
ng a hu
e Ade’s cared fo s shows
les and
I began spendi
m
ti
tic
ar
ch
e
hi
in
w
az
ng
ag
ri
ou
du
hm
ken it to numer
trawling throug r ev idence of its or iginal
premely well, ta r the 1275 GT cause.
fo
su
g
in
ok
e
lo
th
s,
l
rt
al
repo
cause
ders fo
and done won
ted in 1986. Be
part of this
decals. T his star black and white, colourbecome a major
s
ha
he
,
ed
de
e
In
has just
er
w
at
s
th
d
e
ph
stor y, on
photogra
d I also ha
r’s
an
t
ca
ul
g
ic
in
ff
at
di
in
er
sc
fa
rath
, I did it to
matching was
apter.
e size. However ’ve come
begun a new ch
th
ht by Simon
e
at
im
st
es
ey
to gu
just been boug
th
s
k
ha
in
r
th
ca
d
he
an
“T
ty
ili
burgh,” says
ab
y
Works in Edin
.”
i
the best of m
in
tic
M
en
th
he
T
au
of
ok
Drew
an ex-Works
and lo
ed to full
en look ing for
out really well
ifi
be
’s
od
on
m
e
as
im
w
“S
.
ch
de
A
was happy in th
T he engine, whi by Special Tuning, is
ow n use and I
s
He
hi
s.
r
fo
nd
i
69
ha
in
M
19
fe
ssing into sa
pa
Group 2 spec in es the or iginal production
as
w
it
e
to
dg
it
knowle
atur
e work to return I
S head,
authentic. It fe
at
s to continue th
th
e w ith five-port re it
nd
n
et
te
pl
tio
in
m
ca
co
ifi
is
ec
d
block an
t’s tenu
AC Rally sp
an
R
Pl
e
72
di
19
to
ll
Ed
d
g
fu
ar
e
in
th
ur
y
e look forw
and 649 cam. D
80cc by Howle
ck in 1985.” W
13
ba
to
d
d
te
re
ar
st
bo
d
was rebuilt an
ect continue.
ebers, the
seeing the proj
ngman split W
by
d
de
ad
e
er
Racing. T he Lo
w
finishing touch, le -ended
perfect period
to:
doub
e
on
a
vi
d
lie
Thanks “G
uxcare, Ian
Ade. Fuel is supp were used or iginally) and
ar y Dixon of Va
ks
d
an
th
de
o
A
w
(t
t for the help an
filter.
SU fuel pump
rlain Motorspor
cas C AV diesel
d
be
Lu
an
m
a
le
h
ha
C
op
ug
pe
ro
y
th
it’s filtered
and the man
ator (w ith
photo location,
is jour ney.”
tesy of an S radi
er
ol
co
l
oi
been part of th
Cooling is cour
al
ve
in
ha
ig
or
ho
e
w
s
th
d
nd
an
ie
)
fr
le
expansion bott
pipes.
ith ST MGB oil
w
e
et
pl
m
co
t,
ki
SOH has recently
been purchased by
e
Simon Drew of Th
in
ks
or
W
Mini
Edinburgh.
fuel
Double-ended SU filter.
e
th
e
ov
ab
s
pump sit
56
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