New Arkley Owner

[Tullamore]

Added another spridget to my garage. Any other Arkley owners out there?

History for those who don't know: The Arkley was an English automobile, manufactured by John Britten Garages workshops at Arkley in the London Borough of Barnet. The retro "bug-eyed" design was inspired by a mixture of the Morgan and the original Austin Healey Sprite. They were built on Midget and Sprite chassis, engine and drivetrain.

Never seen one, watch one in action here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x30t-7QrET8

Picture of Arkleys at the owners group in UK

 

[drooartz]

Enjoy it!

You're going to need more garages soon...

 

[jlaird]

Oh that crunching on the gear change hurt.

Intresting little car. Do we know why they were built, to fill what need?

Woops, grats on your latest little car.

 

[Tullamore]

Intresting little car. Do we know why they were built, to fill what need?

According to the literature they felt that the regular spridget weighed too much and that a car should only have what it needs to go fast. The Arkley SS had much larger wheels and tires than the stock car, a lowered suspension and were great for racing.

 

[jlaird]

Thank you, had never seen one before. Always nice to have something that almost no one else has.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Interesting... I've never seen one without doors.

 

[Tullamore]

Interesting... I've never seen one without doors.

Other than the car in their literature I cannot find another like it either. If someone knows more about the cars that did not use the stock door, I would like to know about them.

I have never seen one with a hardtop before either. Obviously the top would also fit a bugeye, it has a glass rear window but plastic straps instead of chrome.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Oh, I thought the doors were molded as part of the tub, but they are actual doors that open. Are they fiberglass?

 

[Trevor Jessie]

BTW, I think the cut down doors and the sidescreens make the car look better than the other style.

 

[Tullamore]

Yes they are fiberglass and on the inside they have door panels that mimic the stock panel. They do not open on my car but they are a separate piece like the literature.

You can faintly see the outline of the door in this picture.

 

[Dug]

Back in the late 70's and thru the 80's the North American dealer was Faspec in Portland OR. Stan Huntley was the owner during that time. I've seen a number of the kits, ones that used a donor car to cut up and graft the pieces on to. I haven’t seen one that was a fully glassed tub like yours before. Stan Huntley was quite the personality and sold a number of them in the northwest. He’s pasted away but the person or persons that bought his business still function and my have some items and or information from back then. When you say the hardtop has plastic “straps” instead of chrome what straps are you referring to?
Last one of these cars I watched being built was interesting, the kit gave you measurements to follow when cutting the rear area of the car off. The first time I went to see the car it had lines drawn out where he was about to cut. The next visit to see the car was after it had been cut. Wow! strange sight. I did end up with the left over bits from the car so that was good.
“dug”

 

[jlaird]

No question about it, that is unique.

 

[zimmy]

i like the doors too, but ill pass on the duct tape hood latch, assuming that grey stripe is tape ...z

 

[bugimike]

I dealt with Stan Huntley & Faspec in the '80s. He was a real nice guy...when did he pass? Bought one of his replacement 'glas bonnets for the BE that he made! It was way better quality than the subsequent replacement I had to get in the '90s!

 

[Dug]

Mike, I don't remember a specific year, seems like 5-6 years ago. He had sold his inetrest in the store before that and had been seen racing his leaf green MKI at PIR more and alot happier.
"dug"

 

[Tullamore]

When you say the hardtop has plastic “straps” instead of chrome what straps are you referring to?

I mean the straps that hold the hardtop on at the windshield. I thought that the factory bugeye top used chrome straps instead of the black plastic ones on my car.

 

[Dug]

I thought that's what you were referring to. Could you post a close up photo of just the clasps?
Yes the factory ones were stamped steel then chrome plated. There was a good copy of the original hardtop that came out at the same time as the "Frogeye" kit car of the mid to late 80's. I did see a few but never looked them over. I just wonder if this is one of those tops? Is the pivot bracket under the clasps plastic as well?