Howley Single OHC head

[Exminiman]

Just been reading about this, never seen one, has anyone got one, wondered what they are like ?

Maybe got eclipsed by the KAD 16 valve, but i understand Mini-spares have the rights to manufacture them ?

Quite a lot of info on MK 1 Conversions site https://mk1-performance-conversions.co. ... racing.pdf

Could be a practical in between 16 valve and 5 port......

Did they make many ?

[wantafaster1]

There was a mini featured in Mini Magazine about 25 years ago with one fitted, I think only a few were made.

[Exminiman]

Wonder why MS haven't released them,If indeed, they do have the rights to make them.

[mab01uk]

I remember getting that same Howley brochure at the time (still have it) but don't recall seeing the OHC head featured on the cover on sale or tested in any magazines back in the day?

John Chappell - Howley Racing
"For a while back in the early 1970's with Special Saloon racing at its most popular John Chappel became the fastest man in a Mini around Oulton Park. He rivalled Geoff Wood as the 1-litre king always in his dark blue and white-roofed Cooper under the Howley Racing (of Warrington) banner. For 1972 John moved up a class with a 1293cc engine and set a new class record of 1 minute 50.2 on the long circuit. Always content to just race in his native north-west rather than chase national championship honours John won his class at least 34 times in his career from at least 1965 to 1977. Later concentrating on his Howley business his younger brother? Brendan Chappel continued the good work in the team's 850 class Mini racer in the latter half of the 70s."

[Exminiman]

I was reading about it in the Vizard, yellow book. So assumed that if it got into there it must of been more than just "flying a Kite"....maybe not though.

I just thought it looked a neat idea, neater in many ways than the twin cam 16Vs....

[keith@minispares.com]

Wonder why MS haven't released them,If indeed, they do have the rights to make them.

The original was loaned to Steve Salter who raced a Toyota Starlet and fitted the head to his car but never returned it and he sold the car and the head re-appeared briefly. The original tooling was sent to Australia by Keith Calver who's friend there was going to develop it. It was to massive a task for him and we await the return of the tooling but have no intentions of putting it into production as it was designed for a road car and only produced a certain amount of power

[murty]

Wonder why MS haven't released them,If indeed, they do have the rights to make them.

The original was loaned to Steve Salter who raced a Toyota Starlet and fitted the head to his car but never returned it and he sold the car and the head re-appeared briefly. The original tooling was sent to Australia by Keith Calver who's friend there was going to develop it. It was to massive a task for him and we await the return of the tooling but have no intentions of putting it into production as it was designed for a road car and only produced a certain amount of power

How would it compare to an Arden 8-port in terms of power and torque?

[Exminiman]

Wonder why MS haven't released them,If indeed, they do have the rights to make them.

The original was loaned to Steve Salter who raced a Toyota Starlet and fitted the head to his car but never returned it and he sold the car and the head re-appeared briefly. The original tooling was sent to Australia by Keith Calver who's friend there was going to develop it. It was to massive a task for him and we await the return of the tooling but have no intentions of putting it into production as it was designed for a road car and only produced a certain amount of power

Thanks for the insight Keith, forgetting the racing, it looks like the A series head that BL should of made.......to replace the 5 port.

[keith@minispares.com]

I believe it was a copy of prototypes being played with by BMC but not put into production because of company politics and money as john Chappel had a few friend there via his racing