Ryan Lee Arden 970 cooper s

[anis]

I was wondering what happened to this car?

http://www.lynxae.co.uk/images/Arden%20mini.PDF

[billycooper]

I bet its still with them, it ran at Fastest Mini in the world in 2000 ... be nice to see at Blyton if any one knows the family

[Pete]

Isn't it this car?

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8598&p=71761&hilit= ... ern#p71761

[anis]

I don't think it is this car because the car has been standing with the Lees until 2000 at least. Incredible car. I love it.

[Fanfaniracing]

hey Christophe

tu as la culasse et l'injection de cette Voiture...

[mab01uk]

I was wondering what happened to this car?

http://www.lynxae.co.uk/images/Arden%20mini.PDF

Thanks for posting. The 1972 entry lists bring back many memories, I was probably at the Silverstone race with Pete Northover who often raced with my brother in 850 Free Formula, also good the see our old friend Chris Tyrrell leading the Mini 7 pack in the photo at Brands Hatch, I think I was at that meeting too. We rarely missed the Brands club racing weekends being our most local circuit. Happy days!

[Oldskoolbaby]

This is indeed my car. I bought it off of Jon, Ryans son, 10 years ago when I was 18. I bought it originaly to carry out the typical 18 year old modifications.....you all know the kind!!! 13" wheels, modern this that and all the other. I'm pleased to say I hardly touched the car snd ended up dry storing it for 8 years until I grew up a little. Deep down I suppose I always considered it an interesting car.
I took it out of storage last spring and it is still in fantastic condition with zero rust anywhere. Its now about to go in for a tidy up and fresh paint. I am currently building it back to its original spec that Ryan Lee had. Although I am still fiddling with the reliable one off 16v engine, I am building up a 970 S Arden 8 port for it and hopefully fitting the original type TJ Injection system to it.
I'm still in regular contact with Jon. Only today he contacted me regarding an Arden head he has found for me. I would love to make the haul up to Blyton but I very much doubt the engine will be done.

[anis]

It is good to know that the car is still alive and i wish you a good luck with it.

I really appreciate that you share your memories with us. I have sparkles in my eyes thinking of that Time...

[1977peter]

It"s nice to see mention of 70"s special saloon drivers, one name on the brands entry list was TONY APCAR-his one litre mini was probably one the best known cars in that period-BOX 1 previously driven by BILL BORROWMAN to numerous wins in scotland. Tony Apcar was a Sidcup based driving instructor and both he and BOX 1 seemed to vanish almost as quickly as they appeared. I wonder where that car is now?
Happy New Year.
PETER HILL

[anis]

i was asking about this car because from the pictures i think i have the original head and injection of this car. i know the setup went form hand to hand in Switzerland at first together and then separately. i could bring them back together with the help of a very kind person i met on this forum.
i was wondering how the setup arrived here.

[Oldskoolbaby]

I reckon you should let the TJ, head and car find themselves back together personally

[Oldskoolbaby]

So after a busy few years the car is still not finished. However 95% of all the engine parts are together and the car will be getting built in the not too distant future. The only difference the car will have from 40 years back is it'll now be running a Kuglefischer fuel system. Much of the cars history, pictures and papers have been unearthed by Ryan Lee including letters from Bill McGovern, the first owner and Jim Whitehouse of Arden Automotive regarding the fuel injected 8 port engine supplied.
It seems Ryan has kept tons of pictures, race results and new clippings of the cars progress in the Kent Messenger championship and other special saloon races.
I am currently expecting my second child and am extending my house to suit. It should also give me a bigger garage to work in so progress will come shortly.

This picture is of Bill McGovern driving the car shortly before selling it to Ryan Lee

[Oldskoolbaby]

Again this is McGovern driving the car. I'm guessing around 64' or 65'. Ryan lee bought the car in 1965.

[Oldskoolbaby]

Here are a few pics of Ryan Lee at the wheel. The car went from a 5 port 970 with no arch extension to a fully developed 8 port with a whole heap of modification.

[Russsellmk1]

One of my favourite cars. I'd love to see pictures of where you're at with it at the moment?
It's a shame you can't source TJ but I think Kugelfischer could be a really good alternative - it seems you are further ahead with a project I would like to do. You may be interested in my post on another thread showing a KF Arden in period:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9206&p=183018#p183018

Oh and nice to read I'm not the only one juggling things with a young family!
Tom

[Oldskoolbaby]

Thanks Tom,

The car only really requires paint and engine assembly to be honest. The shell is in brilliant original condition with all the original floor pans etc. There is the odd battle scar but I'm pretty keen to keep them.
Regarding the TJ it is possible to find it but its bloody expensive and not that great. A good analogy I was told of fuel system was Lucas injection was the Rolex of the watch world. I can tell you the time by the year, month, hour, minute and second. Kuglefischer is the cheaper Casio. Will do everything you need but give the time by hour, minute and second. TJ on the other hand is a sun dial!!
As I intend to race it I would rather a good reliable fuel supply so opted for something similar. I would like to mount the Mercedes fuel nozzles on to original TJ throttle bodies so but I am still looking for them.

[graham.codling]

Mercedes fuel nozzles will require a very high fuel pump pressure to make them spray .tj injection certainly is not the sundial of fuel injection probably not understanding how it works has made you come to that conclusion (didn't Lucas steal some of their ideas ?)

[Russsellmk1]

What Mercedes injectors are we talking about? I don't think you can get higher pressure than KF without going to direct injection anyway. Why not just use the KF bmw tii injectors?

I don't know anything about TJ unfortunately, only that it's the rarest and when I spoke to Norman Seeney (Equipe Arden) recently he said it was quite a capable system but they only used it as they couldn't dream of affording the Lucas. What little info I can find online it seems people struggle setting it up, if that's due to equipment or operator I don't know. I would love to have a go with one. Did Lucas copy from TJ?

Lucas and KF I have experience of (non a series). I think the KF is superior, mainly for its much higher injection pressure and ability to vary fuelling with both rpm and throttle position.
Internally the precision of the KF is arguably greater as it has to reduce fuel leak by past its pistons at several times the pressure of the Lucas shuttles. Both are extremely well made however.
I think the only thing Casio about KF is availability and price.

Lucas and TJ will quite rightly, always be more desirable for a mini as they're British and were used by the works and UK privateers. And remember although KF was around in the Mid 60's it's only really available today in its early '70s form.

Oldskoolbaby - I think you should end up with a absolute gem on KF. Its a very exciting project. It's perhaps a shame you can't find the TJ your car had in period but if it ever turns up there's no reason you can't switch back.
Tom

[Oldskoolbaby]

I do have the BMW injectors/nozzles but have been told by a very good Lucas and KF specialist that the mercedes nozzles work really well on race cars they setup. They have also developed a way of setting the system up in a conventional mapping way via laptop on a rolling road. Taking the fuel graphs they then convert the numbers into a CNC program to produce a near perfect cone for the pump.

I am still in close contact with Ryan and Jon Lee who used the original TJ so knowledge of the TJ isn't an issue. I would just prefer something a little more sophisticated from the 70's as far as delivery is concerned not to mention semi reliable.

[Russsellmk1]

That can only be Mike Lucas. I am at rolling road with him on thursday and can't wait to see the laptop controlled master pump in operation. It seems to be a super clever bit of engineering. I'll ask him all about the injectors then.

Have you worked out mounts and drive for yours yet?
Tom