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Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2017 7:51 pm
by Pete
phil82 wrote:haven't found any cracks on mine but according to the guy I bought them from they weren't raced a lot in the late 60s/70s until he stored them dry for many years.
Well besides going to the shops
or sprinting both Arden as well as the Weslake could be used for App K racing. But I only know Astro who used to race an Arden and tried to do so with a repro Weslake in french App K hillclimbs.
Somehow both aren't really popular in terms of App K racing but besides the "group 1" clubman GTs there aren't any post 65 App K Minis at least I know of. What's the reason of that?
I was talking about the UK really, apart from Mod Prods there's feck all you can use them on. There's sooo much emphasis on pre '66 here, which in theory keeps the costs down. Yeah right!
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2017 8:17 pm
by 999 ORX
Pete wrote:ivor badger 2 wrote: Jim Whitehouse designed the Arden head for Gordon Spice and his 1275
It was for Steve Neal's 1293.
Who's heard the boiled egg story??
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2017 9:32 pm
by ivor badger 2
Pete wrote:ivor badger 2 wrote: Jim Whitehouse designed the Arden head for Gordon Spice and his 1275
It was for Steve Neal's 1293.
Who's heard the boiled egg story??
So it was, sorry "brain fade"
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 11:29 am
by Vegard
I've touched the heads. In my book they are FAAAAR better than the 60ies ones. We're racing them in FIA gp2 pre 1971. The biggest racing class in Scandinavia. Bigger grids than pre 65.
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:56 pm
by phil82
@ vegards: which heads have touched? the repro weslake? are you racing them already?
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 2:50 pm
by GeorgeA
Pete wrote:phil82 wrote:haven't found any cracks on mine but according to the guy I bought them from they weren't raced a lot in the late 60s/70s until he stored them dry for many years.
Well besides going to the shops
or sprinting both Arden as well as the Weslake could be used for App K racing. But I only know Astro who used to race an Arden and tried to do so with a repro Weslake in french App K hillclimbs.
Somehow both aren't really popular in terms of App K racing but besides the "group 1" clubman GTs there aren't any post 65 App K Minis at least I know of. What's the reason of that?
I was talking about the UK really, apart from Mod Prods there's feck all you can use them on. There's sooo much emphasis on pre '66 here, which in theory keeps the costs down. Yeah right!
The FIA Approve they are talking about in the advert is for Group 2
"The head is approved for Group 2.""
Their words
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 3:08 pm
by phil82
i know the head is approved for gp 2 both for cooper s and clubman gt.
I was basically wondering why besides pre66 Cooper S and the late gp 1 clubman GT there are no / nearly no other historic race minis in the UK or here in Germany.
Further up someone mentioned post 65 is App J - aren't you confusing the App with the periods? As far as I know everything related to historic if it's FIA racing is App K and everything "up to date" is App J. Nevertheless the App revers to the old versions of the App J.
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 3:35 pm
by rich@minispares.com
phil82 wrote:
I was basically wondering why besides pre66 Cooper S and the late gp 1 clubman GT there are no / nearly no other historic race minis in the UK or here in Germany.
.
I think that the 'problem' in the uk is that the standard 'appendix k' 1293 'set' is just so well established and competitive. plus there is so much that you can race a five port in now, from the rarified masters to the more accommodating hscc.
id love to see 8 ports duking out, but they would probably start to resemble special saloons and it just becomes the normal arms race as people would want slicks etc - it will be interesting to see how many come out in the new mini seven 'mental class' as that is restricted a mini block with the head free
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 5:44 pm
by Pete
rich@minispares.com wrote:
id love to see 8 ports duking out, but they would probably start to resemble special saloons and it just becomes the normal arms race as people would want slicks etc - it will be interesting to see how many come out in the new mini seven 'mental class' as that is restricted a mini block with the head free
It'd be great to see some post '66 historics in the UK, ie to Gp5 regs, even if it was once a year at Goodwood MM. They weren't that special (even had to carry a spare wheel!) and it'd mean we get to see Mk1 Escorts, Porkers and Mk2 Minis! Slightly bored of seeing pre 66 grids dominated by a sea of Mk1 Lotus Cortinas.
How come the HSCC allow Imps but Goodwood don't?
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 7:10 pm
by ivor badger 2
GeorgeA wrote:Pete wrote:phil82 wrote:haven't found any cracks on mine but according to the guy I bought them from they weren't raced a lot in the late 60s/70s until he stored them dry for many years.
Well besides going to the shops
or sprinting both Arden as well as the Weslake could be used for App K racing. But I only know Astro who used to race an Arden and tried to do so with a repro Weslake in french App K hillclimbs.
Somehow both aren't really popular in terms of App K racing but besides the "group 1" clubman GTs there aren't any post 65 App K Minis at least I know of. What's the reason of that?
I was talking about the UK really, apart from Mod Prods there's feck all you can use them on. There's sooo much emphasis on pre '66 here, which in theory keeps the costs down. Yeah right!
The FIA Approve they are talking about in the advert is for Group 2
"The head is approved for Group 2.""
Their words
Totally confused. The FIA approve the head for Gp2 when it was made under Gp5. While back in the period they DQd the works minis on the Monte for carb irregularities. Btw this a later year after the lights issue and not the same event.
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 7:13 pm
by Pandora
And where are the Lotus 7s in Historic motorsport in the UK??????
History isn't what it used to be......
Al
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 9:35 pm
by Pete
ivor badger 2 wrote:GeorgeA wrote:
The FIA Approve they are talking about in the advert is for Group 2
"The head is approved for Group 2.""
Their words
Totally confused. The FIA approve the head for Gp2 when it was made under Gp5. While back in the period they DQd the works minis on the Monte for carb irregularities. Btw this a later year after the lights issue and not the same event.
I think it's the difference between UK and European regs, we reverted to Gp2 in 1970.
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 10:55 pm
by Vegard
phil82 wrote:@ vegards: which heads have touched? the repro weslake? are you racing them already?
Yes, the repro ones.
Hopefully racing one this summer.
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 8:25 am
by graham.codling
Vegard in what way are they superior over the 60s version only to make a comparison without actually road testing /race testing them .valves intake ports ex ports casting methods cooling are they better ? .
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 11:52 am
by 999 ORX
so who is actually producing the alloy weslake head? any links?
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 4:29 pm
by mk1coopers
There were (are) being produced in America, possibly
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17343&hilit=alloy+8+port
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 1:18 am
by Austin Costin
Still not really sure how many people have shown interest in the Alloy castings, Roger has had some great results with them though. I would like to hear more about the cast iron head Vegard as the year unfolds, hopefully the initial problems they had have been sorted out.
I had 12 people interested in the heads but as mentioned 25 was the magic number for production, not sure how many people Roger will have in the USA wanting one either.
All of the previous heads that were made by Roger are still in service with no reliability issues at all.
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 8:27 pm
by 999 ORX
Vegard wrote:I've touched the heads. In my book they are FAAAAR better than the 60ies ones. We're racing them in FIA gp2 pre 1971. The biggest racing class in Scandinavia. Bigger grids than pre 65
Ive only just seen this.. You've the touched heads? That's exciting, how was it for you? Did you need a smoke afterwards?
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:06 am
by mk1
As everyone knows I have had my problems with Dean Daniels of Weslake Heritage over the years.
I do however understand he has now "come good" & has a head that is available (on some sort of time scale) & apparently works.
Personally I won't be buying one, but I hope that anyone who does, receives what they pay for & get the service they expect.
I doubt this will be of any great consolation to "Astro's" family though, just one disappointed customer, who died before he received what he paid for!
Re: New weslake heads
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 8:12 pm
by GeorgeA
Pete wrote:ivor badger 2 wrote:GeorgeA wrote:
The FIA Approve they are talking about in the advert is for Group 2
"The head is approved for Group 2.""
Their words
Totally confused. The FIA approve the head for Gp2 when it was made under Gp5. While back in the period they DQd the works minis on the Monte for carb irregularities. Btw this a later year after the lights issue and not the same event.
I think it's the difference between UK and European regs, we reverted to Gp2 in 1970.
I just sent them a email to see what this FIA Approved they claimed was all about and """The head is approved for Group 2."" thats what got back
