Equipe Arden.

[InimiaD]

All credit to the Resto team.
The car looks amazing. Top job.

[Austin Costin]

[quote="Gray"]Have you used the correct colour bungees Paul???

Not sure about the shade of green

I must admit, it's great to be able to build this car AND be paid for doing it, I usally work on the lower end of the market cars like Astons and Jags

You must not forget though, I also spend much of my time in a dark and dingy garage doing my own restorations, I restored HPE in a single garage in Epsom that I borrowed from my brother in law.
Like you lot its the passion that keeps us going, in fact I now find it very hard to gather momentum after doing it all day at work.

[SteveG]

I think you have my dream job ? Great work, the car looks amazing. Is you CCC finished now?

[graeme1293]

Hi Paul,

Sorry a bit late getting to this thread - fascinating! Car looking good too.

Here is the car when Mary Carney raced it in NZ. The Carneys painted it to match a Willament Escort they also brought back from the UK.




Mary Sharp is the wife of Peter Sharp who had the Ralligrip car in the background - had a locally made 8 port head. Centre car is Alan Boyles Coca Cola Mini - both this and the Carney/Poole car were genuine 970S's.

I'll try and get some more info posted in the next few days.

Cheers

Graeme Farr

[Austin Costin]

Hi Greame, great to have you back on board, I was hoping that you would put up some of the cars NZ history as it was well campaigned here for many years before retirement, I know bits and pieces but mainly what you have told me over the last few years I, for one would be very interested in knowing more.

Another fantastic picture, oozes 70's, fantastic.

How many Sharp heads were made, dont you have one kicking about.

[graeme1293]

Yes its a cool photo!

Re the Sharp heads there were two made - I have the one off the Ralligrip car and a friend has the other. They were made by Philip Sharp - Peters bro - when he was 20 years old I think. Philip went on to work for McLaren - was the carbon fibre guru there I think. The heads were at least the equal of the Arden - but not a copy - the valve arrangement and therefore the cam is different. And not the same as the 5 port either. And very relaible - but with not quite enough water in them - so got hot in the longer races.

I'll post some more on the Poole car soon.

G

[graeme1293]

Earlier Mark asked what happened to the championship winning engine?

From my little knowledge I think Mary and Jim Carney came into contact with Jim Whitehouse as Barry Phillips (a friend of Mary and Jim) had asked them to collect the Poole engine/gearbox and some 12" Cooper wheels from Arden. They were in the UK to pick up the Willimant Escort TC (below)for Jim Richards to drive. Barry had previously arranged to buy the engine from JW.


Mary has been racing a failry standard Aussie Cooper S (now here in Wellington) with some good results. Jim Whitehouse said their plans for the car had changed and it was now for sale - and Jim thought it would be ideal as a step up from the Cooper S for Mary. So they bought it. They arranged a track test which was fetured in the Motor magazine article. In that article is says a new short stroke engine was fitted - apparently well short of 1000cc too - perhaps around 950cc? On the head it is stamped SS - for short stroke. The car today still has this head.

Barry fitted the Poole engine and box to a car he had bought from Rodger Anderson - Rodger had won the 1968 outright saloon car championship with this car and 5 port engine. I think it worked and Barry won the 1000cc championship in the 1970 season. He ran it in the following season too.

In either 72 or 73 he bought the Mary Carney car and I think had both cars for a while - I am not sure which engine went where - and I know he bought another new(Mowog) head around this time too. I do know he had a few engine failures and swapped parts around to keep the car racing.

He than sold the old car but the new owner unfortunately had his garage broken into and parts of the car including the head and twin Dellortos for it were stolen. This could have been the 69 Poole head - but the carbs were a later addition - I assume Barry retained the TJ system - perhaps as spares for the Carney car.

There are at least 3 of the JK 5 speed boxes (which both cars had) still around - I had one for a while. I assume the Poole 69 box is one of these. I haven't traced the TJ for the 69 Poole engine - but it will be a Mk1 system - I have an ex Barry Phillps TJ but it is dated 71 (or 72?) and is a Mk2 system.

G

[Austin Costin]

Hav'nt been working on the Arden for a few weeks now but here are couple of pics with the sign writing finished, Alecs name now back on the side.

Fantastic stuff Greame, and thankyou for putting up some of your knowledge. Brilliant to be able to join forces to really appreciate the history of this car and be part of the journey in the present.








Still a load of detailing to do but the pics are now up to date, will keep the thread running as the car moves forward.

Cheers Paul.

[alexdenevers]

Simply look stunning ! Brilliant job Paul !

[littler]

looking exelent, by far probubly the best condition it has ever been in, even back in the day i wouldnt have been that good.

[graeme1293]

and another thing Paul, I am fairly sure the early JK 5 speed gearbox that is with the car (but I think not being fitted) it actually the one used by Alec Poole in 69 - rather than the one fitted when Mary and Jim Carney bought it from Arden.

Just a bit of trivia!

G

[Austin Costin]

I think that there are 2 gear boxs for the car but aparently they have been the cause of many blow ups due to wrong gear selection.

looking exelent, by far probubly the best condition it has ever been in, even back in the day i wouldnt have been that good.

Unfortunatly your right, but you will be fully aware working with the Astons, if we were to build these cars to an origional spec we would never be paid people these days enjoy finding whats wrong with a car/resto than enjoying the whole picture, and when paying customers are involved the expect the best.
Personaly I would have liked to see the car painted in cellulose with floatation and all, and a few scratches on the drivers floor would finish it off nicely.

On the up side the car will be used for demo runs at various events, the owner also has the Jack Brabham F1 Cooper World Championchip car (from 61 I think) as well as a few more competition cars, the cars will be put into a museum in Aukland.

[mark7]

Austin Costin, i agree it's a shame to have to restore these cars back to better than new condition especially when some of the past history of the car is lost in the process.
At this years Goodwood FOS two cars in the paddock a '59 Ferrari TR completely restored to "new" condition and alongside a very battered Maserati Birdcage, it was interesting to see some peoples look of distaste at this tatty sportscar with it's worn steering wheel and bodywork battle scars but i know which i would prefer!
Oh and well done on a lovely mini restoration just a shame it's destined for a life in a museum

Cheers Mark

[Henry]

A fully restored car is nice of course, but actually I think most people prefer/appreciate a little patina in a race car

[RTJ]

What a great job Paul. The car looks superb. This was always a well turned out car as were most of the top teams, spot on for me.

[acespeed72]

any pics with the rosepetals on the car yet. Great thread and well done on the job you are doing

[graeme1293]

Re the JK gearboxes I would say you have both the 69 Poole one and the one the car came to NZ with. I think you are right about the grief they caused. They also had a very weak reverse gear - designed only to enable the car to be reversed for homologation purposes - but drivers would use it in anger getting back on the track etc - and strip the spline like gears.

Still amazing that both gearboxes are still with the car after all these years!

Also there still exists here the master for the special Arden cam that came with the short stroke engine. Its like a giant lobe and fits on a cam grinding machine.

I have done a bit more research and have found the car was painted in yet another colour scheme - pure white with blue stripes down the side and over the roof. Had Papakura Motors (Barry Phillps company) sponsorship - It was like this briefly in 73 before the NZ Freighters colours.

Graeme

[littler]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MINI-COOPER-AND-S ... arParts_SM

shame thease arent red as this was what you where after bud?

[Austin Costin]

Thanks for that littler, dont think those are the same though.
The ones on the car had an almost spoon shape end, the ones in the ebay pic are tapered to an almost piont type, that I have in my S, the red one almost certainly looks to be the speedwell type.

HAS ANYONE ACTUALLY EVER SEEN THESE SWITCH EXTENSIONS IN RED, IN THE FLESH ? Personally I hav'nt.

[tomkidd]

I've never seen them in red but I have a mate who works in the world on industrial plastics, I will ask and see how hard it would be to make some.