Jim Whitehouses workshop

[Dai Bos]

This is the old workshop of Jim Whithouses which was in the 60's, 70's and 80's Arden Conversions where the Arden heads and components were manufactured and also many of the cars were prepared here for racing and also the well know championship Arden race car which won the championship.

I cleared the place out about 3 weeks ago and it was a very sad time as it was an end of an era. I'll put somemore pictures on at a later date.

I'd also like to add for 'I'm a bodger', that although this was an all working farm, which breed racecars, there were no moo cows, no piggy-wiggys, I think there were a few chick-chicks here but I was dissapointed that there were no sheep there!

[Dai Bos]

Part 2

[Dai Bos]

Part 3

[Dai Bos]

Part 4

[JC T ONE]

shame when theser places dissapear = so much Mini history.

wanst there a thread about TUY 801F inhere ? that plate reminds me of something ?

thanks for posting the pictures.




Jens christian

[Ronnie]

Thank you for showing Great piece of history.

[AustinSuperSeven]

Awesome pictures.
What an amazing bit of engineering history.
Thanks for sharing

[Red Mist]

Thanks for the photos, incredible!

[COOPERCO]

Very interesting stuff! Would hate to have to find a home for that lot

Mike.

[minicentie]

In those day's they were abble to build engine's and car's in shed's like this.It was hard ,cold ,tiring to get part's and supliers for what was then out of this planet engieniering.
It frustrates me that in modern workshop's they aren't abble to produce standard part's in series without hundred's of mistake's.Let alone what it cost's now in comparisation .
Safety was;look out what you are doing,and work together.Nowaday's you are half a day busy with paperwork,and still lot's of accident's?
They could change and mould a cilinderhead in day's time,while now it is even hard to get some company to mould 1000's without fault's.
I think the workman's skill's have detoriated ,to a level where only a very small group of craftsmen,can restaur and build machine's or parts to a work of art.
WHo are some of the leading people to port a head ;they all had theyr roots in the 60's more or less with downton. Who can build winning engine's ;the same people,although some "younger" enthousiast have seen the light !.
It's sad to see a generation go and have learnd nothing or ignore theyr skills.

[foxy52]

In those day's they were abble to build engine's and car's in shed's like this.It was hard ,cold ,tiring to get part's and supliers for what was then out of this planet engieniering.
It frustrates me that in modern workshop's they aren't abble to produce standard part's in series without hundred's of mistake's.Let alone what it cost's now in comparisation .
Safety was;look out what you are doing,and work together.Nowaday's you are half a day busy with paperwork,and still lot's of accident's?
They could change and mould a cilinderhead in day's time,while now it is even hard to get some company to mould 1000's without fault's.
I think the workman's skill's have detoriated ,to a level where only a very small group of craftsmen,can restaur and build machine's or parts to a work of art.
WHo are some of the leading people to port a head ;they all had theyr roots in the 60's more or less with downton. Who can build winning engine's ;the same people,although some "younger" enthousiast have seen the light !.
It's sad to see a generation go and have learnd nothing or ignore theyr skills.

...all very true minicentie,..for those who have owned a classic mini long enough and are not blessed with the mechanical skills to maintain them there are only a handful of guys who have the the knowhow to do so.. unfort as the years go by a lot of old school mechanics pass away and their wealth of experience is rarely passed down... I am lucky as I have 1 and 1 only guy who I can count on to sort out any problems I rarely have with my car as I personally don't have the requisite skills to do ...simple tasks I do myself but any major work I would dread !!!... foxy52

[slowboy]

cleared the place out about 3 weeks ago

i bet that was an interesting project !

[Dai Bos]

These 4 blocks of alloy measuring 17x6x3 would have ended up eventually being cylinder heads. They were the blocks which would have been melted down to reduce the Arden 8 port alloy head. Unfortunately they didn't make the foundry, as far as I remember, Jim did tell me that the were melted down in separate units. There are some stampings on the blocks and also proof marks which I think it is from 1967.

I'll put some more pictures on as I get time to do so.

Many thanks

Dai Bos

[Dai Bos]

More pics

[Dai Bos]

More pics

[JC T ONE]

Great stuff

keep the pics coming.


Jens Christian



PS, should have bought that JanSpeed rocker cover off you, at Beaulieu

Would have been cheaper than this (pic no 2) = viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7579

[foxy52]

wowzer !!! so who owns the blocks now ???....... just clocks the alloys to ??!! what are they ??... gr8 pics.. foxy52

[guru_1071]

there looks to be some treasures there

thanks for posting the photos up!

[surfblue63]

wowzer !!! so who owns the blocks now ???....... just clocks the alloys to ??!! what are they ??... gr8 pics.. foxy52

Cosmic RW10, maybe copies by Turtle Trading.

http://www.wheeldictionary.net/

Click on the 10" button and scroll down.

[Dai Bos]

Hi, they are definitely not copies, they've come off a 65 Radford.