Arkley (automobile)
Encyclopedia
The Arkley is an English
automobile
that was manufactured by John Britten Garages workshops at Arkley
in the London Borough of Barnet
.
The first model was a two-seater called Arkley SS, designed by John Britten in 1970 (not to be confused with the famous New Zealand motorcycle
designer, John Britten
).
The retro "bug-eyed" design was inspired by a mixture of the Morgan
and the original Austin-Healey Sprite
. The main purpose was recycling old rusty or damaged Austin-Healey Sprite
s or MG Midget
s. The Arkley SS utilised a BMC A-Series engine
launched by Austin
in 1951.
The Arkley Midget used fibre glass front and rear ends fitted to the donor car. Transformation did not affect the main structural members. There were two versions, the S for standard wheels and the SS for wide wheels.
Peter May, who had worked with John Britten Garages, founded Peter May Engineering in Halesowen
in 1979 and bought the manufacturing rights to the Arkley in 1987. Production continued via Peter May Engineering until 1995, in the form of DIY kits.
Since 1971, around 1000 kits have been sold, but the surviving number today is unknown.
Some kits were modified, such as a one-off called Pink Bathtub, produced in 1990.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
that was manufactured by John Britten Garages workshops at Arkley
Arkley
Arkley is a village in the London Borough of Barnet. It is located north north-west of Charing Cross, and at above sea level is one of the highest points in London....
in the London Borough of Barnet
London Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
.
The first model was a two-seater called Arkley SS, designed by John Britten in 1970 (not to be confused with the famous New Zealand motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
designer, John Britten
John Britten
John Kenton Britten was a New Zealand mechanical engineer who designed a world-record-setting motorcycle with innovative features which are still ahead of contemporary design.-Biography:...
).
The retro "bug-eyed" design was inspired by a mixture of the Morgan
Morgan Motor Company
The Morgan Motor Company is a British motor car manufacturer. The company was founded in 1910 by Harry Frederick Stanley Morgan, generally known as "HFS" and was run by him until he died, aged 77, in 1959. Peter Morgan, son of H.F.S., ran the company until a few years before his death in 2003...
and the original Austin-Healey Sprite
Austin-Healey Sprite
The Austin-Healey Sprite is a small open sports car which was announced to the press in Monte Carlo by the British Motor Corporation on 20 May 1958, just before that year's Monaco Grand Prix. It was intended to be a low-cost model that "a chap could keep in his bike shed", yet be the successor to...
. The main purpose was recycling old rusty or damaged Austin-Healey Sprite
Austin-Healey Sprite
The Austin-Healey Sprite is a small open sports car which was announced to the press in Monte Carlo by the British Motor Corporation on 20 May 1958, just before that year's Monaco Grand Prix. It was intended to be a low-cost model that "a chap could keep in his bike shed", yet be the successor to...
s or MG Midget
MG Midget
The MG Midget is a small two-seater sports car produced by the MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 to 1979. It revived a famous name used on earlier models such as the MG M-type, MG D-type, MG J-type and MG T-type.-MG Midget MkI :...
s. The Arkley SS utilised a BMC A-Series engine
BMC A-Series engine
Austin Motor Company's small straight-4 automobile engine, the A-Series, is one of the most common in the world. Launched in 1951 with the Austin A30, production lasted until 2000 in the Mini. It used a cast-iron block and cylinder head, and a steel crankshaft with 3 main bearings...
launched by Austin
Austin Motor Company
The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...
in 1951.
The Arkley Midget used fibre glass front and rear ends fitted to the donor car. Transformation did not affect the main structural members. There were two versions, the S for standard wheels and the SS for wide wheels.
Peter May, who had worked with John Britten Garages, founded Peter May Engineering in Halesowen
Halesowen
Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 55,273...
in 1979 and bought the manufacturing rights to the Arkley in 1987. Production continued via Peter May Engineering until 1995, in the form of DIY kits.
Since 1971, around 1000 kits have been sold, but the surviving number today is unknown.
Some kits were modified, such as a one-off called Pink Bathtub, produced in 1990.