Engine Punk

  That's not just the early morning sunshine that's so dazzling - it's the level of preparation on some people's cars. The CMR Special of Jon and Calvin Moores could be too shiny to get muddy... (not) 2025 saw a great deal of activity on the Arkley-MG but not much actual action. After a Did Not Finish on the Exeter and the Edinburgh and a Did Not Start on the Land’s End, I thought I might try a little drive in the country with Sally. The 78 th Tamar Trial, run by the Launceston & North Cornwall Motor in memory of Peter Cooper, started from Maunders Yard in Launceston on a glorious autumn morning. In recognition of this Indian summer, the L&NCMC had raised everybody’s minimum tyre pressures on almost every hill. Frinstance, the first hill, Petherwin Old Hill had a minimum tyre pressure of 18psi for us in Class 7 and a restart on a sneaky deviation but, as the start line marshal said, we didn’t have any problem getting away. Only a couple of hills had no limit ...

This is me getting up Simms! With Simon Knight (Photo : Pete Brown) To celebrate one a half tons of Vintage Things, - yes! 150 of them - here is my cheekily little Arkley-MG. It originally started life as a 1275cc MG Midget in 1973 but by the time I got to know it, over 20 years ago, it sported the bodywork of an Arkley SS and completely different running gear. My car stands a lot taller than other Arkleys The Arkley kit consisted of a new bonnet and boot moulding for careworn Spridgets. The man behind them was Modsports racer John Britten and I first read about the Arkley SS in Peter Filby's Alternative Cars 1979. Production began in 1970, with moulding produced by the Lenham company, and cars based on really early Spridgets needed a bespoke hood. Conversions based on post 1967 cars don't need a special hood so my M-reg example can use a standard Midget hood. (More of that later.) Arkley survival rates aren't bad considering that rust was the main reason they were converte...