A few years ago 'your' spent Auto Motor Klassiek extensive attention to an Arkley. A polyester kit that could be used to make a kind of 'baby Morgan' from an Austin-Healey Sprite or an MG Midget. An invention of the - now the late - John Britten.
In Arkley
Indeed, he was a Morgan dealer and based in Arkley. It was a success, partly due to his racing activities, which earned him one after another victory in the then British championships. The polyester fabric was, incidentally, manufactured by the Lenham Motor Company, a company that at the time also engaged in the profound modification of the Austin-Healey Sprite and MG Midget. Also with great success.
Exceptional
In our country there are at most three, maybe four Arkley's. Of which we know for sure that there is only one driving, but that is not yet on Dutch registration. Despite a respectable number ever produced, it is nowadays a rare appearance. Also in Great Britain. Great was the surprise in the vicinity of the British Lancaster to see a very ruined specimen in a garden. A total restoration object, because almost all of the MG Midget tin was digested ... The owner had once intended to restore the thing, but had 'got stuck'. Many of the components - standard Spridget - had found a new owner over the years. The Arkley was delivered at the time as a complete car built by Arkley and as such put on British license plates. Or the handy tinkerer could buy the bodywork - actually a complete, foldable bonnet with fenders and a sticky-on, complete rear - and get going on it yourself. Such a car remained on license plate as MG Midget or Austin-Healey Sprite. Unless 'the factory' - after inspection - gave the blessing and re-registered the thing as Arkley. The copy from 1967 that we traced was on license plate as such ... A little longer a moment of doubt, but no, back on earth, just driven on ...
Photo: The restoration of this Arkley takes a little longer than a few weekends of tinkering ...