36 replies to this topic

[BRG]

Back in the mists of history, there were so many names of tuners and performance parts suppliers that were part of the fabric of motorsport. Many - most indeed - are long gone. This thread is to bring some of them back to mind.

For example, in my neck of the woods, we had VW Derrington in Kingston who provided go-faster stuff for all sorts, and Avonbar Racing in New Haw (Mini specialists). But there were so many others - Speedwell in N. London (famous for connections with Graham Hill and Ann Wisdom) for instance, SAH Accessories for all things Triumphant, Lenham for hardtops etc and so on. Some still survive of course, like Oselli.

Who were your local tuners or your favoured suppliers?

[sterling49]

Maybe not all local to me in Kent, but here are a few that spring to mind:


Broadspeed, Southam, Warks.
Superspeed, Ley Street,Ilford
Mangoletsi
Neil Davis Racing, Sidcup.
Geoff Howe Exhausts, West Kingsdown
Baldyne Engineering, Orpington
Drive In, Chatham

[f1steveuk]

Just to confuse things! I had a Speedwell head, for an A series BMC engine. The plate said "Speedwell Engineering, Lewes"

[BRG]

Just to confuse things! I had a Speedwell head, for an A series BMC engine. The plate said "Speedwell Engineering, Lewes"

There seem to have been a number of companies called Speedwell. There was one in Whitton, Middx which I long thought was THE Speedwell, but I know better now! But perhaps someone can resolve the connection with Lewes?

[cooper997]

That's the 1990's John Adair era of Speedwell. Also known as Heritage Garage at Lewes. Mainly Mini and some other BMC car restorations and sales. Often to Japan at the height of cashed up Japanese enthusiasts. There was also some period type performance items & accessories remade and for sale.

Mark Forster's mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk website would be a good start for information relating to this thread topic.

Stephen

[GMACKIE]

Bennett & Wood, Sydney, made Speedwell bicycles.

However, I think they also peddled Speedwell Minis....[excuse pun ]

[Frank S]

I ordered and received a set of 5½-inch MGB wire wheels and an exhaust header from V.W. Derrington, paid duty to the US postal carrier who delivered them! Later I had a thick front stabilizer bar from the catalog of Hollywood Sports Cars, who - as far as I know - was my nearest tuning shop, a hundred and thirty miles away, in Hollywood, California. My dream book in that era was, if I remember correctly, the PAECO catalog from a firm in, if I remember correctly, Birmingham, Alabama. Might still have those old paper items around here somewhere.

[fbarrett]

Langhorn Speed Shop, Langhorn, Pennsylvania

[oldtransamdriver]

In 67 my T/A and IMSA camaro co-driver friend, Rick Stevens, ordered a complete 1293 race engine for his Mini race car from Janspeed Engineering in the UK. It finally arrived in a wooden crate (about $2200) to St. Catharines Ontario. It turned out to be an excellent engine and served him well. Unfortunately, the car later got wrecked, but the engine survived to
go Mini-stock and also some IMSA racing.

Janspeed is still going strong I believe.

Robert Barg

[Supersox]

Chris Montague in Kilburn

[Alfie]

Sheltune, Northampton, operated by Peter Shelton, pilot of Lotus Cortina.

Aylesbury Tappet - though more of a bolt-on goodies shop, managed in it's early days by Hugo Tippet, and IIRC one of Gordon Spice's chain of outlets. Where I bought my first Bell helmet.

[RogerFrench]

For Austin Seven Specialists, we had Dante, Super Accessories, Lotus (early on), Cambridge, Speedex, Bowden, Ballamy, and I really can't remember them all!

[David McKinney]

Did Maj Mallock do work on Austin 7s other than his own? I guess if Jack French did you would have said so

[BRG]

Mark Forster's mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk website would be a good start for information relating to this thread topic.

That's a pretty comprehensive listing of Mini tuners/specialists! And of course many of them dealt with other marques.

[backfire]

In Leicester there was Langrop Engineering - they did some very quick Minis (including one for Willie Green). I had an MGB with a Langrop head - rapid but ate gaskets!

[h4887]

SAH for TR tuning bits

[E1pix]

Performance Development & Racing, of Denver, Colorado.

Founded by John Barker and later operated by Steve Wulff — who went on to manage the RuSport Champ Car team — "PDR" won two Formula Ford national championships with pilot "Fast Eddie" Miller, and was the shop in the Mountain West throughout the '70s and '80s. John himself raced in Formula 5000 in the late-'60s, and a variety of other "real race cars" as well.

[bill moffat]

Mike the Pipe - say no more, did exhausts for my Elan and Zakspeed Escort - a work of art.

[harbee]

Taurus
Alexandre
Or buy a copy of Car and Car conversions and ruin your own engine!!

[RogerFrench]

Did Maj Mallock do work on Austin 7s other than his own? I guess if Jack French did you would have said so

Well, I left my father out deliberately, but for a while he built cars including "Uncle Arthur" Mallock's famous "Bombsk", WJ1515, and for many years supplied reground A7 camshafts and tappets. He even restored R-R Merlin valve gear once!

[john aston]

Downton of course- Daniel Richmond; Mike Spence Ltd - as in Elan - BRM; JA Else- for Europas; Mangoletsi and a million others. When I get aminute I will check my early 60s CAR/ Small Car magazines which are full of tuners.

[taylov]

For fans of the Ford 1172 cc sidevalve engines there were the legendary Aquaplane tuning parts.

See this site http://www.ford-aqua...uaplane-history

Although the original company is no more, most Aquaplane bolt-on parts are still being produced, nearly 60 years on.

Tony

[john aston]

Couple more- Taurus, Baldyne, Allard , Fish, Neal Davis Racing., Radbourne, Hartwell.

[275 GTB-4]

Bennett & Wood, Sydney, made Speedwell bicycles.

However, I think they also peddled Speedwell Minis....[excuse pun ]

and in 1911 they were marketing Speedwell branded Motorcycles...no peddling!

[Miles Fenton]

I worked briefly at Speedwell in N London then was with Derrington for about 18 months in Kingston. I did design, bench work and drove the famous Derrington workshop truck to many race meetings, mainly the VSCC at Silverstone and at other races in the South. Worked on some very nice machinery.
After that I worked at Paddy Gaston's place in Kingston for about a year, 1961 I think.

[f1steveuk]

Just to throw a further spanner into the works, I was given my A series head in the early 80s!!

[Derwent Motorsport]

Perdal of Newcastle and Alexander Engineering (Oxfordshire?)

[Tony Matthews]

I can't see Vegantune listed above...

[J. Scott Morris]

If you wish to check out the various tuning companies, I suggest you visit the following page of Mark Forster's 'MK1 Performance conversions' website. http://mk1-performan...ing_archive.htm

It is excellent and has quite a bit of history regarding each company.

Enjoy!! --Scott

[bradbury west]

Ah, nostalgia. Yimkin, later Diva, Don Sim was on wonderful form the last time I spoke to him a while back. Barwell Motors, ISTR, prepared Alan Hutcheson's Riley 1.5 VUV390, and check the BVRT site and the exploits of the glorious Harry Ratcliffe, OK so I am biased.......
Roger Lund.

BTW does anyone recall the Autocar/Motor test of the remarkable Miller Minor, went like stink on the hills etc in the hands of my old driving mentor, HPC's John Lyon?

No mention so far of Jonspeed, early Northern E type racer John Mitchell's Honley garage, near Huddersfield. ISTR a test of a Sprite where the only noticeable increase was in the noise level of the exhaust, very rorty apparently, and not much performance improvement. I am sure Sharman will chime in soon with memories of Northern tuners.
Roger Lund

Edited by bradbury west, 22 May 2013 - 18:55.

[sterling49]

BTW does anyone recall the Autocar/Motor test of the remarkable Miller Minor, went like stink on the hills etc in the hands of my old driving mentor, HPC's John Lyon?

Roger Lund

I used to watch John on the Brands skidpan in the '60s, anybody remember that? Happy days, bike leaning against the fence, watching a car "loose", no wonder I loved rallying.........


Wasn't JL also quite an autotest maestro too?

[GMACKIE]

Sonic Speed Equipment, Caringbah, NSW.

Bruce, John, and Ernie started modifying cylinder heads, and making exhaust systems in the early '60s. Ernie left, and started Walker Exhaust. the other two kept Sonic going for many years.

[275 GTB-4]

Lynx and Waggott Engineering

[Odseybod]

Better add Shorrock who seem to have supercharged most things, from sidevalve Morris Minors and Standard Eights onwards.

[Allan Lupton]

Better add Shorrock who seem to have supercharged most things, from sidevalve Morris Minors and Standard Eights onwards.

In that case Alan Allard and Daphne Arnott deserve a mention.

Then, as well as Aquaplane 'heads for the Ford E93A that has been mentioned, there was a Willment IoE conversion, and a similar Alta 'head for the sidevalve Morris Minor.

[bradbury west]

In that case Alan Allard and Daphne Arnott deserve a mention.

Then, as well as Aquaplane 'heads for the Ford E93A that has been mentioned, there was a Willment IoE conversion, and a similar Alta 'head for the sidevalve Morris Minor.

And ISTR that Elva produced an ohv conversion for the 1172cc Ford.
Roger Lund

[Morris S]

check the BVRT site and the exploits of the glorious Harry Ratcliffe, OK so I am biased.......

You'll enjoy Shelsley Walsh 'Classic Nostalgia' meeting this year then Roger ( July 28th) where I have organised a reunion of the BVRT Minisprint and it's hillclimb championship winning driver Jeff Goodliff for the first time in 40 years. Other tuners in the North West included Howley of course and Phil Hepworth is still building engines today.

Pete