The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

This situation has caused some waves in the classic car world, and vintage racing scene as the owner of MKF Engineering, and one of the 3 arrested, has been involved in reproducing many now very hard to find vintage gearbox parts for Ford 3 rail gearboxes, such as used in the Lotus-Cortina, Lotus Elan, RS Escorts etc., as well as making new magnesium castings for bellhousings, casings etc., and all the parts to recreate the rare Hewland 5-speed version of the Ford Type 3 box.
He was also involved in supply the parts to Caterham for the 6 speed gearbox they use in the Seven from what I've seen.
In the 90's he was one half a well respected firm Flowtech Racing, specialising in cylinder head work.

He's worked for VW in South Africa and Germany in the auto industry prior to that and has worked in the automotive world for over 40 years having served his Engineering apprenticeship in the Royal Navy in the early 70's.

GeeRam wrote:This situation has caused some waves in the classic car world, and vintage racing scene as the owner of MKF Engineering, and one of the 3 arrested, has been involved in reproducing many now very hard to find vintage gearbox parts for Ford 3 rail gearboxes, such as used in the Lotus-Cortina, Lotus Elan, RS Escorts etc., as well as making new magnesium castings for bellhousings, casings etc., and all the parts to recreate the rare Hewland 5-speed version of the Ford Type 3 box.
He was also involved in supply the parts to Caterham for the 6 speed gearbox they use in the Seven from what I've seen.
In the 90's he was one half a well respected firm Flowtech Racing, specialising in cylinder head work.

He's worked for VW in South Africa and Germany in the auto industry prior to that and has worked in the automotive world for over 40 years having served his Engineering apprenticeship in the Royal Navy in the early 70's.

Banging out a few 1911 lookalikes would be a piece of cake for him then.

TBH, the state of that workshop I'm not sure I'd want to get my gearbox done there, let alone a dodgy gun

GeeRam wrote:This situation has caused some waves in the classic car world, and vintage racing scene as the owner of MKF Engineering, and one of the 3 arrested, has been involved in reproducing many now very hard to find vintage gearbox parts for Ford 3 rail gearboxes, such as used in the Lotus-Cortina, Lotus Elan, RS Escorts etc., as well as making new magnesium castings for bellhousings, casings etc., and all the parts to recreate the rare Hewland 5-speed version of the Ford Type 3 box.
He was also involved in supply the parts to Caterham for the 6 speed gearbox they use in the Seven from what I've seen.
In the 90's he was one half a well respected firm Flowtech Racing, specialising in cylinder head work.

He's worked for VW in South Africa and Germany in the auto industry prior to that and has worked in the automotive world for over 40 years having served his Engineering apprenticeship in the Royal Navy in the early 70's.

I thought the name rang a bell......I had of a head for a 2.1 Pinto done by FlowTech years ago, they also shortened the valve stems so I could fit roller rockers.That was a cracking engine running on twin 45 Dellortos, sweet as a nut!.

JSC wrote:Has anyone seen photos of the "guns"?

If the police had any sense they won't release them and give others ideas of what has/can be made

Blackstuff wrote:

JSC wrote:Has anyone seen photos of the "guns"?

If the police had any sense they won't release them and give others ideas of what has/can be made

A gun is a very simple machine - It would be very easy for a mechanic with a basic knowledge of machine tools to copy one or design one from scratch. It may be someone working there knocking up the guns in his lunch break when the boss is out.


I think these cases are a real job to prove - when is a gun not a gun, could they claim they are developing a new line of starting pistols/air pistols. My guess is the police had a tip off of some sort, I don't think the swat squad were called because someone heard a couple of 9mm shots from inside an industrial unit on a open scruffy metal bashing industrial estate.

Pete wrote:Handmade takes on a whole new meaning. Not a micrometer in sight................I saw this going on in the 70's. There was a market with dozens of stalls along the main road that crosses into Pakistan from Afghanistan via the Khyber pass. Prospective customers were trying the firearms out, simply firing them into the surrounding hills.

Pete

This was when you were serving with the '3rd Foot and Mouth' Regiment Pete?

JSC wrote:Has anyone seen photos of the "guns"?

Not yet, I will be very curious to see them. We will need to wait for NABIS to to do their preening self congratulatory probing first no doubt...they will need some time to connect them to antique obsolete calibre guns as an issue!

My guess they will say they are the same shape as an antique obsolete calibre gun thus giving even more reason to ban them!

Blackstuff wrote:

JSC wrote:Has anyone seen photos of the "guns"?

If the police had any sense they won't release them and give others ideas of what has/can be made

Yes of course, not as if anybody can go onto Amazon and buy a gunsmithing book:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gunsmithing-Mo ... gun+design

or watch multiple videos on Youtube on the subject, take your pick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIXo6-O-l1w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHAO8oxwioU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D43ZeYu9dnM

GeeRam wrote:This situation has caused some waves in the classic car world, and vintage racing scene as the owner of MKF Engineering, and one of the 3 arrested, has been involved in reproducing many now very hard to find vintage gearbox parts for Ford 3 rail gearboxes, such as used in the Lotus-Cortina, Lotus Elan, RS Escorts etc., as well as making new magnesium castings for bellhousings, casings etc., and all the parts to recreate the rare Hewland 5-speed version of the Ford Type 3 box.
He was also involved in supply the parts to Caterham for the 6 speed gearbox they use in the Seven from what I've seen.
In the 90's he was one half a well respected firm Flowtech Racing, specialising in cylinder head work.

He's worked for VW in South Africa and Germany in the auto industry prior to that and has worked in the automotive world for over 40 years having served his Engineering apprenticeship in the Royal Navy in the early 70's.

And if proven, will hopefully spend the rest of his life in a closed conditions prison.