After publicity by the Barnet Society, the organisers of the Barnet Classic Car Club have tracked down an example of the elusive Arkley sports car which will be on display at the club's annual show on Sunday 14 May on the top deck of the car park at The Spires shopping centre.

Only around 1,000 of these Barnet-made sports cars were produced in the 1970s and 1980s at John Britten Garages, in Barnet Road, Arkley.

All told over 100 classic and vintage cars are booked to appear at the show and 60 of them will parade along Barnet High Street from 11 a.m. and will be on display until 2 p.m.

In the ten years since it was established the classic car club has never managed to put one of the cars on display at the annual show – although the Arkley is the club’s logo.

Ted O’Day, who owns a racing version of the Arkley, is to transport his car to Barnet on a trailer from his home in Epping and it will then ascend to the top deck of the car park under its own power.

The Arkley was based on Sprites or Midgets which were rebodied with Arkley fibreglass panels. Some were converted in the workshop, while most were sold as kits.

John Britten, who died in 2009, established his garage in Barnet Road in 1963 with franchises for MG, Morgan and TVR and he launched the Arkley in 1970 with kits sold worldwide.

Peter May, who was one of the employees at the garage and who left in 1979 to form his own business, subsequently bought the rights to the Arkley car.

John Britten (above right) became involved in the more serious side of motor racing through joint ownership of an international sports car team that won world championships in 1984 and 1987 with Formula 1 driver, Jonathan Palmer, as a team member.

Mr Britten was a member of a partnership that bought the Brands Hatch group of circuits in 1984.

Chris Nightingale, the show organiser, is delighted to have found an Arkley sports car owner who can join them this weekend.

“It’s been frustrating because in the ten years we have been running the show we have never managed to display at example of Barnet’s famous sports car.

“Ted O’Day is bring with him a few trophies and some technical data on the Arkley and without doubt it will be star attraction.”