10 replies to this topic

[stuartu]

 

Can anyone give me a clue about this? I know it is a head made by Derrington and I am told the egine is a 1220 or possibly 1500 Climax. Very much open to correction! The date might be 1955.

Any info at all gratefully received. Was it ever used in competition? When why and by whom?

Anything!

Regards Stuart

Edited by stuartu, 21 May 2014 - 10:06.

[Fatgadget]

Twin cam,twin plug,twin 40s..sorry ill get my coat.

[David Birchall]

It does appear to be a FW series engine as opposed to an FPF or...?   The carbs are 38 DCO3s? 

What is the chassis the engine is sitting in?  It looks Bucklerish...?

Lots of questions.

[stuartu]

David, thanks for your interest. I'm afraid I have much the same questions as your good self! Sorry not to be more help...

 

Regards,

Stuart

[elansprint72]

Where did you get the photograph from? This might help.

[stuartu]

You're going to be exasperated! The picture has passed through various unknown hands and some that are no longer with us. Like all these things, if I'd known about it ten or twenty years ago it would have been easy - but then it wouldn't be mysterious!

All I can tell you is that its original owner was involved with motor racing in the fifties - which I think we could all have guessed. The only other piece of information that seems consistent is that the head was made by Derrington. I was hoping that might just ring a bell with someone.

I've tried to confine myself to fact but it does strike me that, as soon as Climax produced a twin cam, any market for the head in the photo would evaporate - but that's just my idea, not fact.

Regards, Stuart

Edited by stuartu, 23 May 2014 - 08:14.

[RJE]

Am I right in guessing that you are Mr D's son and therefore a relation of mine?  Anyway that aside , have you tried contacting Tony Mantle at Climax Engine Services, he is the guru of all things Coventry Climax and may know something of help to you.

[stuartu]

Am I right in guessing that you are Mr D's son and therefore a relation of mine?  Anyway that aside , have you tried contacting Tony Mantle at Climax Engine Services, he is the guru of all things Coventry Climax and may know something of help to you.

Alas no, I am Stuart Ulph, a long standing Heptaphile and one-off author. While it would be an honour to be related to you it would be even more useful if I were indeed Mr D's son! Perhaps he is contactable and might know more? Meanwhile, as for the Tony Mantle tip off, I will "set my people" on it  - thank you. This is an opportune moment to say I will be out of touch myself over the next few days, being in intimate contact with a Pedersen until Monday, so will be unable to acknowledge further posts after early pm today.

Regards, Stuart

[Ellis French]

I am posting this for Geoff Smedley as he is having a bit of an ignition problem with his computer......seems to have a bit of a miss at hi rpm

 

 

Quote:-  In 1963  being interested is such a project it was looked at in a different manner as most previous attempts had shown little gain with taking the drive from rear of the camshafts showing problem in the higher rev range and unstable spark dwell.  The Idea of duel magnetos driven directly from the crankshaft seemed the way to go giving stable spark at all times and not being susceptible to gear train and camshaft wind-up. The 2.5 litre FPF Climax was modified in this way and proved very successful indeed producing more power than the larger 2.7 engine making John Youl’s T55 Cooper a force to be reckoned with in during the 63/64 season.

 

[Peter Morley]

Could it be the twin-cam conversion of an FW Climax (presumably 1460cc FWB) that was ran in a Lola Mark 2 as an F2 car?

I think the car was in the Foulkes Halbard museum at one point and the body was offset the opposite way to the normal Formula Junior version.

If so I think there was an old thread on the subject...

[stuartu]

Geoff and Ellis, thank you, an interesting point.

Peter, I knew nothing about the F2 Lola but I found some references here:

 

http://www.lolaherit...ok/194/194.html

 

There is a goodish photo if you scroll down the page which shows quite a different looking arrangement to the one we are discussing. It's useful to know, at least it rules out that one.

Thanks very much.

Regards, Stuart