132 replies to this topic

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by Ian McKean
[B
None of which is to knock the Fulvia which I think very highly of, especially the lovely 1600 HF version. Barrie Williams once took me for ride in an ex-Pat Moss Fulvia (a 1300 HF as I recall, not a full rally car but I am sure it wasn't standard either). But when it comes to claimed BHP figures, it was always said that Italian horses were small! [/B]

Yes, Italian horses were small, but actually quite numerous.

My original beef on this subject, speaking as a Lancia Fulvia "nut" was not so much original specification as development potential.

My point was that if over 100BHP/litre can be obtained from a silly, push-rod, five-port, long-stroke, iron engine, why can more not be obtained from the short-stroke, twin-cam, aluminium-headed, steel-cranked, Fulvia engine?

PdeRL

[RTH]

Originally posted by Brun
Richard asked me to post this picture:



I'm completely unfamiliar with the subject, but I assume you guys can fill in the details?

Very many thanks to Brun for kindly posting this photograph for me.

Continuing the theme of English Specials (though not so lightweight ! ) - Can anyone identify this car and driver ? - The year is 1958 - the venue........ Westbrook Hay Hillclimb near Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire England ( A 650yd climb owned by the local council and opened in 1903 making it the oldest motor sport venue in the country ? - conveniently near London )

So who was the driver - at the time he described himself as "An impecunious naval officer " - and what was the car ? you should be familiar with both names .

[David McKinney]

Bryce Clinkard's Alvis special?

[RTH]

That was quick , David and its right on the money.

Lt. Commander B.H. Clinkard rounding the first bend in his 4,387 cc. supercharged Alvis

Quote " I have to do all my own maintenance , old boy - can't afford mechanics y'know - rely on good will of friends - learned the game on old wrecks of cars and then constructed this Alvis "

In those days a standard Cooper J.A.P 500cc could be bought for £600 - £800 entry fees were as much as £5 per event and it could cost the enthusist anything up to £100 a year to keep it going !

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by RTH
In those days a standard Cooper J.A.P 500cc could be bought for £600 - £800 entry fees were as much as £5 per event and it could cost the enthusist anything up to £100 a year to keep it going !

But £800 in the early'50s woould be about £20,000 now....

PderL

[Ray Bell]

So the big old Alvis six engine has been used in more than one openwheeler?

Any detail on the componentry in the balance of the machine?

[RTH]

I'm afraid I don't have any more on it . It was a contemporary report on the venue in a Hertfordshire countryside magazine.

But 'Clink' Clinkard was (is ? ) a very well known figure in English club racing for a great many years - undoubtedly someone will have some technical detail on the car, - it may still be in existance ?

[David McKinney]

Engine s/c 4.3-litre Alvis, chassis allegedly early HWM, bodywork allegedly E-Type ERA

[Ray Bell]

Wilson box?

[Evo One]

Originally posted by David McKinney
Engine s/c 4.3-litre Alvis, chassis allegedly early HWM, bodywork allegedly E-Type ERA

Was this the car that later had a polished aluminium body and was campaigned by Tony Charnock, son of another Alvis enthusiast W.H.Charnock?

Years ago when I was in the Alvis Club, this car appeared regularly - and it was driven on the road; it was reputed to have a military version of the 4.3 engine, with dry sump. I wonder what became of the car.

Incidentally, W.H. Charnock wrote an amusing book called "Mind over Motor"; I recommend it!

PdeRL

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Evo One

Was this the car that later had a polished aluminium body and was campaigned by Tony Charnock, son of another Alvis enthusiast W.H.Charnock?

No, a different beast entirely
The Charnock car raced on in later years, but I don't emember specifics

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by David McKinney

No, a different beast entirely
The Charnock car raced on in later years, but I don't emember specifics

Sorry folks; that was me on Evo One's computer - AND I logged in as myself - strange!

I would be interested to know what happened to the Charnock car; I loved it. I recall that it went on sale in Motorsport sometime in the late 1960s - it was about £1000 I think.....

PdeRLO

[Ray Bell]

We're getting away from the 'lightweight' topic again, of course...

These Alvis engines were definitely not lightweight, from what I gather... and unreliable in racing conditions too, I'm told. Anyone got a pic or diagram of their strange valve spring arrangement?

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
We're getting away from the 'lightweight' topic again, of course...

These Alvis engines were definitely not lightweight, from what I gather... and unreliable in racing conditions too, I'm told. Anyone got a pic or diagram of their strange valve spring arrangement?

Yes, off-topic again, but this thread has been a delightful meander - and I hope it continues to be.

I would like to see a picture of the Alvis valve gear.

Captain Smith-Clarke, Alvis's designer, was eccentric in some respects. I liked the story about when he went to hospital, he designed some apparatus for (I think) his own treatment!

It's a long time since I read K.R. Day's excellent history of Alvis.

PdeRL

[Pete Stowe]

Originally posted by Pete Stowe
I believe that Alec Issigonis’ partner with the Lightweight, John M.P. Dowson, was known as, or nicknamed, "George" Dowson. Can anyone confirm this, or explain why?

The answer to this is now given in Gillian Bardsley’s definitive biography of Alec Issigonis. Simply, in the mid-1930’s someone said to him "you’re not a John, you’re a George," and so in motor sport circles from then on he became known as George Dowson.

[Doug Nye]

Might I take this opportunity to recommend (highly) Gillian Bardsley's biography of Alec Issigonis.

It's a terrific piece of work in which she addresses in forensic detail every significant aspect of Issigonis - man, engineer, artist, aesthete etc etc. I think this will be recognised as a landmark work. Gillian is archivist for the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust at Gaydon, and has enjoyed terrific access to some extraordinary records, diaries, notebooks etc.

Her book is 'Issigonis - The Official Biography' - but don' be put off by its stuffy title. The publisher is Icon Books and it's ISBN 1 84046 687 1 - see .

All usual disclaimers. I know Gillian but I've never heard of Icon Books before.

DCN

[ggnagy]

To tie a few threads together, what amazed me about Issigonis was that the man could build a beautiful sporting car like the lightweight special, and then turn around and be so completely against racing and sporting models. Based on anecdotal comments in McCombs book and others, it seemed like Issigonis killed off as many Abington prototypes as Stokes and his gang would later. Nothing was to get in the way of *his* line of transportation devices. From an overall sporting point of view, if Alec had not been pushed to the side, we may not have gotten the "wedge" tr7/8, but a scaled up range of Metro-like cars.

A-unit racers here in the US quote figures in the 140HP range for the 1275 (bored .040 over) to about 100+ HP for the 948 (bored .040 over) Lots of porting, compression and cam work, but starting with stock head and block casting. Crank triggered igntion, but still being fed through modified SU carbs. I seem to recall an article where Visard was getting 200 HP or thereabouts with one of the aftermarket 16valve twincam heads.

Now for a slight diversion.

A month ago, I was talking to one racer who has more than a few years of A-unit race motor experience. He started talking about the 68 "MG Midget" entered by Donald Healey at Sebring. That car was not as heavily modified as the better known Fuel injected cars, but had one interesting factory part. Somehow, the oil pan extended up and behind the motor. After the first practice session, one of the mechanics assigned to the car looked underneath for the then standard "territory marking" and then stood up to exclaim "no oil!"

[bradbury west]

Going back to Ray's post 88; was the R type the one with a backbone chassis, as in Lotus Elan? I recall the torsion bar suspension on the R type but cannot find a chassis picture .

Roger Lund.

[bradbury west]

This month's copy of Octane magazine plopped through the letter box a couple of days ago. In the details of next month's issue they are listing an article on the Lightweight Special. Hope it turns out to be interesting, which reminds me, must order the new Issigonis book.

Roger Lund.

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by bradbury west
This month's copy of Octane magazine plopped through the letter box a couple of days ago. In the details of next month's issue they are listing an article on the Lightweight Special. Hope it turns out to be interesting, which reminds me, must order the new Issigonis book.

Roger Lund.

Wandering round the Gaydon museum I was surprised to see the Lightweight Special, lets hope it is out on the hills in 2006.

[RTH]

Went round the British Motor Heritage Centre at Gaydon, Warwickshire........just off the M40 junction 12 a bit north of Banbury at the weekend the former air force base was owned by BMC/BL/Rover now owned by Ford and the new generation of Aston Martins are built in a new factory on the same site .

Fascinating, ...... lots of old concept / motor show cars Minis with SOHC all aluminium engines a Metro with 6 cylinder transverse engine , the fabulous MG EXE a mid 1950's Austin A 20 engine all aluminium 2 cylinder in line 650 cc 2-stroke which didn't make it due to "Unreliability " A lot of the BMC cars and MGs plus awhole lot more......The MG record breakers ........and there of course is the Lightweight Special

Charts the history of the British car from 1885 to the present day .....great place, free car parking right outside , good restaurant good day out well worth a visit

www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

[Gav Astill]

There is an excellent in-depth feature on the Lightweight Special in the current edition of "The Automobile".

It's a two parter, so more next month.

[David Beard]

Originally posted by Gav Astill
There is an excellent in-depth feature on the Lightweight Special in the current edition of "The Automobile".

It's a two parter, so more next month.

The Octane article was very nice too...the style was just right for me. Motor Sport please note.

[Richard Cass]

Lightweight Special

Focusing back on the engine of the Lightweight Special my notes indicate that the Austin engine was replaced around 1948 by an experimental overhead cam Wolseley engine with 5 main bearings and an iron cylinder head. The Zoller blower pressure was given as 30 psi. Source Vintage Specials by John Bateman.
The Lancia with sliding pillar suspension is probably of the Dilambda type - the pillars look more substantial than on the Lambda. Strazza had/made a Lambda/Dilambda special using Lambda shell, Dilambda style sliding pillars and a larger Lancia engine possibly Astura and Dilambda that was quite succesful in hillclimbs - Klausen. But this is another thread.
What about the superb Lycoming Special?

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by Richard Cass
Lightweight Special

Focusing back on the engine of the Lightweight Special my notes indicate that the Austin engine was replaced around 1948 by an experimental overhead cam Wolseley engine with 5 main bearings and an iron cylinder head. The Zoller blower pressure was given as 30 psi. Source Vintage Specials by John Bateman.
The Lancia with sliding pillar suspension is probably of the Dilambda type - the pillars look more substantial than on the Lambda. Strazza had/made a Lambda/Dilambda special using Lambda shell, Dilambda style sliding pillars and a larger Lancia engine possibly Astura and Dilambda that was quite succesful in hillclimbs - Klausen. But this is another thread.
What about the superb Lycoming Special?

The Strazza car which ran in the Mille Miglia, still exists. It is a Lambda (cannot remember which series) fitted with an early Astura engine. I have seen the car a couple of times and know the owner in England.

PdeRL

[bradbury west]

.............

Wandering round the Gaydon museum I was surprised to see the Lightweight Special, lets hope it is out on the hills in 2006.

__________________
Steve Wilkinson


What a delight, then, to see the car out and at very close quarters at VSCC Prescott last weekend, especially among an array of such marvellous machinery, especially the Edwardians.

Roger Lund

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by bradbury west
.............

Wandering round the Gaydon museum I was surprised to see the Lightweight Special, lets hope it is out on the hills in 2006.

__________________
Steve Wilkinson


What a delight, then, to see the car out and at very close quarters at VSCC Prescott last weekend, especially among an array of such marvellous machinery, especially the Edwardians.

Roger Lund

Good news indeed! Let's hope that it is seen on other hills (Shelsley & Loton for example).

[68targa]

I recently obtained some photos including this one of the Lightweight Special taken in period.  Looks like Prescott and maybe pre-war.  Since all previous photos have disappeared from this thread it seems appropriate to add another image of this wonderful little special. 

 

(unknown photographer)

[arttidesco]

I recently obtained some photos including this one of the Lightweight Special taken in period.   l Since all previous photos have disappeared from this thread it seems appropriate to add another image of this wonderful little special. 

 

(unknown photographer)

 

I wonder what J Burns Ltds involvement with the sport was, Chadwell Heath being home to a very small piece of 1972 F1 history. 

[Vitesse2]

I wonder what J Burns Ltds involvement with the sport was, Chadwell Heath being home to a very small piece of 1972 F1 history. 

They were manufacturers of radio equipment between the wars - and still in business in at least 1971 - so chances are one of their managers had 'borrowed' the truck to transport his - or a friend's - racer.

 

See advert on page xviii of this PDF of a copy of Wireless World from 1923: https://www.worldrad...rld-1923-02.pdf

[arttidesco]

Thanks for the link Richard, seems odd to place an ad with such sparse contact details, no phone number, presumably an instrument that would have been pretty common place by 1923 ?

[Ray Bell]

Funny you should mention that...

 

I have a Sydney street directory from c1919 and the back page has a drawing of a factory covering a whole city block. Carriage makers or something, but the kicker is in the verbiage after the phone number. There they boast:

 

"Two lines!"

[E1pix]

RIP, DAB.