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+--- Thread: 3 bearing engine - steel crankcase (/showthread.php?tid=5539)
RE: 3 bearing engine - steel crankcase - Rogerfrench - 28-01-2021
I have no idea what happened to my father's crankcase. I think it arrived with some other bits and pieces, but wasn't of much interest except as a curio.
I sailed on a ship whose lifeboat had an A7 marine engine, with a chain-drive starting handle. I don't remember ever trying to find out the material of the crankcase. I do remember it was painted though.
RE: 3 bearing engine - steel crankcase - Lowespeed - 28-01-2021
My Thetis marine engine had an aluminium crankcase, although the whole engine was covered with a red paint not unlike red oxide but thicker and tougher. I thought this may be some sort of protection from water damage.
As an aside, the late Arthur Davies had a cast iron crankcase which he painted with aluminium paint and stood on the end of his stalls. He always enjoyed customers picking it up to ask the price !
RE: 3 bearing engine - steel crankcase - graham price - 28-01-2021
hi. all .chris gould thinks it might have been used as a generator set in a tank ?? only what he heard
RE: 3 bearing engine - steel crankcase - Jeff Taylor - 28-01-2021
Certainly the 1930's Morris 8hp side-valve engine or to be more specific the 1948 to 1953 Series MM Minor almost identical variant was used to power a generator in the Army's Centurion main battle tank. Back in 1989 I bought a complete wooden crated N.O.S Morris 8hp Centurion tank engine direct from Army stores - they were always painted in the Army's traditional armoured vehicle engine colour of duck egg blue. I believe there's lots of spares still around in Australia for these Morris 8 engines as the Australians bought the British Centurion Tank for their armed services.
Like a number of others on here, I too have what appears to be a N.O.S (short) RP cast iron nosecone which I picked up on eBay many years ago for very little money. I thought it might come in useful for my 1934 Van restoration. I'll dig it out and see if it has any numbers cast into it.
RE: 3 bearing engine - steel crankcase - Tony Betts - 28-01-2021
Hi Graham,
A tank sounds good, if anyone is in contact with any of the countrys excellent war or just tank museums may be able to confirm it.
I now most if not all of the boat and pump engines were aluminium. As were the military car engines.
This is only my guess to there use, and the reason they are put down as military. Is the they were running as temporary or portable light generator.
The army and air force, would both have a use for this application. Why make them in cast iron? If you have a set of spot lamps hanging of a long pole. You need a heavy base unit???
Tony.
RE: 3 bearing engine - steel crankcase - Jeff Taylor - 28-01-2021
Bovington Camp in Dorset hosts the Army's Tank and Armoured Vehicle Museum - they have on display a sectioned Centurion Tank Rolls Royce Meteor engine and its associated Morris 8 engine complete with generator unit. They should be able to confirm if the Austin 7 engine was ever used in a similar application.
https://tankmuseum.org
RE: 3 bearing engine - steel crankcase - graham price - 28-01-2021
hi all.do you think it would make a good 3 bearing race engine for my car ? if it was a prototype or out of an mod unit. i would have let someone restoreing one have it .for what i paid for it a long time ago.i do not want to race and distory a pice of austin history
RE: 3 bearing engine - steel crankcase - Hedd_Jones - 28-01-2021
As noted by Charles. Itll make the front of the chassis very stiff if thats what you want.
On the other hand itll be heavy
RE: 3 bearing engine - steel crankcase - Malcolm Parker - 28-01-2021
You'll need to drill it liberally before it would be light enough to use in a racing car!
RE: 3 bearing engine - steel crankcase - graham price - 29-01-2021
hi all. dose anyone build 3 bearing race engines? who is the best?my race car has cooper front end and rad behind driver. so i think extra revs from cast bottom end might give more power ?