20-10-2018, 09:30 AM
(This post was last modified: 20-10-2018, 09:36 AM by Bob Culver.)
Hi O J and others
The engine state of my car similar. After 3000 miles of 60mph when the notorious Wellington southerlies obliged and sustained 35 in 3rd the crank went, taking the hand polished crankcase and home reground camshaft with it. Thereafter 30 and 50! The situation is much altered with Phoenix cranks.
The Seven 3rd gear ratio is unusually low; comparable 2nd gear of more powerful 3 gear cars such as Ford V8 and Zephyr etc. Low powered 3 speed cars require wide ratios; the Ford 10 near 2:1.
Many modest power cars had 3rd about 1.5:1 in the 1950s, 1.4 or less was common for medium cars later. On the roads of yesteryear many climbs were winding and slow anyway.
If the Seven seems to buzz many cars were geared similar or maintained similar rev at their typical cruise speeds, but were not all notably noisy. Isolated exhaust sysem, soft engine mounts, plain bearings, felt makes a difference!
The list may interest some with memories.
Javelin 15.5 mph per 1000 rpm
Oxford sv 1500, Minor sv 920; 15
Consul 1500, Mini 14.8
A40 Devon 1200, Ford 100E sv 1170 14.6 (The 100e revved remarkably in 2nd)
Victor 1500 14.5
MGTD and saloon 1250 14.4
A35 950 14.3
Minx sv 1260 14.2
Ford 10 sv 1170 13.7
A30 800 12.7 (leaving a trail of failed wm big ends, and a few cranks)
Fordson commercial 1170 11.4 (with the engine inside the cab these are truly dismal. And 2nd gear of the 3, at 2:1 is similarly tedious.)
Compared with todays cars, including of small capacity, the rpm are formidable. Whereas my 1950s, 60s 1500/1600 cars maintain 4,000 rpm at our 100 kph limit, my wifes modern 1200 maintained 2200 rpm including moderate gradients!
The engine state of my car similar. After 3000 miles of 60mph when the notorious Wellington southerlies obliged and sustained 35 in 3rd the crank went, taking the hand polished crankcase and home reground camshaft with it. Thereafter 30 and 50! The situation is much altered with Phoenix cranks.
The Seven 3rd gear ratio is unusually low; comparable 2nd gear of more powerful 3 gear cars such as Ford V8 and Zephyr etc. Low powered 3 speed cars require wide ratios; the Ford 10 near 2:1.
Many modest power cars had 3rd about 1.5:1 in the 1950s, 1.4 or less was common for medium cars later. On the roads of yesteryear many climbs were winding and slow anyway.
If the Seven seems to buzz many cars were geared similar or maintained similar rev at their typical cruise speeds, but were not all notably noisy. Isolated exhaust sysem, soft engine mounts, plain bearings, felt makes a difference!
The list may interest some with memories.
Javelin 15.5 mph per 1000 rpm
Oxford sv 1500, Minor sv 920; 15
Consul 1500, Mini 14.8
A40 Devon 1200, Ford 100E sv 1170 14.6 (The 100e revved remarkably in 2nd)
Victor 1500 14.5
MGTD and saloon 1250 14.4
A35 950 14.3
Minx sv 1260 14.2
Ford 10 sv 1170 13.7
A30 800 12.7 (leaving a trail of failed wm big ends, and a few cranks)
Fordson commercial 1170 11.4 (with the engine inside the cab these are truly dismal. And 2nd gear of the 3, at 2:1 is similarly tedious.)
Compared with todays cars, including of small capacity, the rpm are formidable. Whereas my 1950s, 60s 1500/1600 cars maintain 4,000 rpm at our 100 kph limit, my wifes modern 1200 maintained 2200 rpm including moderate gradients!