08-04-2020, 09:09 AM
I had a look through the Austin Seven Companion (the green book) and Tony Press is quite right, the Jack Cotton article didn't make the cut from the Design for Competition book (also green). I agree that this doesn't inspire confidence. Mr Cotton did say that the modification cured the big-end failures, although he changed the centre-main bearing every 2 or 3 races and fitted a higher capacity oil pump.
Jack French has an article in the Companion from Nov 1959 where he discusses the 3 bearing engine. Like Austin in the Shed and Jack Cotton he recommends line-boring an under-size centre-main bearing. Jack French advocates machining several and replacing them at 5000 mile intervals citing Colin Chapman's experience with Lotus 3 in 1951
Jack French has an article in the Companion from Nov 1959 where he discusses the 3 bearing engine. Like Austin in the Shed and Jack Cotton he recommends line-boring an under-size centre-main bearing. Jack French advocates machining several and replacing them at 5000 mile intervals citing Colin Chapman's experience with Lotus 3 in 1951