In the early 60's timeframe, the Canadian arm of British Leyland had what
amounted to a national "works" program, acting as an adjunct to the English
factory. I've met a character maned Dennis Prophet who worked for the
Canadian BL works team and prepared a number of cars, including a team of
Leyland sponsored Healy 3000's that ran at Sebring. He tells stories of how
they used to show up at Mosport, Harewood, etc, with a truck loaded with
engines, cranks, rods, heads, etc. If you were running a Leyland car, you
qualified for defacto sponsorship! In those days, they ran the factory
EN40B forged cranks for 3 races then tossed them due to fatigue!
This kind of program was what I was thinking of when I suggested the engine
might be "factory", but as you say the XSP serial number really suggests the
"real" factory, so to speak. Some times you really wish the things could
talk...
Brian
At 09:32 AM 8/3/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Brian,
>
>There was the "Works"... which was the Donald Healey Motor Co.'s racing
>efforts. They did Sebring, LeMans, Bonneville.
>
>The BMC Competition Dept. prepared all the cars for rallyes. I'm not sure if
>the BMC effort used the XSP designation... I suspect not.
>
>I think a motor marked XSP refers to the Experimental Shop, headed up by
>Roger Menadue, with Geoff Healey as the Chief Engineer, working for Donald
>Healey.
>
>WST
>Flounder
>Team Thicko
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Brian Evans <brian@uunet.ca>
>To: Wm. Severin Thompson <wsthompson@thicko.com>
>Cc: <vintage-race@autox.team.net>
>Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 1999 8:20 AM
>Subject: Re: motor I.D.
>
>
>> What's the difference between works and factory? I know that in the era,
>> British Leyland would provide race motors to some teams that they
>produced,
>> ready to run, fully race ready. That's what I meant by "factory". If
>this
>> motor was originally run by the official "Works" team, that is British
>> Leyland themselves, then it would be a neat motor to have indeed...
>>
>> Brian
>>
>>
>> At 08:48 AM 8/3/99 -0400, you wrote:
>> >The numbering suggests a Works, not a factory motor. Geoff said that the
>XSP
>> >designation on the engines produced by Donald's race efforts. Most
>engines
>> >were prepared by Eddie maher of Morris.
>> >
>> >WST
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: Brian Evans <brian@uunet.ca>
>> >To: Haynes, Mark <mhaynes@ball.com>
>> >Cc: <vintage-race@autox.team.net>
>> >Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 1999 7:24 AM
>> >Subject: Re: motor I.D.
>> >
>> >
>> >> I bet it's a factory Junior motor. They started making these in late
>> >1961,
>> >> and they were a precursor to the 1070 Junior engine, which had the
>bigger
>> >> bore/shorter stroke.
>> >>
>> >> Brian
>> >>
>> >> At 09:33 AM 7/30/99 -0400, you wrote:
>> >> > I just happened on an A series motor which I cannot identify by block
>> >I.D.
>> >> >A little help would be appreciated. The block tag says"XSP 18669" it
>has
>> >a
>> >> >2.67" bore, with a 3.00" stroke. It has an 11-bolt, 1-stud pattern,
>the
>> >head
>> >> >has no heater take-off. It has 2 lock-wired caps on the back of the
>> >manifold
>> >> >side of the block, and, of all things an 8-bolt flywheel attachment.
>Does
>> >> >anyone know any possibilities? I have an old Clymers manual which says
>> >that
>> >> >Huffaker bored out 948s to 2.67"to make a 1096cc Formula Junior motor,
>> >It's
>> >> >set up for inline application,and has valve reliefs cut into the
>block.
>> >The
>> >> >head is a 12A128 casting, which should be a Cooper 'S' MKI head. Any
>help
>> >> >would be appreciated
>> >> >Mark Haynes
>> >> >'62 Sprite (with unknown motor waiting)
>> >> >
>> >> Brian Evans
>> >> Director, Global Sales
>> >> UUNET, An MCI WorldCom Company
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> Brian Evans
>> Director, Global Sales
>> UUNET, An MCI WorldCom Company
>>
>>
>
>
Brian Evans
Director, Global Sales
UUNET, An MCI WorldCom Company
|