Muddler/Dabbler.
Don't forget the DKW/SAAB 3 cylinder two stroke cars.
In the sixties, I got a surprise when one of these shot past me on my 250 Suzuki, which could just about crack the ton with head down - there was I thinking that I was invincible!
They weren't just prototypes either, the SAAB car was developed into a very successful rally car, DKW also raced their car on the tarseal I believe.
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbSM-h_nmi8
In the riders seat
Several people also used them as sidecar motorsOriginally Posted by WilDun
"If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough power."
Muddler/Dabbler.
Never saw one on a sidecar, but it would have been a logical candidate for a sidecar motor - If they had kept on developing them and knowing two strokes like they do today, they would have been pretty good by now!
To be honest, in a funny sort of way, those little cars look better (and probably are better) than a lot of small cars on the roads today!
It's a pity that design is controlled by the fashion whims of ditzy people, who can destroy something good in a flash.
In the riders seat
Well if you find one under a bench somehwere fire it my way
"If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough power."
Anorak
Suzuki used to do quote a few in cars and in jeeps......Well if you find one under a bench somehwere fire it my way
Kinky is using a feather. Perverted is using the whole chicken
In the riders seat
Before 1976? an Imp motor will do if no one has a Saab, I can pay in pies
"If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough power."
Anorak
yes before 76 the forrest service used to have plenty of the jeeps they were popular 4wds used to see the coupes around in CHCH mainly.
They reved their nuts off.....shit they were only 360cc the 4wd were only 530cc
Kinky is using a feather. Perverted is using the whole chicken
Muddler/Dabbler.
I did have a 360cc engine many years ago, wasn't complete and so I didn't persevere with it, but it wouldn't have been as valuable as a DKW!
Muddler/Dabbler.
I was also very interested in the Hillman Imp engine at one stage, (metioned a couple of posts ago by Kikaha ) Someone managed to wring quite a bit of power from those little Imps as rally cars.
That little engine had good potential for sidecars too, pity it couldn't compete with the much more conventional pushrod (but very heavy) BMC mini engine though as special parts for those were very much available in those days.
I seem to remember seeing a Mini engine in a sidecar at Wanganui around 1968, but they didn't manage to get it singing properly that day for some reason!
Can't remember whether the Imp had a 3 or 5 bearing crank
There you go, 3 bearing!
.
Anorak
The Coventry Climax was pretty successful..........I was also very interested in the Hillman Imp engine at one stage, (metioned a couple of posts ago by Kikaha ) Someone managed to wring quite a bit of power from those little Imps as rally cars.
That little engine had good potential for sidecars too, pity it couldn't compete with the much more conventional pushrod (but very heavy) BMC mini engine though as special parts for those were very much available in those days.
I seem to remember seeing a Mini engine in a sidecar at Wanganui around 1968, but they didn't manage to get it singing properly that day for some reason!
Can't remember whether the Imp had a 3 or 5 bearing crank
There you go, 3 bearing!
.
Kinky is using a feather. Perverted is using the whole chicken
Muddler/Dabbler.
Guess the Imp was a extremely diluted version of the Climax, or was the Climax an extensively modified fire pump engine? - bet the Climax didn't have a 3 bearing crank!
Low personal B.M.E.P.
The Imp is a version of the small FPF climax firepump engine. Same design team, brief was to make it cheaper and easier to manufacture.
There was a guy in ChCh who had built race versions for years in the UK, came home and built them here too as Impwerkes. Post quake and GFC he's moved to aussie.
Kraut called Gerhart Muller built and raced DKW triples in Formula junior cars. Moderately successful, mainly remembered for the noise...There's at least one DKW being raced in Classic saloons here in NZ. Goes well.
I had a Suzuki Fronte car new. 500cc or so triple. No relation to any bike motor they made. Piston port, integral box and diff. Very light car so quite quick. Kart with a roof on...Minis were easy meat. 65 sec lap on the original Ruapuna - at a time when Mk2 lotus Cortinas were doing the same lap time. Fun.
Muddler/Dabbler.
Guess I missed out on all that, but I always took great delight in watching a small two stroke blow a large grunt machine into the weeds!
However,the two stroke is still the poor relation despite its successes, because the big "bully boys" just changed the rules and pushed them right out of existence.
Anorak
Not that odd but busy
the engine that powered the Bristol freighter amongst others.
Kinky is using a feather. Perverted is using the whole chicken
Muddler/Dabbler.
Those were very successful engines - a bit "busy" as you say, also much more economical than the Pratt & Whitney radials.
I think they were used on the Bristol Beaufighter, Bristol freighter,Wellington bombers, Stirling bombers, maybe the Halifax and the Sunderland flying boat. The most powerful of that line was (I think) the Centaurus as used on the Hawker Fury/Sea Fury, which was reputed to be the fastest piston powered aircraft ever.
When Air New Zealand (TEAL in those days) brought in the Short Solent flying boats for the Tasman run the government in it's wisdom decided to use Pratt & Whitney engines instead (probably to get a good deal from America by using war surplus engines more than for any other reason).
I heard somewhere that when there was a headwind on the way to Sydney they sometimes only just made it with the amount of fuel they carried, whereas the Bristol sleeve valve engines could have made it easily.
Luckily the passengers of the day weren't aware of the situation and probably also good that they were flying boats!
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