[CR]Now: Totally Off Topic Was: If You Are Visiting The UK

(Example: Framebuilders:Mario Confente)

Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2004 21:26:34 -0800
From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
References: <20040321000557.47189.qmail@web11903.mail.yahoo.com>
Subject: [CR]Now: Totally Off Topic Was: If You Are Visiting The UK

Fred Rafael Rednor wrote:
>
> I realize this is off-topic bu in addition to everthing
> mentioned by Mick, you can't forget the Coventry Climax motors
> that powered so many racing cars in the ,50s and '60s
> (including, if I remember correctly, the Lotus driven by Jim
> Clark to his first F1 World Championship). Amazingly, these
> motors were originally designed to power the pumps of fire
> trucks!
>
> Perhaps this isn't so off topic in the sense that whatever
> attracted me to Euro style auto racing also attracted me to
> bicycling.
> Lord have mercy, this makes me nastalgic...
> Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia

Well yes, it was a fire pump, but not for a fire truck. It was designed to be light enought to be carried by hand to the location of the fire.

•Coventry Climax -- Making a new fire-pump

In 1950 (at the time of the Korean war) the specifications for fire-pumps, that the U.K. Ministry of Defence had set, were changed. Army fire-pumps had to deliver 35bhp at 3,500rpm. plus they had to be very light-weight. September of that year, Leonard Lee of Coventry Climax met his new chief engineer, Walter Hassan (1905-....) and they decided that their product needed an up-date. Hassan took a close look at motorcycle technology (which at the time was ahead of cars), and in particular at the Sunbeam S7. The S7 engine was entirely of alloy, it had wedge-shaped combustion chambers, and an overhead camshaft.

Seven months later, in April 1951, the first 1020cc FW engine was ready, FW for Feather Weight. When started for the first time, it ran successfully, and easily produced 38bhp. They were rewarded with a Home Office contract.

•Racing the engine

As Mr. Lee thought that victories in races would influence prospective buyers, it was decided that the engine would be raced. Already the gentlemen of the racing business were knocking on his door since the engine had been on display at the Earls Court Motor-show, on the marine stand.

It was obvious that the engine was not developed with racing in mind. The awkward size of 1020cc needed modification and other changes had to be made to make the FW into a racing engine. In 1953 the FWA was delivered to the market, A for Automobile. The block had been rebored, new pistons were fitted, as were a steel crankshaft and twin carbs, alterations to the valves and ports were made and the compression ratio was increased. Power output of the little fire-pump had been increased from 38 to 72bhp at 6100rpm.

The first car to use a Coventry Climax engine in a contest was a Kieft with a 1097cc FWA. The match being the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1954. The Kieft did not finish as its rear axle broke.

•Success

The season of 1954 saw Coventry Climax-powered cars winning races. The company found themselves in a monopoly situation. Competition mostly used much modified Ford and MG units that were expensive and unreliable. Leonard Lee did not sell any specials to anyone, not even the persuasive Colin Chapman of Lotus. Everyone was given an identical engine. And development marched on. Compression ratio was increased and later on so many changes were made that it was called the Mark II.

The absolute capacity limit for the block was represented by the FWB, of which only a few were made. These engines, that contained nearly 1500cc, were raced in 1956 by Coopers. And it was one of these cars that won the British Grand Prix of that year.

When Colin Chapman started thinking up the Elite (1; 2) in 1957, Coventry Climax agreed to provide the engines. But only if they could be garanteed a minimum order of 1000 units. The Feather Weight Elite (FWE) was produced from 1959 to 1963. It had a relatively unstressed output of 72bhp. The Lotus 14 (Elite) was winner of its class at Le Mans on 6 consecutive years from 1959 to 1964. These engines were also sold to Jack Brabham who fitted them (as after-market extras) to sports cars of the day. And successfully so !

Mr. Chapman then convinced Coventry Climax to develop an ultra-short-stroke version of the FWA. He would like one to use in the 1957 'Index of Performance' class at Le Mans. This FWC came alive and won with ease. It needed constant high revs, having no usable power below 6000rpm, but this was hardly a disadvantage during the race. Though of course it was unsuitable as a road engine.

It did lead to further modifications in the original FW unit, as it was clear that it didn't need 1020cc to provide 35bhp. Walter Hassan and Harry Mundy developed a new unit of only 653cc, which could do what the old FW did, but was 100lb lighter. It was named FWM, M for Marine, as it was intended for marine use. This new engine was able to operate either horizontally or vertically for outboard use. The American market remained as uninterested as they had been in 1951, despite an increase of capacity to 745cc and intensive development.

For 1958, Colin Chapman persuaded the company to develop an enlarged (745cc) racing derivative of this engine, for his cars to use at Le Mans, when it was dubbed FWMA (Feather Weight Marine Automotive). (That year, and in the future, it was not a lucky engine for Lotus). It was this FWMA that Mike Parkes had in mind for his Imp.

The fire-pump that wins races

•Racing Results

1958 2 GP victories Cooper-Climax 1959 5 GP ,, Jack Brabham made champion 1960 6 GP ,, again Jack Brabham champion 1960 2 GP ,, Jim Clark in a Lotus

Results in 1965-66 World Championship 1965

1. Jim Clark (Lotus-Climax), 54 pts. 2. Graham Hill (BRM), 40 pts. 3. Jackie Stewart (BRM), 33 pts. 4. Dan Gurney (Brabham-Climax), 25 pts. 5. John Surtees (Ferrari), 17 pts. 6. Lorenzo Bandini (Ferrari), 13 pts. 7. Richi Ginther (Honda), 11 pts. 8. Bruce MacLaren (Cooper-Climax), 10 pts. Mike Spence (Lotus-Climax), 10 pts. 9. Jack Brabham (Brabham-Climax), 9 pts. 10. Dennis Hulme (Brabham-Climax), 5 pts. 11. Jochen Rindt (Cooper-Climax), 4 pts.

On January 1, 1965, Jim Clark made a clean break in his Lotus-Climax at the start of the South African Grand Prix. He led all the way to notch up his first of six consecutive GP wins. He came in nearly half a minute ahead of the Ferrari V8 driven by John Surtees. Clark never seemed to be pressing his Lotus-Climax 33 at any stage. The 32-valve, 209hp Coventry Climax V8 engine was also used by Jack Brabham in his Brabham-Climax, as did J. Bonnier, D. Gurney, J. Siffert and R. Anderson. One Bruce McLaren was driving a Cooper-Climax, so were Jochen Rindt and John Love. The other Lotus-Climax V8 was Mike Spence's.

•Climax engined Racing cars

Lotus Mark 9 (or IX), 1955, FWA, Space frame sports racer Lotus Eleven (or XI), 1956 - '59?, FWA, Space frame sports racer Lotus 12, 1958, FPF, 1500cc/2000cc/2200cc The first Lotus single-seater. First GP points. It made it's racing debut on the Goodwood Easter Monday meeting of 1957. It was driven by Cliff Allison and it dropped out while being third in the field. Lotus 16, 1958-59, FPF, 1500cc/2000cc/2200cc First 'real' F1 Lotus. Motorcycle-type gearbox. Lotus 18, 1960-61, FPF, 2500/1500 First GP win and pole position. Lotus 18/21, 1961 FPF, 1500cc; FWMV V8 1500cc RRC Walker team's car to Stirling Moss. Lotus 21, 1961 FPF, 1500cc First GP win for Team Lotus. (Ireland, USA 1961) Lotus 24, 1962-65, 1500cc Coventry Climax FWMW V8 Lotus 25, 1962-65, FWMV V8, 1500cc; BRM V8 1500cc First monocoque F1 car. Both championship titles. Lotus 33, 1964-66, FWMV V8, 1500/2000; BRM V8 2100cc Modified type 25.

GP gestart 97 Overwinningen 40 Poleposities 44 Snelste ronden 44

•Climax engined Road cars

Pre-Feather Weight era

Coventry Climax fame did not start with the feather weight fire-pump.

Morgan Aero, Great Britain 1921-1936 The Morgan was the best known three-wheeler, not only in Britain but throughout the world. The three-wheelers occupied an anomalous position in the motoring world, always being exhibited in motorcycle shows and exhibitons. By 1933 the fiercest Morgan was called the Super Sports Aero. The air-cooled V-twin JAP engine was mounted in front of the bonnet, fully exposed to the elements. A year later this model gave way to a less sporting version with a water-cooled Matchless engine, and in 1934 came the first four-cylinder Morgan, a 1,122 cc Coventry Climax.

Triumph Prewar Coventry Climax engines were built by Triumph under licence and used in various Triumphs from 1932-1938, eg. a six cylinder Triumph/Climax ioe in a 1935 Triumph Gloria.

Feather Weight era

Lotus Elite (Type 14) Production: approx. 1000, 1957-1963 Bodystyle: Two-seater Engine: Coventry Climax FWE 4-cylinder (1216cc) Chasis: all-fiberglass

TVR Grantura Mark I Production: 100, 1958-1960 Bodystyle: Two-seater coupé Engine: Varying, 1216cc Coventry Climax FWE Engine position: Front Driven wheels: Rear

Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California

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