Just got my latest MG Enthusiast Magazine and was seeking clarification on the information provided it on a barn find PA. In the article it seems to suggest that the car had a capacity of 885cc instead of the standard PA capacity.
SO the questions are:
1. Is this right?
2. How was this achieved?I thought broadly speaking that PA's were resumably bored out some amount oversized?
My PA bored out to +30 has a capacity of 869cc (from memory) so I guess this one is bored +40... One of the old yearbooks has this info but I can't find it at the moment...
Graham
"I'd rather be happy than right anyday" Slartybartfast, Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy
I was approaching this from the topic of did the factory ever supply PA's ex-factory that were bored oversize? I believe the inference in the MG Enthusiast article is that the factory did although in not many numbers.
I think the best answer is - we will never know. I doubt if any new car left the works with anything other than a standard engine size.
However it was quite common to over quote engine size - declare the engine as larger than it actually was. This happened in racing a lot - you got more start money in the larger engine class - hence MG's were often stated at 1500 cc. The engine would have been 1100 cc (probably over sized by rebore) but you got an extra £ 20.00 start money in the 1500 cc class. There was no penalty for over claiming - just for under claiming.
There is no evidence of any MG running anything other than a "standard" engine size. Although K3 cars were entered in the 1500 cc class - there is no evidence that any were actually larger than 1100 cc in fact.
E R Hall entered a N type based special at Shelsley Walsh with a 1271 cc N engine and a big big Zoller - talk among many was that the engine was based on a Musketeer engine - but there is no real evidence that it was - the car was completed in a hurry and only ran once or twice.
The largest capacity engine built by MG for a K3 was probably EX 135's 1500 cc class record attempt - the mechanics overboring the engine to + 40 - this is stated in Maintaining the Breed at 1106 cc which put the car in the class above (for record attempts you are not allowed to over claim as the engine has to be measured).
Regards 4 cylinder engines mentioned above - my view is that the engine size has either been stated incorrectly by error (easy to do) or the car is being re-stated following an overhaul. Certainly MG would have sold a car second hand with a re-conditioned engine and then the engine size may have been recorded over-sized.
I am not (as you may by now know) a great subscriber to the conspiracy theory - nor do I agree with trying to make history fit the pile of bits which have "appeared like magic" in a barn find. Gosh yet another K3 or genuine works racing car is unearthed - when in fact what we have is a pile of 70-80 year old bits, thrown in a corner in 1960. There is as time marches forward - a risk of the old addage of - "send three and fourpence we are going to a dance" - when the actual story was - send re-enforcements we are going to advance!
J2 and PA were I am sure 839 cc in standard form - PB was bigger cant remember the size though off hand. J3 and 4 - QA & RA 747 cc. K3 1086 cc - except EX 135 which depended on engine fitted and how many pistons it had :)! Musketeer trial team cars had an N engine with 60 mm pistons - this works out at about 1408 cc from memory and this is the largest engine built at Abingdon for a MMM car. All other 6 cylinder engines were either 1086 or 1271 cc depending on model.
Some K3 cars might have been fitted with 1271 cc engines for 1500 cc class events but I totally doubt it!
The problem with history is that as time moves on the history seems to change. The cars have sadly become comodities. The history is being adapted to suit. These are my own opinions - if you disagree then it is to my shame ;)
quote:Originally posted by David Allison The largest capacity engine built by MG for a K3 was probably EX 135's 1500 cc class record attempt - the mechanics overboring the engine to + 40 - this is stated in Maintaining the Breed at 1106 cc which put the car in the class above (for record attempts you are not allowed to over claim as the engine has to be measured).
On the subject of which, does anyone know whether this engine was still fitted when Gardner demonstrated EX135 at Brooklands on August 7th 1939?
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Posted - 27/05/2012 : 12:48:13
