Keep Mediocrity at Bay
Throughout the 20th century, Britain produced many remarkable – in some cases world-changing – internal combustion piston engines. Unfortunately for the everyday motorist on the street, most of them were to be found in aircraft, ships, railway locomotives, motorcycles and even a few racing or luxury cars.
Even in the post-WW2 era, all-iron in-line engines were the staple offering for the British Big Six, side valves were still commonplace, and the RAC horsepower rating system cast a long (stroke) shadow over cylinder proportions even after Britain introduced a flat tax rate. Such engines were not particularly powerful, nor even efficient, but were trusted by the motor trade and buying public, and were forgiving of unsophisticated and imprecise casting, machining and assembly methods.
Into this cautious, conservative, yet somewhat confused land came Palmer’s flat-four, designed and developed in wartime. Continue reading “Beautiful Vision – Evolution of the Jowett Javelin – Part 10”
Driven To Write 