I filed this one away in my brain's "inactive" file many, many years
ago, but joining the list has brought it back, so here goes:
There is a signature engraved into the valve cover on my 1275 engine
('69 Sprite Mk.IV). It has been there since the day I bought the car,
and I bought it new in '69. It was obviously done with an electric
engraving tool (you know, one of those "bzzzzzzzt" things).
The signature? C.R. Chapman. And before your eyes get big, no, that's
not Colin Chapman of Lotus fame (who wouldn't have anything to do with a
BMC "A"-series engine, anyway). Initials are wrong; he was Anthony Colin
Bruce Chapman. So, who is C.R. Chapman, and why is his signature on my
valve cover? Somebody at the factory (exactly where were "A"-series
engines assembled, anyway?) having a bit of fun? Yeah, yeah, I know,
every Aston-Martin engine is signed by the guy who put it together, but
Austin ain't hardly Aston-Martin!
Anybody else out there have a personalized valve cover? Just an errant
question for a slow Saturday afternoon.
regards,
Jim Algar
|