Simon Favre adds:
> According to the article in Vintage Motorsport a few years back, the
> Climax FWA engine was actually designed to Interior Ministry specs as
> a fire pump. It had to be light enough to be carried by 2 soldiers in
> full battle gear and run unattended for 24 hrs at some specified
> pumping rate. It got put into race cars only a little later, but it
> WAS a fire pump. The effort to put it into race cars was only accepted
> "as long as it did not interfere with fire pump production" according
> to the article.
Yes, I think that WAS the official Coventry-Climax story line. Consider
however:
The chief engineer of Coventry-Climax, Walter Hassan had a resume that
included working with Bentley on their victorious LeMans cars and later
work for Bristol and Jaguar. Hassan added to the racing background at
Climax by also hiring Harry Mundy from BRM. It's doubtful Hassan and Mundy
forgot all they ever knew about racing engines and never let the subject
enter their minds as they set out to design a PUMP MOTOR!
Unlikely scenario: An innocent bystander points out: "CRICKIES! you've
built a pump motor that might just be a RACING MOTOR!!!! Hassan and Mundy
smite themselves on the forehead in disbelief at what they'd done!!!!
Tony_______________________@Sherman.Texas
(I don't just make up ALL this stuff!) (-:
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