ABC Cars, Aero engines and the Robin aeroplane

Another mystery engine competition

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2 years 3 months ago #1267 by Paul
Replied by Paul on topic Another mystery engine competition
Thanks, David, for releasing the vacuum on this mystery.
However, wisps are still swirling in the background.
There are plenty of Cherub pictures on the 'net, but - they are all the other way up!
Inverting the engine for its ABC role would surely have played havoc with its lubrication arrangements, and more.
Also, aircraft engines have always been designed with, primarily, reliability in mind, and secondarily, a good power-to-weight ratio. Actual power per cc. scarcely came into it.
So how wise was selection of this engine for automotive duties?

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2 years 3 months ago - 2 years 3 months ago #1269 by Roger
Replied by Roger on topic Another mystery engine competition
Paul,

I think that all of the pictures of the Cherub engine are for the Mark 3 version but the Mark 1 was the other way up.
I still can't work out the valve arrangement as the later pictures do indeed show a rocker with the adjuster but it is relatively short.

As it was entered in the 200 Miles race reliability would have been more important that maximum speed. Dixon used a CR of 3:1 in one race (1921 500 Miles?) race for reliability and won.
Last edit: 2 years 3 months ago by Roger.

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2 years 3 months ago #1270 by Paul
Replied by Paul on topic Another mystery engine competition
Hi Roger,
Thanks for the update/correction.
Reliability? David writes that it broke a crankshaft!
I have to think that each of those long 'pushrod' tubes contained, in fact, the central (rotary/oscillating) part of a special, much-extended rocker.
No great puzzle about how the outboard ends worked. The inboard ends could each have been activated by a face cam on a common shaft.
I wonder why Bristol decided to turn their engine upside down.

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2 years 2 months ago - 2 years 2 months ago #1278 by Andrew Kelsey
Replied by Andrew Kelsey on topic Another mystery engine competition
I found that Milntown does not have 1923 Autocar vols so could not investigate further.
Of no relevance at all but a great find, in an earlier volume this delightful Edwardian advertising card seems to have been left as a book mark for over a hundred years.
Last edit: 2 years 2 months ago by Andrew Kelsey.
The following user(s) said Thank You: keithsams

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1 year 6 months ago #1386 by Swift Paul
Replied by Swift Paul on topic Another mystery engine competition
Is there any other reference to the Cherub engine being used by cars?

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