Mystery 8 cylinder marine engine
Peter Short
http://www.uphill.f9.co.uk/pages/engineering/rick/mystery%20motor.htm
Rick, the owner, posted some details on the Practical Machinist forum
which I hang around.
Here is what he wrote about it:
"This is an inboard not an outboard. It mounts through the hull of the
boat and has a tractor lower unit
( puller not pusher )and the power heard is only 16 inches high and 32
inches across and total weight app 225 pounds.
The engine would have been below deck or under a canvas cover so we can
forget wind drag. I believe it was built to run in the old 151 inboard
class , late 20s early 30s as it displaces 148 cubic inches.It came with
two sets of carbs Zeniths and Windfields. Each bank of cylinders has a
Mallory distributer driven ff the top of the cam and an oil pump driven
off the bottom. No plugs came with it and the holes are larger than 14mm
and smaller than 18mm and long reach ? Bevel driven cam off the center
of the crank, roller tipped rockers and 10, count them, leaf springs for
each set of valves.Dry sump block with the oil contained in the lower
unit for filtration and cooling. No name or casting numbers anywhere
except on the beamed rods and the rocker arms,looks like a trade mark an
arrowhead with a D and a number in the middle.
In years of searching I have only found two references of motors using
leaf springs. A 1906 Woosley and unknown WW1 aircraft engine. I have
sent pictures to ever major museum and contacted various engine
builders, marine architects, authors, racers etc no luck.Maybe through
word of mouth and the internet someone will come up with something. All
collectors want something no one else has but after all these years I
would certainly love to know who built it.Any help will certainly be
appreciated and I hope all that look at it appreciate as I do all the
innovative ideas incorporated in one engine. Enjoy."
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