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From: roger whittle
Fromemail: roger.l.whittle@btopenworld
Category: Technical
Remote Name: 81.135.62.41
Date: 15 Nov 2003
Time: 07:17:48
Your info about the Ferguson flat four engines is pretty well right as I remember. I was an apprentice at the HFR establishment from 1963-68. I began work there in the engine test house. Claud Hill was at that time Cief Engineer, Barry Parkes, ex SU Carburettors was Engine Development Engineer and my boss. Frank Allen was Engine test Supervisor and John Teesdale was an Engine Development Engineer/Tester. They were both ex Rover,having worked there under Edward Turner(?) The original engine was an modified Javelin engine and was developedfrom pushrod through to the final P5 engine. Last time I looked in the Coventry motor museum ther was a P5 engin installed in the P94 car. The P5 bore little resemblance to a Javelin engine, having a one piece crankshaft and OHC. I can remember it producing 134 BHP at about 3500 rpm, I think, using downdraught Stromberg carbs. The main feature of the engine was said by Claud Hill to be the 'Hemispherical Squish' combustion chamber, which worked rather like a Diesel chamber to give short but progressive flame travel. Roy Lunn was, I think, Chief Road Tester at HFR. There were a number of ex Aston Martin people that came with Claud Hill, notably Fred (Smith?), Road Test foreman, Bert Bryant, Assembly Shop Supervisor, I think Roy Hamilton-Smith had also worked there. Oz Webb was Chief Engine Designer and seemed to be very clever although notoriously tempramental. If any other HFR people are out there, I would love to hear from them. It was a great place to work for a car mad youth, populated with great characters.