From: "Richard A. Boris"
> If memory serves me correctly, the reason that the crankshafts were heat
> treated is to essentially harden them. The later, I think 1968 and on,
> crankshafts were made through a casting process, thus requiring heat
> treatment and subsequent machining.
I visited the Austin factory in the early 70s and saw crankshafts being
drop-forged. A plain billet of metal was transformed in just three hits,
one in each of three moulds. Camshafts were produced in one hit. Camshafts
(not sure about cranks) were then heat treated in an induction furnace for a
few seconds before being machined.
PaulH.
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