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Re: Stupid Question(s) .... ?????

To: Joe Curry <spitlist@gte.net>
Subject: Re: Stupid Question(s) .... ?????
From: Andrew Mace <amace@unix2.nysed.gov>
Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1999 09:55:40 -0400 ()
wizardz wrote:
 
> > Sorry Joe...
> > (for once the expert needs some info updating)
> > According to three different sources I've run across, the E
> > stands for Emissions equiped. (pre-California stds).
> > IE: airpump, gulp valve, EGR all installed.
 
Paul, can you tell us offhand what those sources are? I don't doubt what
they said, but I do question the accuracy of the information given. The
"E" suffix has been used on ENGINE numbers dating back at least to the
wet-liner Standard Vanguard engine of the late 1940s and the "SC" engine
family beginning around 1953.

More often than not, "E" has appeared alone as a suffix letter to
designate _E_ngine unit. At times "HE" has been used to designate a high
compression engine and "LE" for a low compression unit. Circa 1972, there
WERE "UE" suffixes on engines in "Federal" cars to designate engines
specific to this market (such as the weak-but-still-willing 48 hp. 1296
cc Spitfire engine). Later on "UCE" was used on California-bound car
engines.

Meanwhile, "U" in a commission number seems to have originated, at least
on the Spitfire, around 1968, originally as a Prefix letter (FDU). Around
the 1973 model year -- introduction of the 1500 here -- U became THE
suffix letter in "Federal" commission numbers.

More than y'all wanted to know, right? :-)

--Andy

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* Andrew Mace, President and                *
*   10/Herald/Vitesse (Sports 6) Consultant *
* Vintage Triumph Register <www.vtr.org>    *
* amace@unix2.nysed.gov                     *
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