[Healeys] 100S modifications

[warthodson at aol.com]

Thanks to everyone who replied to my question concerning how the 100S engine
was originally made. I find it interesting that a special block was cast for
the limited production 100S engines & it demonstrates the degree that the
Donald Healey Motor Company & the Austin Motor Co. were willing to go to
increase performance & the importance they placed on "racing on Sunday &
selling on Monday".
Gary Hodson



Michael S


On Tue, Oct 18, 2011 at 10:53 PM, Alan Seigrist <healey.nut at gmail.com> wrote:

Yes, Actually if I recall correctly the distributor on a standard 100 runs of
this same gear, but because it's on the wrong side it reaches across the crank
to connect, that's why the distributor drive shaft is so long on the 100.




On Wed, Oct 19, 2011 at 8:59 AM, Michael Salter
<msalter at precisionsportscar.com> wrote:




Hi Gary,
I'll try to answer your questions.
I'm not an expert on casting techniques but. as far as I can figure, to make
the 100S block the pattern for the deck of the block was changed with
repositioned bosses for the studs and incidentally more material where the
generator would eventually mount.
Moving the distributor to the other side of the block was necessitated by
the manifolds which were located on the right side of the 100S head.
The actual process of moving the distributor was not too difficult because
there is already a 1/2 engine speed quill shaft over there which is used to
drive the tachometer in the original 100 configuration. All they had to do
was cast up a special pedestal, incorporating a tachometer drive (just like
the one used on the pre BJ8 6 cylinder cars)  and bolt it on.

Michael Salter