[Mgs] Hand cranking

[Stuart MacMillan]

Good grief, this list must be full of really old people, just like me!

You can only hand crank a low compression engine, unless there is a system
to lower compression, like there is on old fashioned two cycle outboard
engines. 

But I digress. I was surprised to see hand crank grooves in the harmonic
balancer bolt on my son's '64 MGB (3 main engine). Basically, just two slots
formed on opposite bolt flats designed to release the U-shaped crank when
the engine spun.  It's useless. I assume they probably just used up some
"old stock" bolts. 

But, I checked my '65, (which has a '68 engine in it) and you could actually
get a hand crank on the pulley if the front valence wasn't there, but it
would be tight.  

So, I'd say some engines had this capability long after it was useful!

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
Subject: [Mgs] Hand cranking

Discussion came up at home tonight twixt the wife and myself about 
hand-cranking engines and when the practice died out.

The question before the board is "What was the last automobile manufactured 
with the capability to hand crank the engine?"  Not the necessity, but the 
capability.