HAVEN’T HEARD

that abut Pinto motors before, Neil, but it makes sense if you make a mental picture of how the underslung rocker works. I reckon the other factor in a `tuned’ engine making less power than a stocker is that folks don’t match their components correctly. We all had a mate back in the day who put a big cam in his 186 with no other changes, only to have it lose 10mph off its top speed, right? This is why good engine builders are worth their weight in Tim Tams; they know what works with what and won’t take 12 months trying to arrive at a winning formula.

As for your mate’s dodgy fixes, I’ve heard of using a bit of old leather belt as a supplementary bearing material before, but usually only as a get-you-home fix, not something that was then foisted upon an unsuspecting member of the public in return for cash. Some people have no morals. Haven’t heard of ciggie papers being used to take up bearing clearance either. To be honest, a piece of thin paper wouldn’t have been my first choice.

But I have heard of shim brass being used in a similar way before today. A mate of mine had an old Lanchester (a Daimler with even less power) way, way back in the day. Typically, it used a king-pin front end which was always loose.

My buddy got used to it and could drive around the wobbles (not such a problem with a top speed of 58mph. Downhill) but come rego time each year, the Lanchester needed shimming up to get through the roadworthy inspection. Shim brass was the favoured material, but even then, Matey reckons he had to pull up a block from the inspection station, re-shim the front end in the gutter and then present the car. And by the time he got back home with his fresh new pink-slip, those king-pins would be clacking and slacking again, just as bad as ever.