Technical ***April 2017 Banger Meet - No Fooling!***

That IS an interesting OHV! Could it be and "Alexander"?

 

Looks like one to me, that had a aluminum head cast with a steel plate insert.

I used to spent a half a day to get our car to go through the bus stop in the back stretch flat out. The data showed so much time/speed lost there that affected all the way down into Star mazda turn. I cannot tell you how many times we were accused of nos in the car and the inspectors looking it over. Rules stated the glove box had to be in the car so I zip tied it to the front down leg of cage so inspectors could see into the dash looking for a bottle. I spent a lot of time making sure we were compliant with the rulebook, and carried tools to prove it. I never had any parts impounded, but I know how to read the rulebook and always had a logical Steward to work with.

John

 

That's it! Alexander. I knew it was an A name. Haha. When were they produced?


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So, umm what is this shaft for? The one coming out the timing gear cover (about where a fuel pump would be on my B motor) It is on a motor modified for a compressor.

 

You should think about working up a four banger engined car to run with us. I had Seth H. intrested for a time; but he got "fixated" on the WRA and the Santa Margarita Time Trials. As I say VARA's "Brit Extrav" is one of the most "Laid Back" events I've run, since way back when The California
Sports Car Club ran races (mostly parties) in SoCal. Below is "Young" Dawg in June of '56 at Pomona. (Note we ran "clockwise). I came in 7th in Class G Production. However the following October I was only able to come up 13th. That December ('56) I inadvertently won my Class when hardly anyone showed up at a frigid, windblown race at Willow Springs. I left as soon as I got off the track. They sent a trophy with photo to my folks house, addressed to my "nom-d'gere". My mom opened it. "BUSTED"! My career ended at a tender age of 17.

 

Governor I think

 

That was my thoughts as well.

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So, umm what is this shaft for?

not sure but old school . not to be copied

 

It's a governor. I have one that came on a combine. I always thought it would make a great place for a magneto drive.


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Thank You, no, not interested in track events anymore. I am perfectly happy with the SCTA and Bonneville.
Yes, I do owe Seth a couple shots of a project I am working on, but progress is not as swift as I would like.
Willow Springs, that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up! Great track, too bad it is not better maintained. Or should I say the areas adjacent to the track. we have cut more tires up there and destroyed the dirty side of the car.

Best, John

 

Yup, Gov drive.
The only problem is the MAG has to be one with gear reduction as that shaft runs at crank speed.
Old Bendix aircraft mags were popular here, as well as some from tractors.
It does work well for a water pump drive too.

 

Yes and sure would look nice without those air cleaners on top of the pair of Winfields and the alternator.

 

Here's the head with the plug cover

 

Have you guys seen what they're "Frothing" about over on Ebay?

 

Funny, brings back many memories - I too owned a set of these for a B' engine and I bought all of it directly from Joe about 71 or 72 and then sold it all to a guy up in the NW parts of the states in the early 80s . This is not my set up, as there was much more and also had manifolds and cam blanks. A few weeks ago I found an old photo album of mine from when I went to Calif in 70/71 to visit Jim Brierley and it has 100s of photos in it of old OHV engines and cars; I am having them converted to disc and j-peg files so I can share them with everyone. Never know what you'll find in an old attic!

 

Mmmmmm... GEMSA DOHC...

 

Nice find, lots of chips to make. Looks like tubular rods, those would look good hanging on the wall.
Missing some key components, I'll hold these for you while looking for the rest.
J

 

Hey gents - Any of you So Cal guys ever go to Cars & Coffee on Saturday mornings? A few of us are going to take our bangers if you want to meet up this Saturday.

Meet around 6:45am and here are directions: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Aliso+Viejo+Cars+&+Coffee/@33.5759478,-117.7262699,18.08z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x80dce91971d1cfc5:0x5289f1f75984e74b!2sAliso+Viejo,+CA!3b1!8m2!3d33.5676842!4d-117.7256083!3m4!1s0x0:0xd2d72944a60c27d8!8m2!3d33.5765734!4d-117.7268911

I'm the one in the middle:

 

Yeah! I had to chuckle as well. Who knows, though, one those Ebayers just might tumble off the turnip truck. I'm no expert, but I think those castings look suspiciously like the Gavilan Heads. Could "Jiggler Joe' gotten some of the run that George Parker had done year's ago?

 

I am not sure on all the history here, I thought the Gemsa's were all chain drives. But what do I know.
In any event, a better find might be a BeeJay.

I thought the Parker escapade involved Moeller castings.......

John

 

I know nothing more about the George Parker deal other than several years ago Pete Eastwood told me that Parker had rented some patterns and run off some castings. I believe Pete said they were Gavilans.
Just recently a guy offered a friend of mine, who is a Model T enthusiast, a Gavilan for $6000. Knowing the offeror, I'm assuming he's offering castings. I don't know who told me; but seems the owner of the patterns live is in Hammond IN.

 

Was there a Galavan pattern for both the T & A style blocks? I had met Don Lockwood "many"times in my younger years (South side Chicago racer - retired) and he helped me a great deal with my first sprint car and also located the Riley 4 port car that I bought and used up... another story! Anyway, Don had mentioned many times that he and Gemsa had bad blood between them because he had loaned a set of patterns to Joe and never was paid or reimbursed with castings & parts to complete the deal - thought the name was Galavan, but I could be wrong about that. Don lived in Beverley and that is only 10 or 15 min from Hammond Ind, so could that be the same story but minuets apart?

 

I bought the Gallivan/Rajo patterns from Lockwood about 10 years ago. There is a great deal of history on how these patterns were passed around and used throughout the years. I have that history if anyone is interested.
Briefly, Lockwood let Gemsa use the patterns and Joe kept them and modified them to fit the ModelA block. Lockwood was pissed with this situation and sent the patterns to George Parker to be restored to their original configuration. By the time I got the patterns the gear tower patterns were missing because everytime Lockwood lent someone the patterns to use something came up missing. Currently the complete set of patterns belongs to Dave Szumowski. He has everything together at last. He has all the head patterns, the gear tower patterns, the cup system patterns, and he even found the original drill jig.

While I had the patterns I did cast some heads and finished one engine for an early race car. I also have one running Joe Gemsa twin cam model T hillclimber that after breaking the record at the Newport Hillclimb was banned and its record "expunged" I guess I embarrassed the local favorites.

 

Parker also did patterns for the DOHC Frontenac head. I remember his new Fronty water pumps and side drives at his booth at a Squaw Valley swap meet years ago. The head and accessory patterns are now in the possession of Dan Price. I never knew Joe Gemsa but have heard pro and con about his business practices. Only thing I can say he put out a fair amount of heads compared to the bullshiters with patterns that never did anything but brag about what they were going to do.

 

These conversations are very enlightening to this Ol' Boy!

 

Have a good holiday weekend guys..........

 

you be safe jimski