For the Grey & Norman Freaks

[FC0058]

I found this album whilst I was having a look around starphoto's. It belongs to one of our fellow forum members. Do your self a favour and have a look at some of the photos in here.

http://photo.starblvd.net/IhadaV8?st=album&pg=5

Cheers Jim

PS Is that a repco crossflow.

[Sarge]

Jim
    there are some nice photos on that link just as you said

Regards
Mark

[FC0058]

Mark
Some sweet stuff in them there photo's. It kind of gives a bloke a few idea's.

Cheers Jim

[craiga]

OK, GET A LOAD OF THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.smasa.com.au/documents/archives/1999/pictures/birdwood/birdwood_01.jpg

The picture is off the site above, says it's a Waggot Headed Grey, have a look at the carbies - 6 SU's
Hours of enjoyment setting those things up  

Or is it maybe mechanical fuel injection?


Craig.

P.S Thanks Stinky, image link used is from the SMASA site

[FC0058]

Craig
That grey would look good in POO, I would love to get my hands on a couple of those greys he has on the site they look sweet and would have packed a little punch by the look of them.

Jim

[4hammers]

Hi Fellas.
That's Tony C's site (IhadaV8). He uses this forum.
That car is the Jack Meyers Waggot Holden. They are not SU's, but "Amil" carbies (I think that is how you spell it), that were used on motor bikes.
This car was very famous in its day. It was unrestored for years & was missing the head (a Twin Cam Waggot), but a friend of mine had the head & sold it back to the restorer. It is in the Birdswood Mill Motor museum.
Regards,
Rob J

[craiga]

Thanks Rob for the extra info.

It's really incredible the amount of fabrication that went on in the 1950-60's. Lots and lots of casting of manifolds and rocker covers - it seems as though there was a foundry on every corner - now there's just a bloody 7-11!!

The ingenuity and inventiveness of people like Eldred Norman, Merv Waggot, Frank Klienig and others was just outstanding.

Cheers,

Craig.

[fc4me]

Hi all don't want to tread on anyones toes here but--- the carbs on that car are "su"  The amil's were used on a couple of the waggotts and there were a couple of different sizes as well, put them side by side and youll see the differencs. Also to my knowledge that head is not the original one for that car but i could be wrong. Its still a beautiful bit of gear!

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Last time I went to the Birdwood Museum they also had a Mechanically Injected Grey powered rail. Great place to visit, tonnes of great old cars.

I have a few pics here including an FC Wagon.

http://www.smasa.com.au/documents/archives/1999/birdwood.html

The pic CraigA posted isn't loading at the moment, but if it is the same car that I have shown in the link above, then yes it was running 6 motorcycle carbs and a twin cam Waggot Head.

[4hammers]

Hi all.
Hmm, I was under the impression they were Amil's, but, if yopu havce been there & seen them, you may be right. I know they were modified & may well have had SU fuel floats. I have the actual magazine that had a story covering the build up of this car. I will look & see.
Also, I am pretty sure it was the same head that went back on. It was owned by a succession of people, who had it stored & filled with oil, but the last guy who had it, wouldn't sell it to anyone else except the restorter of that car.

FC4Me,
I don't consider my toes trodden on at all. I am only a "Youngster" in the Grey performance fraternity, so I can't really say anything is 100% assured. I wasn't even an itch in my old mans pants when these things were about. EVERY bit of info I get is what I read & word of mouth. I am VERY happy to stand corrected, as it is the ONLY way to really learn. Too many people out there "Know it all", but in actual fact, don't know AT all.

I also have some very interesting info on my Methanol Blower. I won't blab until it is 100% confirmed, but trust me, it is cool.

Regards,
Rob J

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

All I know is that they are motorcycle carbs, the name Amil does ring a bell though. Maybe I will have to up there for another visit and confirm, but I am 99% positive they are not SUs.
The shots were taken 4 years ago, so whatever I wrote as the caption would be pretty accurate.

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

OK, stay tuned, I have called the museum and someone (probably the curator) will check and get back to me.

[FE_225]

Hi Guys
The waggott heads came "out of the box" with 6 Amal or 3 double choke sidedraught Webers, along with the fully preped bottom end.
I think the carbs in the pic are SU's.  Meyers ran the car on methanol, this maybe why it has the SU's fitted.

Here's a pic of a twin cammer fitted with Amals.

This is the original twin cam head. It was built by Fred Foster a year before Waggott built his. This is where Merv got the idea from.
Hopefully Stinky will get a definate answer for us

Cheers
Tony

[fc4me]

Hi stinky just wondering if you can confirm the "number" of the head while you are taking to the people at the museum? Is John Chittleborough still there or has he moved on also? These things have been a bit of an obsession for me over the years and any imformation about them ill gladly listen to.
                                             Regards
                                                         Mark

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

FC4ME wins the prize!!!! (anyone gotta prize for him?)
Wolfgang called me back today and confirmed that they were SU carbs. He said something about them being coded H11 2 or something or H112 (on the mobile).

Sorry FC4ME, but I didn't see your post before I spoke to the guy. Maybe when I next go up there.

[fccool59]

Ive got a picture in a book of the waggott double knocker head in a humpy, it also has a seven bearing crank using a cage to accomadate it, the capacity was three litres, in the article it only has two strombergs fitted but they were planning to get around 175 bhp @ 6000rpm when they fitted the 6 amal's with a top engine speed of 7000rpm wich isnt bad for a old grey thats naturally aspirated in a humpy.
The car belonged to a guy called Bill Thompson and was driven by a guy called Jack Myers and Merv Waggott from Waggott engineering in Greenacre was doing most of the work on it.

In the article they claim that a fractured manifold  restricted it to a mere 6000 rpm in top gear.
Dont you hate it when you have a stuffed manifold and your grey will only pull 6000rpm in top gear and you are running late for work.

Has anyone seen a grey head that used a rotating shaft in the head instead of valves?

[4hammers]

Yes.
That would be a "Dunstan Rotary Valve" head. I am on my work computer, as my home one has shite itself (Again!!). So I don't have access to my photos. Tony C (IhadaV8) will have a shot or 2 of one. Ask him, I am sure he will help.
Rob J

[FC0058]

Morning All
I am off to Adelaide for Christmas so will pay a visit to the Birdwood Mill Museum.. I might even take my camera with me and get a few photo's of this much talked about Grey. So standby for those updated photo's.

Cheers Jim