Vauxhall 8 Valve Twin Cam slant four (Final part)
Okay here we go, the final part of the instalment on the 8 Valve Slant four engine. Its been a long write up (or is that type up?) of the existing paperwork. Good news is that others have chipped in with information and in a couple of cases Viva related clubs have previously written about the engine.
The DSG club first mentioned it in issue 28 of their club magazine in 1988, as can be seen its a foreshortened version of the story I have presented so far, and Like all club magazines where space is a premium, radical edits are the right things to do. The Viva Outlaws also ran the story in a similar edited down manner in the early 2000’s. So its been over a decade since this story has been undertaken. Luckily for me space is not an issue, hence the three long previous instalments.
DSG 28
DSG 28
DSG 28
So todays final instalment is about showing you the engine. the present owner has given me a few images and I have taken some myself. The engine is not presently in its car, as its under restoration. The present owner has done some trial fits and these are the first images. the engine is dirty and dusty, but be under no doubt its going to return to the road at some point!
In this image you can see the drivers side engine mount, which has been shortened to move the engine across to the drivers side, as described in the earlier reports.
Prototype 8 Valve Slant Four engine.
Here is the engine from a better angle where one can see the two cams, note the typical twin cam lack of space of an exhaust. Its obvious no LHD car could have been fitted with this engine.
Prototype 8 Valve Slant Four engine.
The following images are where its sits today, awaiting its host car to be finished, then its off for a rebuild.
Here we see the inlet ports of the head.
Prototype 8 Valve Slant Four engine.
Here is the head from the front showing the two cam wheels, one can see the cam covers are a totally different design to those of the Lotus or the later HS engine.
Prototype 8 Valve Slant Four engine.
A better image of the cam covers, this time from the back of the engine.
Prototype 8 Valve Slant Four engine.
Here we look under one of the cam covers to see the Inlet camshaft, note the engineers blue on the cam cover. This I believe is here to assist in identifying stress cracks on the ribs between the can cover studs on the casting.
Prototype 8 Valve Slant Four engine.
And finally so no one is in doubt this is the actual engine in the articles the engine number matches the reports. Note the engine number on the dyno chart in the first Technical Report.
Prototype 8 Valve Slant Four engine.
In summary this is one very rare engine (as in the only one in the world), one other head is reported to exist. Its part of the history of both Vauxhall and Blydenstein. It will be a joy to see this back on the road.
Any questions you may have on this engine, “may” be answered but I am respecting the owners wishes to privacy, so don’t ask me where it is, and or if its for sale.
