Just curious, anyone remember anything from the 60's where someone in Oz had created a V8 from 2 404 (or was it 403) blocks, heads etc?
Peugeot V8
- Thread starter kiwia110
- Start date
Peugeot v8
There was an article on a Pug V8 a while back in Torque. Not sure if it is the same one. Tried to upload the pdf file but was too large. Here is an exerpt:
"The original 403 engine is of 1500 cc, but it was decided to use a pair of 203
blocks, which are smaller in the bore. The final dimensions are 75 mm bore
by 73 mm stroke, giving a total of 2580cc. Based on the manufacturers’ data
(for there has been no opportunity to put the unit on a brake) power output is about 90 bhp at 4500 rpm, with maximum torque of 112 lb. ft.
occurring quite low at around 2400 rpm. The performance of the car confirms that these figures must be pretty close to the mark."
There was an article on a Pug V8 a while back in Torque. Not sure if it is the same one. Tried to upload the pdf file but was too large. Here is an exerpt:
"The original 403 engine is of 1500 cc, but it was decided to use a pair of 203
blocks, which are smaller in the bore. The final dimensions are 75 mm bore
by 73 mm stroke, giving a total of 2580cc. Based on the manufacturers’ data
(for there has been no opportunity to put the unit on a brake) power output is about 90 bhp at 4500 rpm, with maximum torque of 112 lb. ft.
occurring quite low at around 2400 rpm. The performance of the car confirms that these figures must be pretty close to the mark."
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- Aug 2, 2000
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kiwia110 said:
This was done by Jim Hawker who worked for Repco at the time. Phil Irving reckoned he could never do it, this spurred him on even more!
It was fitted into a 1966 403, one of the last off the line. The car still exists with a standard engine and the V8 is on show at a museum in Gembrook near Melbourne.
Jim is still alive, one of his other claims to fame is that he navigated Australian racing great Doug Whiteford in the 1955 Redex in a 203 and the 1956 Mobilgas Trial in a 403.
Graham
From memory, it had a separate crankcase onto which the two sawn-off blocks were mounted. A standard crankshaft was used, with the big ends on the rods halved in width so they could fit side by side. It used two 203 heads IIRC, one back to front to get the exhausts to the outside of the vee... or is that last point wrong?
It also had the C2 (early 403) box and the 4.2 diff...
It also had the C2 (early 403) box and the 4.2 diff...
Better to make it out of a 404 engine, have 3.2 litres...
GRAHAM WALLIS said:
Do you know where this "museum" is? If it's in Gembrook it'll be 2 minutes down the road from me
-- DJ
I had the pleasure of meeting Jim Hawker many years ago at his house which was somewhere near the Caulfield racecourse in Melbourne, at that time the V8 engine was in his garage, I recall him telling me that he ran the idea past Charlie Dean(of Maybach fame) who thought about it for fully 30 seconds and declared that it would work, Grahams comment about him navigating for Doug Whiteford also rings a bell as he showed me a core box for casting pistons for Whitefords Largo Talbot. From memory he was the foundry manager for Russell Engineering which later became part of the Repco Group.
Some of the the other details I recall were, the crankshaft big end journals were widened which allowed con rods of approx. 3/4 of the original width to be used, the 4 barrel carby and distributor were from a V/8 Chev and that engine was trouble free
Regards Graham Lewis
Some of the the other details I recall were, the crankshaft big end journals were widened which allowed con rods of approx. 3/4 of the original width to be used, the 4 barrel carby and distributor were from a V/8 Chev and that engine was trouble free
Regards Graham Lewis
I too met Jim some years ago and wrote about him in the Peugeot Club Magazine, Torque. Before that I remember seeing the car at the Melbourne Motor Show. The motor is now located at the museum beside Philip Island Raceway. I'll dig up the photos and article and post in AF
OddFireV6 said:
I'm sure there's an article about this engine somewhere. Maybe a Wheels magazine when it was about the subject, or a Sports Car World, or something. I'll post the reference if I can ever find it!!
Johnw
Racing Car News carried a story about it as well... maybe it was Modern Motor that you recall?
Russell Engineering is described in the RCN story as 'the father company of Repco'... in other words, though it was still known as Russell Engineering, it had begun the Repco gathering of manufacturers and was still a part of it.
The car was bought in May 1967 apparently for the purpose of installing the engine, which had been in the gestation some 20 months.
I was in error about one head being back to front, this was not the case and it had an assymetrical manifold arrangement to cater for this. Obviously it meant that one exhaust manifold was within the vee along with the two Solex carburettors. Those who remember the way the 203 head had the carby on one side and the inlet valves on the other will recognise how it was done.
While a 1964 Chevrolet distributor was used, there is no discussion about any 4-barrel carburettors and I don't see how it could readily be done.
Apparently the engine weighs only 23lbs (whazzat? 10.5kg?) more than the original, the aluminium crankcase obviously accounting for a lot of the weight saving. I can't really believe this figure, however, and the car also had a double thickness radiator to increase the weight.
The camshafts are still in the original position, with one longer chain driving both and a standard 203 adjuster taking up the slack.
Some other facts:
Big end journals are widened by 3mm, rod widths reduced to fit and bearing surface of the big ends is down by 30% on the original.
The distributor is driven by the cam on the RH bank, the oil pump by the camshaft of the LH bank.
The head is fixed by through-bolts that retain the cylinder blocks on the crankcase, main bearings are cross-bolted.
There is no fan on the water pump (no mention in the story of how the water pump functions, or whether there are two or whatever, and photographs don't show it either), a thermo-electric fan is used.
Flywheel was lightened 14.5lbs as it was machined to take the larger 404 clutch.
As I mentioned previously, the C2 gearbox was used. To enhance under-bonnet room a floor change was made up to operate it.
Top speed was 119mph at 5000rpm, perhaps a little more. 6000rpm in the gears gave 38mph, 57mph and 87mph respectively. Ya gotta love the C2 box with a 4.2 diff!
0-30mph was 3.7s (404=5.1)
0-40mph was 6.2s (404=8.5)
0-50mph was 9.2s (404=12.7)
0-60mph was 12.6s (404=17.5)
0-70mph was 19.0s (404=23.0)
Standing quarter mile was 18.5s (404=20.1)
Firing order is 1-4-5-2-7-6-3-8 with cylinders numbers from the front of the crankshaft, LH bank being ahead of the RH bank.
The story, probably the most complete story on the car, but maybe not with the best pictures, was on page 30 of the April 1968 issue of Racing Car News.
It also stated that Peugeot was interested in the project...
For my money, this was a bit of an oddity. The 403 crank, which had its throw lengthened for this engine (but the story annoying doesn't say by how much nor does it give the engine capacity!) was known to fail occasionally and I wouldn't think that the extra torque available here, nor the additional machining of the journals, would have given it any extra strength.
But Hawker was so confident of it that the car's first ever journey (within a short time of completion...) was from Melbourne to Cairns. And the car had completed 12,000 miles at the time of the RCN story.
Russell Engineering is described in the RCN story as 'the father company of Repco'... in other words, though it was still known as Russell Engineering, it had begun the Repco gathering of manufacturers and was still a part of it.
The car was bought in May 1967 apparently for the purpose of installing the engine, which had been in the gestation some 20 months.
I was in error about one head being back to front, this was not the case and it had an assymetrical manifold arrangement to cater for this. Obviously it meant that one exhaust manifold was within the vee along with the two Solex carburettors. Those who remember the way the 203 head had the carby on one side and the inlet valves on the other will recognise how it was done.
While a 1964 Chevrolet distributor was used, there is no discussion about any 4-barrel carburettors and I don't see how it could readily be done.
Apparently the engine weighs only 23lbs (whazzat? 10.5kg?) more than the original, the aluminium crankcase obviously accounting for a lot of the weight saving. I can't really believe this figure, however, and the car also had a double thickness radiator to increase the weight.
The camshafts are still in the original position, with one longer chain driving both and a standard 203 adjuster taking up the slack.
Some other facts:
Big end journals are widened by 3mm, rod widths reduced to fit and bearing surface of the big ends is down by 30% on the original.
The distributor is driven by the cam on the RH bank, the oil pump by the camshaft of the LH bank.
The head is fixed by through-bolts that retain the cylinder blocks on the crankcase, main bearings are cross-bolted.
There is no fan on the water pump (no mention in the story of how the water pump functions, or whether there are two or whatever, and photographs don't show it either), a thermo-electric fan is used.
Flywheel was lightened 14.5lbs as it was machined to take the larger 404 clutch.
As I mentioned previously, the C2 gearbox was used. To enhance under-bonnet room a floor change was made up to operate it.
Top speed was 119mph at 5000rpm, perhaps a little more. 6000rpm in the gears gave 38mph, 57mph and 87mph respectively. Ya gotta love the C2 box with a 4.2 diff!
0-30mph was 3.7s (404=5.1)
0-40mph was 6.2s (404=8.5)
0-50mph was 9.2s (404=12.7)
0-60mph was 12.6s (404=17.5)
0-70mph was 19.0s (404=23.0)
Standing quarter mile was 18.5s (404=20.1)
Firing order is 1-4-5-2-7-6-3-8 with cylinders numbers from the front of the crankshaft, LH bank being ahead of the RH bank.
The story, probably the most complete story on the car, but maybe not with the best pictures, was on page 30 of the April 1968 issue of Racing Car News.
It also stated that Peugeot was interested in the project...
For my money, this was a bit of an oddity. The 403 crank, which had its throw lengthened for this engine (but the story annoying doesn't say by how much nor does it give the engine capacity!) was known to fail occasionally and I wouldn't think that the extra torque available here, nor the additional machining of the journals, would have given it any extra strength.
But Hawker was so confident of it that the car's first ever journey (within a short time of completion...) was from Melbourne to Cairns. And the car had completed 12,000 miles at the time of the RCN story.
Modern Motor, January 1968
Q-Car Extraordinaire
The V8 engined 403
If you come up against a cream-colored Peugeot 403 bearing the Victorian number JMD-558, you need not be surprised if it
whistles off into the distance a trifle faster than you expected. Nor need you imagine your own engine has gone temporarily off
song. What you have encountered is not— as the type name implies—a 1500 cc four-cylinder car, but what is certainly the
only eight-cylinder Peugeot in Australia and very probably the whole world.
Moreover, it is not just another example of shoe-horning a big American V8 into a chassis of inadequate size. Apart from a few
specially constructed components, the car is entirely Peugeot, and one of the most workmanlike conversions you could
possibly wish to see.
Even after intensive scrutiny it is hard to believe that the engine was not built and installed at the factory instead of being
dreamt up and constructed in Melbourne by owner Jim Hawker.
Jim, who is Foundry Superintendent to the Russell Manufacturing Co. (the Repco division which makes pistons), has been
knee-deep in engines all his life. In addition to much experience with racing cars, he was closely associated with building the
original Chamberlain tractor and before that, the legendary Chamberlain supercharged two-stroke f.w.d. Beetle. The idea of
building the Peugeot V8 came when the first Repco V8(for which Jim produced a great number of small aluminum
components) was in its gestation period at Russells.
One thing which influenced the decision was that the existing steel crankshaft had such wide big-end journals, it appeared
quite feasible to run two narrow rods side-by-side on each pin. Also it had bolted-on balance weights which could easily be
varied.
Theoretically, a single-plane or “flat”
crankshaft attached to eight pistons
results in an engine with a secondary
vibration acting transversely at twice
crankshaft speed, but in practice this
seemed to be almost unnoticeable on
the racing engine.
So there was reason to think it would
not be troublesome on a touring engine
which was precisely what the new
version was intended to be— just a
well-mannered touring device. In fact,
as is well-known, the Peugeot is
designed as quite a slow-revving
engine and the scheme was to retain
.this feature and get the increased
performance just by increase in
capacity.
The original 403 engine is of 1500 cc,
but it was decided to use a pair of 203
blocks, which are smaller in the bore.
The final dimensions are 75 mm bore
by 73 mm stroke, giving a total of 2580
cc. Based on the manufacturers’ data
(for there has been no opportunity to
put the unit on a brake) power output is
about 90 bhp at 4500 rpm, with
maximum torque of 112 lb. ft.
occurring quite low at around 2400
rpm. The performance of the car confirms that these figures must be pretty close to the mark.
Block
The normal block is a cast-iron component with inserted wet liners and a fairly high camshaft. Two of these were modified, if
that is the word, by chopping off the entire crankcase portion just below the bottom deck of the water jacket and the remnants
were attached at 90 deg. to a cast-aluminum crankcase of about the same external size and proportions as those of a kennel
intended to accommodate a small Dachshund.
One trifling snag is that the position of the camshaft is such that it is not possible to obtain a completely flat face on the
cylinder blocks, as the camshaft housing projects a little way below the main joint face.
On the port side block this does not matter, as the camshaft housing is also on the port side and merely overhangs the side of
the crankcase, but the starboard side camshaft lies in the V between the cylinders and some snaky work was required to devise
an oil-tight joint in two planes. However, once the blocks are in place, there will never be any need to detach them and the joint
can be made permanently with the use of the correct sealant.
To attach the blocks, long shouldered studs are employed; these studs bear on the bottom water jacket flanges which are drilled
at the same centres as the existing head-bolts (ten per block). In service, each jacket simply acts as a distance piece between
head and crankcase and thus carries no working stresses.
Crankcase
The crankcase is a chunky component with a thick web to carry the centre main bearing. Incidentally, this and the sump were
the only parts for which drawings were made and Jim not only made the patterns, but cast and machined the things with his
own fair hands.
The steel main bearing caps, machined from solid bar, come flush with the sump joint face and a cross-bolt extends through
each cap from side to side of the crankcase, thus ensuring that the latter cannot gape or flex under running stresses, but at the
same time there is no possibility of pulling the bearing seats out of round. These bolts can be seen in place in the engine picture
which also shows that there was a sticky problem with the oil pump, which is driven from the port camshaft.
Unfortunately, its position was such that the hole required to accommodate the pump spindle housing intersects the joint face
at an angle, but this was overcome by machining the spigot register with case and sump bolted together—a rubber 0-ring
renders the joint oil tight.
Con-rods
The standard con rods are 1.25 inches wide at the big ends and these were narrowed down to fit side by side on the journals
with only the outer sides of the bores chamfered in the usual manner.
No chamfers on rod or bearing shells are required on the abutting faces and by taking advantage of this and widening the
journals a little it was possible to work in shells of .6 inch width as the diameter is 1.77 inches. The bearing area, though not
excessive, is felt to be adequate for the conditions envisaged especially as the shells are the Repco tri-metal type used in Fl
racing units.
The crankpins are normally bored for lightness and closed by plugs to retain oil; this construction made the job of blocking up
the central oil holes and cross-drilling additional holes to suit the new big-end positions quite simple.
The main journals, of 1.968 inches diameter, were considered to be quite adequate and were unchanged, but the four existing
balance weights were replaced by others of considerably greater mass.
Some guesstimation had to be employed here, but the result has been satisfactory as far as smoothness is concerned. Actually,
the main bearing loads due to piston inertia are less in the V8 than in the four-cylinder form, and consequently main-bearing
life should be excellent.
Apart from moving a lot of weight off the existing rather heavy flywheel, this just about completes the work done on the
bottom half.
Induction
Upstairs, use was made of another Peugeot feature to permit installation of two standard Solex down-draught carburetors sideby-
side in the V. The 203 induction system is designed rather on the lines of a rabbit burrow, with a tunnel running through the
head between the centre cylinders and joining up with a longitudinal gallery which has four off-takes leading to the valves.
The starboard head was left “as is”, but on the port side, the cross-hole was blocked up and a riser added to the gallery coverplate
to carry the carburetor on this side. The resulting installation is very neat and the linkage extremely simple.
From the carburetors, twin flexible intake pipes lead to an intake silencer mounted on the bulkhead, from whence a single duct
runs to an oil-wetted cleaner just behind the radiator.
The valve gear remains completely standard as do the rocker covers and plug housings, but two new exhaust manifolds were
fabricated by welding from steel tube. The port one runs forward and curls around the front of the starboard block, whereas the
other manifold is of normal shape; both are aluminized to prevent rusting.
The drive to the camshafts is by the normal duplex roller chain, extended to embrace both camshaft sprockets. The standard
manually-adjusted tensioner sprocket is retained but a rubber-faced damper pad is arranged to prevent flap of the long
unsupported top run.
Naturally, the cover plate at the rear of the drive had to be extended and the chain case altered to suit. Water pumps in each
head are driven by a single belt which also turns the central generator, this system ensuring equal cooling to both banks
although an additional water outlet had to be added to the port head to eliminate any chance of steam pocketing due to its steep
inclination.
Ignition
For ignition, the sparks are provided by a standard eight-cylinder distributor ex-Chevrolet, very accessibly mounted in the
same location as the original and driven by the starboard camshaft.
The existing starter is retained, but unfortunately it had to be moved outwards to clear the port camshaft housing, which would
have meant an impossibly large ring-gear. Instead the pinion shaft was mounted in its own bearings and connected to the
starter by two sprockets and a short roller chain, an installation which works perfectly.
This just about covers the salient features of the engine and it will be noted that except for the narrower big-end shells, any
running spares which may be required in the future are all stock items obtainable from any reputable dealer. Thus, long
journeys can be undertaken without fear of being stranded miles away from home base.
Thanks largely to the allowable reduction of flywheel weight, the complete unit weighs only 27 lb. more than the original, so
there was no necessity to alter the front suspension.
Being much wider than the four-cylinder unit, some difficulty was expected in installing the eight-cylinder unit to clear
existing components and chassis members. The position was explored in a novel manner by making a three-ply cutout
equivalent to the engine cross-section and sliding this along a bar threaded through the car along the crankshaft axis.
This simple expedient showed that all would be well if this motor was tipped over by 11 deg. to the left and although this is a
fairly large angle there are no disadvantages attached to it
Naturally, the carburetor risers were arranged so that these instruments are truly vertical. the practice it is not easy to detect that
the engine is inclined at all.
There was no room to accommodate a fan without extensive modifications to the radiator mounting; instead, a larger core was
installed to cope with the extra heat to be dissipated. A small electrically-driven fan mounted ahead of the core, where there is
plenty of space behind the grille, looks after the cooling at low speeds; at high speeds, no fan is needed anyway.
Rather than cut a new body about, Jim managed to obtain a semi-finished body shell, which was modified where necessary,
including the addition of two diagonal stiffeners just below the bonnet line and finally finished by the factory. Hence there are
none of the burnt patches or jobs of bronze welding which so frequently disfigure home-built specials.
Transmission
To cope with the double torque, a Peugeot 404 clutch was originally installed but even this was found to be inadequate until
heavier springs were fitted; even so, the pedal pressure is acceptably low. From the clutch, the drive goes to the four-speed
gearbox, which at first contained the set giving direct drive on top. This was found to provide unsuitable ratios in conjunction
with the 4.12 final drive and was changed to the earlier pattern, with direct drive in third and a geared-up overdrive giving a
step-up of 1.3 to 1, the overall ratio then being 3.17.
Most ordinary town running can be done in direct drive but when conditions permit, the overdrive furnishes a top speed of 115
mph with the power plant turning over at a leisurely 4500 rpm. The car will cruise happily in either overdrive or direct top at
80 mph, but above this speed, for which it was originally designed, wind roar begins to be somewhat obtrusive. Under openroad
conditions, as for instance on a 5000-mile run to Cairns, and back, the excellent consumption figure of 28 mpg was
recorded.
To facilitate gear shifting, the column change has been discarded in favor of a neat central lever located on the gearbox itself.
An electric tachometer, sensibly placed almost at eye level on the fascia, tells the driver exactly when this gear-stick has to be
manipulated.
To sum up, a most praiseworthy effort, reflecting great credit on its designer-builder not only for the original conception, but
also for the meticulous attention to detail which has resulted in a workmanlike product.
Story by Phil Irving, Modern Motor, January 1968.
Q-Car Extraordinaire
The V8 engined 403
If you come up against a cream-colored Peugeot 403 bearing the Victorian number JMD-558, you need not be surprised if it
whistles off into the distance a trifle faster than you expected. Nor need you imagine your own engine has gone temporarily off
song. What you have encountered is not— as the type name implies—a 1500 cc four-cylinder car, but what is certainly the
only eight-cylinder Peugeot in Australia and very probably the whole world.
Moreover, it is not just another example of shoe-horning a big American V8 into a chassis of inadequate size. Apart from a few
specially constructed components, the car is entirely Peugeot, and one of the most workmanlike conversions you could
possibly wish to see.
Even after intensive scrutiny it is hard to believe that the engine was not built and installed at the factory instead of being
dreamt up and constructed in Melbourne by owner Jim Hawker.
Jim, who is Foundry Superintendent to the Russell Manufacturing Co. (the Repco division which makes pistons), has been
knee-deep in engines all his life. In addition to much experience with racing cars, he was closely associated with building the
original Chamberlain tractor and before that, the legendary Chamberlain supercharged two-stroke f.w.d. Beetle. The idea of
building the Peugeot V8 came when the first Repco V8(for which Jim produced a great number of small aluminum
components) was in its gestation period at Russells.
One thing which influenced the decision was that the existing steel crankshaft had such wide big-end journals, it appeared
quite feasible to run two narrow rods side-by-side on each pin. Also it had bolted-on balance weights which could easily be
varied.
Theoretically, a single-plane or “flat”
crankshaft attached to eight pistons
results in an engine with a secondary
vibration acting transversely at twice
crankshaft speed, but in practice this
seemed to be almost unnoticeable on
the racing engine.
So there was reason to think it would
not be troublesome on a touring engine
which was precisely what the new
version was intended to be— just a
well-mannered touring device. In fact,
as is well-known, the Peugeot is
designed as quite a slow-revving
engine and the scheme was to retain
.this feature and get the increased
performance just by increase in
capacity.
The original 403 engine is of 1500 cc,
but it was decided to use a pair of 203
blocks, which are smaller in the bore.
The final dimensions are 75 mm bore
by 73 mm stroke, giving a total of 2580
cc. Based on the manufacturers’ data
(for there has been no opportunity to
put the unit on a brake) power output is
about 90 bhp at 4500 rpm, with
maximum torque of 112 lb. ft.
occurring quite low at around 2400
rpm. The performance of the car confirms that these figures must be pretty close to the mark.
Block
The normal block is a cast-iron component with inserted wet liners and a fairly high camshaft. Two of these were modified, if
that is the word, by chopping off the entire crankcase portion just below the bottom deck of the water jacket and the remnants
were attached at 90 deg. to a cast-aluminum crankcase of about the same external size and proportions as those of a kennel
intended to accommodate a small Dachshund.
One trifling snag is that the position of the camshaft is such that it is not possible to obtain a completely flat face on the
cylinder blocks, as the camshaft housing projects a little way below the main joint face.
On the port side block this does not matter, as the camshaft housing is also on the port side and merely overhangs the side of
the crankcase, but the starboard side camshaft lies in the V between the cylinders and some snaky work was required to devise
an oil-tight joint in two planes. However, once the blocks are in place, there will never be any need to detach them and the joint
can be made permanently with the use of the correct sealant.
To attach the blocks, long shouldered studs are employed; these studs bear on the bottom water jacket flanges which are drilled
at the same centres as the existing head-bolts (ten per block). In service, each jacket simply acts as a distance piece between
head and crankcase and thus carries no working stresses.
Crankcase
The crankcase is a chunky component with a thick web to carry the centre main bearing. Incidentally, this and the sump were
the only parts for which drawings were made and Jim not only made the patterns, but cast and machined the things with his
own fair hands.
The steel main bearing caps, machined from solid bar, come flush with the sump joint face and a cross-bolt extends through
each cap from side to side of the crankcase, thus ensuring that the latter cannot gape or flex under running stresses, but at the
same time there is no possibility of pulling the bearing seats out of round. These bolts can be seen in place in the engine picture
which also shows that there was a sticky problem with the oil pump, which is driven from the port camshaft.
Unfortunately, its position was such that the hole required to accommodate the pump spindle housing intersects the joint face
at an angle, but this was overcome by machining the spigot register with case and sump bolted together—a rubber 0-ring
renders the joint oil tight.
Con-rods
The standard con rods are 1.25 inches wide at the big ends and these were narrowed down to fit side by side on the journals
with only the outer sides of the bores chamfered in the usual manner.
No chamfers on rod or bearing shells are required on the abutting faces and by taking advantage of this and widening the
journals a little it was possible to work in shells of .6 inch width as the diameter is 1.77 inches. The bearing area, though not
excessive, is felt to be adequate for the conditions envisaged especially as the shells are the Repco tri-metal type used in Fl
racing units.
The crankpins are normally bored for lightness and closed by plugs to retain oil; this construction made the job of blocking up
the central oil holes and cross-drilling additional holes to suit the new big-end positions quite simple.
The main journals, of 1.968 inches diameter, were considered to be quite adequate and were unchanged, but the four existing
balance weights were replaced by others of considerably greater mass.
Some guesstimation had to be employed here, but the result has been satisfactory as far as smoothness is concerned. Actually,
the main bearing loads due to piston inertia are less in the V8 than in the four-cylinder form, and consequently main-bearing
life should be excellent.
Apart from moving a lot of weight off the existing rather heavy flywheel, this just about completes the work done on the
bottom half.
Induction
Upstairs, use was made of another Peugeot feature to permit installation of two standard Solex down-draught carburetors sideby-
side in the V. The 203 induction system is designed rather on the lines of a rabbit burrow, with a tunnel running through the
head between the centre cylinders and joining up with a longitudinal gallery which has four off-takes leading to the valves.
The starboard head was left “as is”, but on the port side, the cross-hole was blocked up and a riser added to the gallery coverplate
to carry the carburetor on this side. The resulting installation is very neat and the linkage extremely simple.
From the carburetors, twin flexible intake pipes lead to an intake silencer mounted on the bulkhead, from whence a single duct
runs to an oil-wetted cleaner just behind the radiator.
The valve gear remains completely standard as do the rocker covers and plug housings, but two new exhaust manifolds were
fabricated by welding from steel tube. The port one runs forward and curls around the front of the starboard block, whereas the
other manifold is of normal shape; both are aluminized to prevent rusting.
The drive to the camshafts is by the normal duplex roller chain, extended to embrace both camshaft sprockets. The standard
manually-adjusted tensioner sprocket is retained but a rubber-faced damper pad is arranged to prevent flap of the long
unsupported top run.
Naturally, the cover plate at the rear of the drive had to be extended and the chain case altered to suit. Water pumps in each
head are driven by a single belt which also turns the central generator, this system ensuring equal cooling to both banks
although an additional water outlet had to be added to the port head to eliminate any chance of steam pocketing due to its steep
inclination.
Ignition
For ignition, the sparks are provided by a standard eight-cylinder distributor ex-Chevrolet, very accessibly mounted in the
same location as the original and driven by the starboard camshaft.
The existing starter is retained, but unfortunately it had to be moved outwards to clear the port camshaft housing, which would
have meant an impossibly large ring-gear. Instead the pinion shaft was mounted in its own bearings and connected to the
starter by two sprockets and a short roller chain, an installation which works perfectly.
This just about covers the salient features of the engine and it will be noted that except for the narrower big-end shells, any
running spares which may be required in the future are all stock items obtainable from any reputable dealer. Thus, long
journeys can be undertaken without fear of being stranded miles away from home base.
Thanks largely to the allowable reduction of flywheel weight, the complete unit weighs only 27 lb. more than the original, so
there was no necessity to alter the front suspension.
Being much wider than the four-cylinder unit, some difficulty was expected in installing the eight-cylinder unit to clear
existing components and chassis members. The position was explored in a novel manner by making a three-ply cutout
equivalent to the engine cross-section and sliding this along a bar threaded through the car along the crankshaft axis.
This simple expedient showed that all would be well if this motor was tipped over by 11 deg. to the left and although this is a
fairly large angle there are no disadvantages attached to it
Naturally, the carburetor risers were arranged so that these instruments are truly vertical. the practice it is not easy to detect that
the engine is inclined at all.
There was no room to accommodate a fan without extensive modifications to the radiator mounting; instead, a larger core was
installed to cope with the extra heat to be dissipated. A small electrically-driven fan mounted ahead of the core, where there is
plenty of space behind the grille, looks after the cooling at low speeds; at high speeds, no fan is needed anyway.
Rather than cut a new body about, Jim managed to obtain a semi-finished body shell, which was modified where necessary,
including the addition of two diagonal stiffeners just below the bonnet line and finally finished by the factory. Hence there are
none of the burnt patches or jobs of bronze welding which so frequently disfigure home-built specials.
Transmission
To cope with the double torque, a Peugeot 404 clutch was originally installed but even this was found to be inadequate until
heavier springs were fitted; even so, the pedal pressure is acceptably low. From the clutch, the drive goes to the four-speed
gearbox, which at first contained the set giving direct drive on top. This was found to provide unsuitable ratios in conjunction
with the 4.12 final drive and was changed to the earlier pattern, with direct drive in third and a geared-up overdrive giving a
step-up of 1.3 to 1, the overall ratio then being 3.17.
Most ordinary town running can be done in direct drive but when conditions permit, the overdrive furnishes a top speed of 115
mph with the power plant turning over at a leisurely 4500 rpm. The car will cruise happily in either overdrive or direct top at
80 mph, but above this speed, for which it was originally designed, wind roar begins to be somewhat obtrusive. Under openroad
conditions, as for instance on a 5000-mile run to Cairns, and back, the excellent consumption figure of 28 mpg was
recorded.
To facilitate gear shifting, the column change has been discarded in favor of a neat central lever located on the gearbox itself.
An electric tachometer, sensibly placed almost at eye level on the fascia, tells the driver exactly when this gear-stick has to be
manipulated.
To sum up, a most praiseworthy effort, reflecting great credit on its designer-builder not only for the original conception, but
also for the meticulous attention to detail which has resulted in a workmanlike product.
Story by Phil Irving, Modern Motor, January 1968.
I had forgotten (or it never registered at the time...) the bit about the chassis changes made before the car finished its run down the production line... very interesting!
The RCN story also mentions that it was put on a chassis dyno after their test and that Hawker estimated that the quarter mile time would come down to 17 seconds with the extra 25hp they found.
No mention in Modern Motor of the stroke being enlarged, this would seem to be in question due to the completely contrasting reports, MM stating that the capacity was 2580cc.
I don't think there were any other widely published stories about the engine, though Autosportsman or Motor Manual might well have done something on it.
The RCN story also mentions that it was put on a chassis dyno after their test and that Hawker estimated that the quarter mile time would come down to 17 seconds with the extra 25hp they found.
No mention in Modern Motor of the stroke being enlarged, this would seem to be in question due to the completely contrasting reports, MM stating that the capacity was 2580cc.
I don't think there were any other widely published stories about the engine, though Autosportsman or Motor Manual might well have done something on it.
By the way, don't ask me to type out the RCN story in full...
It's a terribly disjointed little story, really, and it intermingles with a 'revisit' of the 404 to confuse the issue. Added to that, it was written by Robin Luck...
It's a terribly disjointed little story, really, and it intermingles with a 'revisit' of the 404 to confuse the issue. Added to that, it was written by Robin Luck...
Have just spent an hour searching for the photos I took of the engine in Jim Hawkers garage and yes it had two Solex's, oh well it was about 30 years ago.
Graham Lewis
Graham Lewis
PCCV Torque (March '97) reproduced an article from Unique Cars by Graham Smith. This article itself may have been a reprint. The engine and the Chamberlain racer (also covered in the article) used to reside in Gembrook. At least they did a couple of years ago when I last saw them. The museum is part of the cafe in the old garage opposite Puffing Billy's station. Still worth a look, even if the engine has moved to the island.
I can scan and post the Torque article if anyone is interested, but better still, talk Peter Cusworth into running it again, and join PCCV and read all the other good Pug stuff. Or if you are in a sister organization, get your mag editor to contact Peter through PCCV.
I can scan and post the Torque article if anyone is interested, but better still, talk Peter Cusworth into running it again, and join PCCV and read all the other good Pug stuff. Or if you are in a sister organization, get your mag editor to contact Peter through PCCV.
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WLB said:
The engine is now at Philip Island, it was previuosly at Gembrook, don't know about Belgrave.
Graham
Certainly did, Ray! Pulled this one out of a mate's 403 using a gum tree on Wagga Common as a hoist around 1972. Fortunately I just happened to have a spare crankshaft in the boot! Never knew what you might need in those days
Mind you, it was really an oil flow problem rather an issue with the crankshaft itself, as I understand it. Peugeot released a modified front bearing for them with extended oil grooves near the end of the 403's life.
The one in the picture made it from the Flinders Ranges to Wagga after fracturing.
Cheers
Rod
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The notably famous Jack Nelson drove one from the Blue Mountains to Merrylands, IIRC, with a bit of a rattle... turned out to be broken in one main journal.
And I remember seeing Rob Rowe arriving in the Mosman area in a 403 ute with the Graham Howard Lotus 6 on board, he having brought it back from the Winton 6-hour relay (circa 1968) with most of the trip accompanied by huge thumping noises.
There was no finesse when he got to the workshop, he ripped at it to find a broken crank in no time at all...
And I remember seeing Rob Rowe arriving in the Mosman area in a 403 ute with the Graham Howard Lotus 6 on board, he having brought it back from the Winton 6-hour relay (circa 1968) with most of the trip accompanied by huge thumping noises.
There was no finesse when he got to the workshop, he ripped at it to find a broken crank in no time at all...