RAPIER SPECIALS

The back axleis E.N.V., with a ratio of 5.57 to 1, sprung on slender +-elliptic springs and located by torque-arms pivoted in Silentbloc bushes and a home-brewed Panhard rod. The rear brakes are 13 in. by 1+ in. Rapier, mechanically operated. A Ford petrol tank is mounted at the back, feed being by dual electric pumps, and steering is rack-and-pinion, front a Morris, using Rapier track-rod ends; the column incorporates a universal joint, to clear the engine. Hartford shock-absorbers ate fitted front and back. The willing little Rapier engine has a modified cylinder head and valves, and special He.polite pistons are available, with impressive ” domes,” to provide a compression ratio of 12 to 1. Wills rings are used as head gaskets and it is proposed to fit two Ford V8 doublechoke carburetters in place of the existing S.U.s. Formerly a Marshall-Roots supercharger was fitted. The crankshaft is standard and the rods likewise, but polished. The engine has proved cur

prisingly willing to rev., and 7,500 r.p.m. seems to be within its limits, a speed attained in original Rapier form plus the blower. There is a nice four-branch twin-pipe exhaust system and the body will be a moderu-style two-seater. The wheelbase is 8 ft. 2 in., front track 4 ft. 5 in., rear track 4 ft. 2 in., and the car weighs under 10 cwt.

Look out for this ambitious special,” which owes much to breakers’ yards, at Brands Hatch this season. So far no successes have been gained but gradually troubles peculiar to tuning the Rapier are being overcome. For example, the fibre timing wheel has been replaced by one in gunmetal, rocker-arm fractures cured by stelliting the faces and regrinding, and attention has been paid to the oil-pump drive, which sheared at Prescott, causing big-end failure. The old B.T.H. magneto has been replaced by a Scintilla.