The Vanwall Grand Prix engines
Part 8: Specifications and other facts
Author
- Ron Rex
Date
- January 23, 2020
Related articles
- The Vanwall Grand Prix engines, by Ron Rex
- Introduction
- Part 1: The 2-litre F2 engine
- Part 2: The 2.3-litre interim F1 engine
- Part 3: Technical anomalies
- Part 4: The 2.5-litre F1 engine
- Part 5: The 'AvGas' 2.5-litre F1 engine
- Part 6: The 2.6-litre Intercontinental Formula engine
- Part 7: Finality and overview
- Vanwall - The Green Comet: the brief history of the Vanwall, by Don Capps
- Vanwall - Vanwall's inconspicuous entry to the GP world, by Felix Muelas/Don Capps
Who?Tony Brooks, Stirling Moss, Stuart Lewis-Evans What?Vanwall Where?Monza When?XXVIII Italian GP (September 8, 1957) |
 |
Why?
Attachment no.1: Engine specifications - 2-litre and 2.3-litre versions
Make: Vanwall
Type No.: 54
Designers: Eric Richter, Joe Craig & Leo Kuzmicki
Years Raced & Category: 1954 Formula 1
No. Cylinders & Configuration: 4 cylinders inline
Swept Volume: 1995cc (2 litre), 2236cc (2.3 litre)
Bore: 85.93mm (2-litre), 91mm (2.3-litre)
Stroke: 86mm
Stroke/Bore Ratio: 1.0008:1 (2-litre), 0.945:1 (2.3-litre)
Conn. Rod c/c to Stroke Ratio: 1.901:1
Piston Area: 232 sq cm (2-litre), 260.16 sq cm (2.3-litre)
Comp. Ratio: na.
Valve Arrangement: 2 valves per cylinder at 64° included angle
Valve Operation: DOHC, short tappets & hairpin valve springs
Total Inlet Valve Head Area: (total port area) 62.21 sq cm
Total Exhaust Valve Head Area: (total port area) 47.77 sq cm
Inlet Tract Total Angular Deviation to Cyl. Axis: 70°-transverse plane
Induction/Carburation: 4 Amal 3GP carburettors with 2 remote float chambers
Fuel: methanol/benzol/AvGas blend
Inlet Manifold Pressure: Naturally aspirated
Ignition System: 2 spark plugs per cylinder, twin Scintilla magnetos (2-litre), B.T.H. magneto (2.3-litre)
Engine Weight: na.
No. Main Bearings & Type: 4 'Thin Wall' copper/lead bearings
Max. Power: 235bhp at 7,500-7,600rpm (2 litre), estimate of 250bhp @ 7,500rpm (2.3-litre)
Max. Torque: na.
Max. BMEP: na.
Max. Torque rpm % of Max. Power rpm: na.
Power/Litre: 117.5 bhp/litre (2-litre), 111.8 bhp/litre (2.3-litre)
Mean Piston Speed at Max. Power: 21.5m/sec at 7,500rpm
Attachment no.2: Engine specifications - 2.5-litre version
Make: Vanwall
Type No.: V254
Designers: Eric Richter, Joe Craig, Leo Kuzmicki & Harry Weslake
Years Raced & Category: 1954-1960 Formula 1
No. Cylinders & Configuration: 4 cylinders inline
Swept Volume: 2490cc
Bore: 96mm
Stroke: 86mm
Stroke/Bore Ratio: 0.8958:1
Conn. Rod c/c to Stroke Ratio: 1.901:1
Piston Area: 289.53 sq cm
Comp. Ratio: 12.5:1 (1954-57 alcohol fuels), 11.5:1 (1958-60 AvGas fuel)
Valve Arrangement: 2 valves per cylinder at 60° included angle
Valve Operation: DOHC, short tappets & hairpin valve springs
Total Inlet Valve Head Area: 78.54sq cm (1955),88.25sq cm (1956) & 90.26sq cm (1958)
Total Exhaust Valve Head Area: 60sq cm (1955), 63.62sq cm (1956) & 64.75sq cm (1958)
Induction/Carburation System: 1954 4 Amal 3GP carburettors, 1955-60 Bosch port fuel injection
Inlet Tract Total Angular Deviation to Cyl. Axis: 70°-transverse plane
Fuel: 1954-57 methanol/benzol/ethanol/AvGas blends, 1958-60 AvGas
Inlet Manifold Pressure: Naturally aspirated
Ignition System: 2 spark plugs per cylinder, B.T.H. double-bodied magneto
Engine Weight: 163kg. with clutch (fuel injected version)
No. Main Bearings & Type: 5 'Thin Wall' copper/lead bearings
Max. Power: 275bhp at 7,400rpm~ - 285bhp at 7,300rpm (1957), 265bhp at 7,500rpm (1958)
Max. Torque : 215.8 lb ft at 5,840rpm~ (1957), 203.3 lb ft @ 6,200rpm (1958)
Max. BMEP: 214.3psi at 5,840rpm (1957)~, 201.9psi at 6,200rpm (1958)
Max.Torque rpm % of Max.Power rpm: 78.92% (1957), 82.66% (1958)
Power/Litre: 110.44-116.47 bhp/litre (1957), 106.42bhp/litre (1958)
Mean Piston Speed at Max. Power : 21.2m/sec. @ 7,400rpm
~ engine set-up with more mid-range power for tight circuits
Attachment no.3: Engine specifications - 2.6 litre version
Make: Vanwall
Type No.: V264?
Designer: Vandervell Products Racing Team based on 1958 engine
Years Raced & Category: 1961 Intercontinental Formula
No. Cylinders & Configuration: 4 cylinders inline
Swept Volume: 2606cc
Bore: 96mm
Stroke: 90mm
Stroke/Bore Ratio: 0.9375:1
Conn. Rod c/c to Stroke Ratio: na.
Piston Area: 289.53 sq cm
Comp. Ratio: abt. 11.5:1
Valve Arrangement: 2 valves per cylinder at 60° included angle
Valve Operation: DOHC , short tappets & hairpin valve springs
Total Inlet Valve Head Area: 94.69 sq cm (54.9mm dia.)
Total Exhaust Valve Head Area: 64.75 sq cm
Induction/Carburation System: Bosch port fuel injection
Inlet Tract Total Angular Deviation to Cyl. Axis: 70°-transverse plane
Fuel: AvGas
Inlet Manifold Pressure: Naturally aspirated
Ignition System: 2 spark plugs per cylinder, B.T.H.double-bodied magneto
Engine Weight: abt. 163kg with clutch
No. Main Bearings & Type: 5 'Thin Wall' copper/lead bearings
Max. Power: 290bhp at 7,200rpm
Max. Torque: na
Max. BMEP: na
Max.Torque rpm % of Max.Power rpm: na
Power/Litre: 111.28bhp/litre
Mean Piston Speed at Max. Power: 21.6 m/sec at 7,200rpm
Attachment no.4: Vanwall Fuel Blends supplied by Shell Mex & BP
| year | fuel name | composition |
| 1954 | na. | 33 1/3 - 65% Methanol with a % of Benzol, Acetone & AvGas |
| 1956 | BPV/D | 36% Methanol, 27% Benzol, 27% AvGas & 10% Nitromethane |
| 1956 | BPV/E | 36% Ethanol, 27% Benzol, 27% AvGas & 10% Nitromethane |
| 1957 | BPV/L | 25% Methanol, <50% Benzol, >25% AvGas, a % of Nitromethane & 0.5% Holowax oil |
| 1957 | BPV/M | 25% Methanol, 50% Benzol & 25% AvGas |
| 1958 | BP/F1/VAN | 108/135 PN AvGas |
Note
Shell-Mex & BP Limited was a company formed in 1932 when Royal Dutch-Shell and BP (then Anglo-Persian Oil Co.) merged their marketing and technical operations in the UK.lt was de-merged in 1976.
Attachment no.5: Vanwall Valve Development - Increases in Head Diameter - 2.5-litre Engine
| year | inlet valve head diameter | exhaust valve head diameter |
| 1955 | 50 mm | 43.7 mm |
| 1956 | 53 mm | 45 mm |
| 1958 | 53.6 mm | 45.4 mm |
| 1958 mid yr. | 54.9 mm | 45.4 mm |
Vanwall Inlet Valve and Throat Mean Gas Velocities at Max. Power RPM - 2.5-litre Engine
| year | mean gas velocity at inlet valve | mean gas velocity at inlet throat | rpm |
| 1956 | 243.86 ft/sec (74.33 m/sec) | na. | 7,350 |
| 1958 | 241.86 ft/sec (73.72 m/sec) | 265.19 ft/sec (80.83 m/sec) | 7,500 |
Attachment no.6: Chronology of Vanwall Engine Design & Development
| 1950 | Vandervell set up a racing team at Acton to race the Thin Wall Specials |
| 1951 | Vandervell decided to build his own car with engine based on exp. water-cooled BRM/Norton 500 |
| 1952 | Design of a 2-litre 4-cylinder F2 engine well in hand and parts ordered - 4 main bearings - VIA 64° |
| Late 1952 | Vandervell made contact with Bosch & Daimler Benz re the use of fuel injection in his engine |
| 1953 | Development of 2-litre engine progressed |
| Late 1953 | Design of 2.5-litre engine commenced |
| Dec 1953 | 2-litre engine first run on test bed - 4 Amal GP carburettors |
| Mar 1954 | 2-litre engine developed 235bhp at 7,500-7,600rpm |
| May 1954 | First race for 2-litre Vanwall |
| Jul 1954 | 2.3-litre interim F1 engine completed & raced |
| Aug 1954 | 2.5-litre engine completed - new crankcase & cylinder head - VIA 60° - 5 main bearings - 4 Amal GP carbs |
| Sept 1954 | First race for 2.5-litre F1 engine |
| Late 1954 | Leo Kuzmicki joins VP from Norton to head up engine development |
| Dec 1954 | Bosch fuel injection pumps delivered to VP |
| Apr 1955 | Adaptation of fuel injection to 2.5-litre engine completed |
| 1956 | Weslake involved in engine development, new cylinder head & modifications - engine gave 276bhp at 7,350rpm |
| May 1956 | First race of new Chapman/Costin-designed Vanwall |
| Mid 1956 | Coopers Mechanical Joints Ltd. ring joints used to fix fire joint seal problems in the cylinder head |
| Sept 1956 | Kuzmicki & Richter left VP |
| Dec 1956 | Engine developed to give 285bhp at 7,300rpm |
| May 1957 | Injection pipe & throttle linkage breakages fixed using Palmer Silvoflex flexible hoses |
| Jul 1957 | Decision to use Hepolite pistons exclusively in favour of Mahle pistons |
| Aug 1957 | Ethanol and nitro-methane fuel blend tested |
| Late 1957 | On test one engine developed 308bhp on nitro fuel - 295bhp available in race trim but only used in practice |
| Jan 1958 | Engine adapted to run on AvGas - power 265bhp at 7,500rpm |
| Sept 1958 | Vanwall won Manufacturers Championship |
| 1959 | Vandervell announced teams retirement but limited development and racing continued with 2.5-litre car |
| 1960 | 2.6-litre version of engine built for rear-engined car - 290bhp at 7,200rpm |
| 1961 | Last race by a Vanwall (Intercontinental Formula) with the 2.6-litre rear-engined car |
Attachment no.7: Vanwall Major Engine Component Suppliers
| Cylinder Head Castings: | Aeroplane & Motor Aluminium Casting Ltd., Birmingham |
| Cylinder Head Sealing Rings: | Wills Pressure Filled Joint Ring Ltd - Coopers Mechanical Joints from mid-1956 |
| Cylinder Barrels: | Wellworthy Ltd., Lymington |
| Water Jacket Casting: | Aeroplane & Motor Aluminium Casting Ltd. |
| Crankcase Cores: | Leyland Motors Ltd. |
| Crankcase Castings: | Aeroplane & Motor Aluminium Castings Ltd. |
| Crankshaft Forging: | Smith Clayton Forge - Lincoln & Smith's Stamping Works, Coventry |
| Crankshaft Machining: | Laystall Engineering Co .Ltd., Wolverhampton |
| Connecting Rod Forgings: | Smith Clayton Forge, Lincoln |
| Piston Forging & Machining: | High Duty Alloys Ltd., Hepworth & Grandage Ltd., Mahle KG |
| Valves: | Motor Components (Birmingham) Ltd. |
| Valve Springs: | Herbert Terry & Sons Ltd. ,George Salter & Co Ltd., S. Scherdel KG |
| Carburettors: | Amal Ltd., Birmingham |
| Fuel Injection: | Robert Bosch GmdH |
| Injection Pipes: | Palmer Aero Products Ltd. - Silvoflex hoses |
| Fuel Pump: | Chandler Evans Corporation USA - Ceco pump |
| Exhaust System: | V.W. Derrington Ltd. from 1956 |
| Oil Lines: | The Power Flexible Tubing Co., Ltd. - Super Metalflex oil pipes |
| Magneto: | British Thomson-Houston Co. Ltd., Coventry (B.T.H.) |
| Spark Plugs: | KLG Sparking Plugs Ltd., London |
| Fuel: | Shell-Mex & BP Ltd. |
Attachment no.8: 1957 Vanwall Engine V4 Power Curve
The power curve of the 1957 Vanwall V4 Engine
Attachment no.9: 1958 Vanwall Engine V4 Power Curve
The power curve of the 1958 Vanwall V4 Engine during the German GP
Attachment no.10: Various Drawings
1958 Vanwall engine cross section
1958 Vanwall engine cutaway
Water-cooled experimental BRM/Norton 500cc
Rolls-Royce B series engine cross section
Rolls-Royce B40 long section