Curious BN4 engine pic

[57_BN4]

I found this pic in a November 1956 "Austin" magazine. Interesting that it is a sedan engine- painted quite possibly in the Austin green colour. The carbs are off the sedan with float bowls both on the forward side and the crankcase breather is the road draft tube type off the side plate with single curved exit from the rocker cover.

Kind of makes me wonder if the production version of the crankcase breather was a hurried post-production solution to get rid of the fumes smell from the draft tube.

Nice to see the strap and pin type hose clamps, original Burgess air cleaners (painted black) and original steel brake fluid reservoir lids

Not quite sure what is going on with the heater hose, looks like a couple of champagne corks stuffed in the ends. Given that the sedan engine doesn't have a tap on the head for the heater, perhaps this pic was taken before the bronze valve was made and fitted and they just discovered you don't really need a heater in a Healey.

NB this is a high res image, you can right click and go 'view image' to get the full size pic.

Andy.

 

[Marvin Gruber]

Looks like a "Longbridge" motor, carb intakes are made on the head.

Marv

 

[57_BN4]

Hi Marv,

It is a Longbridge BN4 but the unusual thing is that the engine is probably from an Austin A105 sedan which is the same as the early BN4 engine except the differences noted above. Plus a few others.

engine in said sedan

Andy.
Longbridge anorak

 

[healey106]

Andy - That photo was included with the initial press release of the introduction of the 100-six in Sept 1956
Jim