A very special specialoid

[Diogenes]

"specialoid" should be "Specialloid".

Factory photos at:

http://www.leodis.org/searchResults...SPAGE=5&IMG=0&VIEW=1&RESID=&PUBID=&CURRPAGE=2

I wonder how the name was derived?

I understand the 'Special' part, but what was a 'loid'?

Maybe a version of "Special alloyed" ?

 

[Big Sid]

We have fitted several motors with Specialloids enc our own Vincati . After the cutaways were shaped to suit they ended up giving 10.06 to 1 . They are long lived and cause no problems , in fact we still have several sets , 9 to 1 s I think .
More on pistons . Modern low exp . need an easy 4 thou skirt clearance while the earlier Specialloids needed more , an easy 5 for touring and nearer 6 for fast work , and then you can expect to hear them clatter a bit when cold .
It can be trouble if you fit the new pistons much closer than 4 as they may pick up , scuff , especially at the rear thrust face when run in a spirited fashion . The Vincent cylinder liner and muff as thermal path may have hot spots due to voids full of burnt oil in between their surfaces , especially high mileage examples never having been apart and redone properly . Sid .

 

[Big Sid]

From the looks of the inner case walls , the liner and the flywheels the engine had been run for God knows how long without an oil change or much attention . Everything blackened with burnt oil and ancient deposits . Regular oil changes dont leave deposits like this to build up . Such treatment may easily have led to lubrication failure , pump seizure , big end destruction , all manner of internal deteriation leading to the massive failure . No way to lay it on the poor piston or abused can rod . It looks to have been run into the ground through neglect . Who does this ? No sane person who understands motors .
The owner was to blame , not this abused motor for its fate . Sid .

 

[riptragle1953]

Vibrac rods are quality poor....go for a Carillo.

 

[dave g6xnc]

Here is a photo of the last Specialoid piston that was run in the Flash. During the 1972 season, the bearing races walked out of the journals. The Flash engine was removed and stripped. The engine from Don Jone's side car rig was removed and the Flash components, but not the flywheel, were installed in the Comet engine. The engine did pretty well for the rest of the season until the piston came apart. Fortunately, no Flash components were hurt in the making of these photos.

David

Araldite ?