New The History Of The Rajo Head, As Well As Ellis Gray's Involvement, Cheers To Steve, His Son!
(Steve writes:)
I was raised merely about my Dad, Ellis Gray’s footing of restoration as well as modification of Ford’s illustrious Model Ts during the 50s thru 70s. The starting fourth dimension automobile to have the consummate restoration industrial plant was a 1918 T Touring, the “Bath Tub” equally it was known, dorsum inwards the early on 60s.
After that warm upwards of automotive effort, the racing T footing was entered into yesteryear the structure of a automobile for him to run at the ongoing Long Beach Model T Hill Climb. It lately came to my attending that some of the erstwhile equipment played alongside dorsum when has resurfaced, as well as these pictures volition hopefully shed some low-cal on some possible lost history:
(Pic 1-3) Taken merely about 1967-68, a diversity of unlike carburetors (SU, Weber, Etc.), intake manifolds as well as ignition distributors were used over the years. Since the Rajo caput is gear upwards for dual ignition, at that spot were some unique ideas used!
All of the aluminum cam as well as timing chain housings, covers, gear boxes, pressure level as well as scavenging petroleum pumps, as well as pan encompass were all designed, drawn out as well as machined from Aluminum billet.
Internally, the four bolt con rods were machined from billet, the crank was/is a modified model B (or C?) “Beaver Tail” alongside the bring upwards principal heated, pressed shorter inwards a especial built press as well as remachined as well as reground to represent the T block. I intend there’s something similar 5/8” deviation inwards length. The block was plumbed for petroleum pressure level to the mains as well as the crank rifle drilled for petroleum pressure. Pistons, I believe were Jahns racing as well as the cam was footing yesteryear Harmon as well as Collins.
(Pics four as well as 5) Taken inwards merely about belatedly 1968 early on 1969 yesteryear Bruce McCalley of SoCal Model T Club fame. This was likely merely prior to the cars starting fourth dimension run at the Long Beach Model T Hill climb inwards May ‘69. Open headers were run during the starting fourth dimension yr which Ellis Gray, the designer/builder, regrettably took habitation the “Hard Luck” trophy for the 24-hour interval due to the Rajo caput suffering a failure of a large slice of combustion sleeping room existence blown out into the heads’ H2O jacket inwards publish iii hole.
Ellis was running a whopping 13:1 compression ratio that yr (yes, he was running AVGAS!), combined alongside the caput having been machined several times prior, thinned the shape Fe to a weakened state. Eventually, the caput was welded as well as remachined, as well as the pistons cutting downwards to drib the compression to a to a greater extent than manageable 11:1
The automobile itself was a mostly fairly stock steel trunk 1922 Roadster but included a dropped front end axle as well as modified bring upwards frame throttle mountain as well as perches to lower the automobile overall.
Depending on the race year, Buffalo wire wheels as well as custom fabricated wire wheels were used depending on the changing rules of the Hill Climb. The Ford gas tank nether the spot was replaced yesteryear a fabricated dual tank, i side for gas, the other side for petroleum storage equally the engine was also a dry out sump configuration.
The criterion T transmission had been isolated from the engine petroleum yesteryear a modern bring upwards principal seal (required yesteryear the dry out sump design), as well as a steel flywheel was machined for the higher revs. The automobile ran a Ruckstell bring upwards terminate alongside “Rocky Mountain” brakes.
It was merely about belatedly 1965 when the engine operate was started as well as culminated alongside the restoration of the roadster inwards fourth dimension for the 1969 Hill Climb. Ellis’ final contest was inwards 1975.
Photo taken 1973-4. Now sporting a “Turtle deck” to consummate the trunk addition SU carbs as well as all the same some other distributor change.
at the starting business of the Hill Climb on the first voyage inwards ’69.
Thank you lot Steve!
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