I am seeking information regarding overhead valve conversion for an Austin Seven. I have read about a L.A.N manufactured head but I cannot find any information about it anywhere. If any one has a suggestion where I may obtain such information and hopefully some drawings and so on, please advice as I will be very grateful.

Regards


Doug Baker

I think it's actually an L.A.P. overhead valve head. See A.7.C.A. magazine 2006 D, article about Bob Flockharts Boyd Carpenter.

Doug,

I have some more information which you may be interested in, e-mail me off-line.

Cheers

Ruairidh

I investigated these a bit last year.
The consensus from people with hands on experience was that they were a pretty hopeless modification. The inlet ports had to wind around the push rod holes in such a way that breathing wasn't exactly optimised - a decent A7 side valve head (Ulster, '37 etc) was a better head.

However that was gathered from other people and I'd love the opportunity to see what one was like in the flesh!

Charles

A few years back at spye park someone turned up with a half built engine on a stand which included both an L.A.P. overhead valve conversion and a supercharger. I think it was being put together to fit a boyd carpenter.
Would be interesting to know how well it worked!!


Regards

Rob

One of our Clubmembers has one fitted in a Sports 7. Although I haven't seen the car out for some time my recollection is that the performance was quite poor compared with a sidevalve unit. Perhaps proof of this is that the same fellow's racer doesn't have the LAP fitted. Cheers, Bill in Oz

My experience of these engines (in two cars), is that overall speed is not any greater, however, the engines did produce more torque and climbed in top gear for longer. The exhaust note is quite different also.

If you have one, why not fit it! If you don't then making one probably isn't worth the hours it would take unless you enjoy a challenge, many do... my Norwegian friend Martin Faella has made his own three bearing crankshaft from billet! Great engineering feat but my goodness the hours he's put into it! I know he follows this forum so he may well put up some photos of it, well worth seeing.

Cheers

Ruairidh