Perhaps it should be mentioned here that Harry Ferguson Research was headed up at this time by Tony Sheldon, HF’s son-in-law, who took over following Harry Fergusons death in October 1960. It was a very much developed follow on from the earlier OHV (push rods) that were installed in the Ferguson R4 car. This power unit was designed by HFR chief engineer Claud Hill, an ex. It is perhaps worth quoting here from one of these documents Automotive Engineer – March 1966 ‘A compact high performance 2232cc four cylinder horizontally opposed unit’ and a further quote ‘an engineer’s engine’. So far most of what I have been able to collect relates to the R5 engine, details of the earlier units seem to be more elusive. Over time I have made a point of collecting any technical data relating to either of these engines. He went on to tell me that on one, they had cut a piece out of the left hand rocker cover so that oil flow could be monitored, the cut was fitted with a perspex window. It was he who told me that a batch of seven engines had been developed and built up, mine carries a commission plate marked P94/4 (project 94 number 4). One was a gentleman who had worked for HFR and he had been involved with the R5 project. I kept these engines in dry storage they were viewed from time to time by interested visitors. The rusty and decaying engine as it arrived at Mike Thorne’s Coldridge collection. So we off loaded the engines and he drove the MF165 onto his lorry, strapped it down and set off back to Hereford. He was very happy with all this and a few days later he arrived with his 7.5ton 100TY with the two engines and a couple of boxed of various gaskets suitable for them. My immediate response was yes, I have a MF165, fitted with a four wheel traction conversion in a rough, unrestored state, apart from the engine which was running quite well, all the sheet metal work was rusted out, but I had been able to buy some genuine replacement items second hand, so they were included in the swap. Well about ten days later he phoned me again with the suggestion that I may have a tractor that I would be prepared to swap for the two engines. Yes, of course I was, but his asking price was far beyond my means and although he seemed very keen that they should come to the Coldridge Collection, I had to say sorry, I cannot afford to pay your asking price, and left it at that. One was an overhead valve unit, developed to power the R4 Ferguson car, while the other, the subject of this article, is an overhead cam engine, with toothed belts driving each camshaft. This story started in 2012 when I received, out of the blue, a phone call from a gentleman based in Herefordshire, asking me if I would be interested in buying two prototype Ferguson car engines. Ferguson Prototype Flat Four Engine, Mike Thorne and Peter Smith:įerguson prototype Flat Four engine, designed to power the R5 Estate Car, developed and produced by Harry Ferguson Research Ltd (HFR).
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