Engine number question

[DuncanC]

This is an engine that I assume is from 1926 (narrow bearing), mounted in a 1929 Sports Squirrel 2-speeder. Can anyone explain why “FY 845” is stamped on the right side of the crankcase and “FY 8456” is on the left? If these are mismatched case halves it would seem to be a remarkable coincidence to have the entire sequence, less one digit, match. I can see no trace of a “6” on the right side at the end of the sequence.

Also, “904” is stamped in smaller digits above the FY number on the left side. What does this number signify?

Duncan Charlton
Elgin, TX

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

Unless you have a VERY rare divided crankcase engine, there are no crankcase ‘halves’ as it is a one-piece casting. Perhaps the person doing the number stamping got interupted in his task, or got the urgent craving for a Woodbine, or a call of nature, and the last number got missed off one side of the engine. On one of my engines the stamping on one side is nice and straight, and evenly spaced, but on the other side it is very untidy and crooked. Perhaps a first attempt by an apprentice after being shown how to do it by an old hand on the other side ?
The other number you mention is possibly an overhaul number by the works or the likes of A.E.Reynolds, but usually these were stamped on the top flange of the side of the crankcase.
Brian

[DuncanC]

Oh, right! A one piece engine case… can you tell I’m new to this?
Duncan

[DuncanC]

This brings up a related question. I have never been able to find a frame number. I’ve looked on all of the exposed areas of frame tubes and frame lugs but see no sign of numbers. Where should they be on a 1929 Sports Squirrel?
Duncan

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

On the small flat area on top of the headstock lug that forms the sidecar chassis mounting point.

[TedParkin]

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 Hi Duncan!! Dont worry about the “One piece casting ” Mate!! It took me a while to realise the same thing! About 2 years actualy! 🙂 🙂 PS Dont Tell anyone OK! Regard’s 🙂 🙂 🙂 Ted

[DuncanC]

Thanks, Brian. There it was: 2871.

Duncan

[scott596]

Hi Duncan, I would have expected your engine number to be Y8456 not FY as these later crankcases were used on the three speed models and would not fit a two speeder frame, I have a 1926 narrow bearing engine in for overhaul at the moment with the engine number Y9xxx. Alan Noakes. scottworkshop@hotmail.co.uk

[Ian Parsons]

Actually FY8456 is correct. This engine was fitted to a 2 Speed Flying Squirrel with Frame No 1379. This Scott was despatched to Brown of Thetford on 16 July 1925.

Super Squirrels and Standards whether 2 or 3 Speed just had a Y or Z prefix. I do not know whether the Flying Squirrel engines were in a higher state of tune or just specially selected. Perhaps someone would like to comment. I suppose they may have had the block with a larger diameter exhaust stub.

Your Scott has been known to the Club since 1985. A 2 Speed Sports Squirrel UT 5377 registered on 8 June 1929. I believe it has the long tank.

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

The first model with the Flying Squirrel name and F suffix engine number was the ‘tuned’ version of the Super Squirrel in both two-speed and three-speed versions, the latter with the ‘wobbly walking stick’ gear lever. As Ian comments, they had a larger bore exhaust stub, and were advertised as being capable of 80mph, but they had only a tiny front brake of about 4″ diameter, which may explain why so few have survived ! They were only listed for the 1926 ‘season’, so this is a very early one indeed if really from July 1925, but it seems to have a later frame number. Does it still have the tiny front brake? Perhaps the fast 1925 engine was salvaged from a crash and installed into a 1929 machine at a later date…
Brian

[DuncanC]

Might the factory record indicate to where and whom frame number 2871 was despatched? As far as I know it began life as and always remained a 1929 Sports Squirrel. It has a single down tube frame with the long fuel tank with beaded top edge and front/rear oriented equal-sized fuel/oil filler caps, 7″ front brake, tall head tube and sidecar lug. It was fitted with a magdyno and electric lighting about 8 years ago. It also has a fascinating Bonniksen isochronous speedometer.

The previous owner, Graham Podd of Arkansas, bought the bike from Ron Farthing’s agency in July 2006. Prior to that the Scott was owned by Mike Sherwin of Gosport, Hants, who said that this engine (now using drip oiling only and utilizing a Binks 3-jet carb) was fitted before he bought it, perhaps by Owen Greenwood, from whom he bought it, and who reportedly had sprinted it. Does anyone know any additional history on this bike or how to lead me to it? Any further references to racing, or photos I might find? Unfortunately my collection of Yowl newsletters only extends back to December 2005.

Duncan Charlton
Elgin, Texas
(no longer flooded today)

[Ian Parsons]

Duncan,
The VMCC Library has the Scott Despatch records and they would be able to give you the original specification for Frame No 2871. I only have access to these if I travel there. The original Engine No would possibly been between 2400 – 2450. UT is a Leicestershire Registration Number and I believe the Leicestershire County Council still have their records so they may be able to tell you who the first owner was.
The records the Club have show that J W Greenwood who lived near Bromyard, Worcestershire owned it in 1985, not Owen Greenwood of racing fame. It was auctioned by Sotheby’s in 1989 and offered for sale by Andy Tiernam Classics in June 1989. I do not know who they sold it to but in November 1996 It was advertised by Brian Verrall, a well known dealer, in Classic Motorcycle magazine. The next record I have is of G Podd owning it in December 2007. It is possible that some older members may remember the bike so an appeal in Yowl may yield results.

[DuncanC]

JW Greenwood makes more sense to me than Owen Greenwood, who I expect perhaps would have done many modifications or simply chosen a 3-speed model for racing.
Duncan

[Richard Moss]

I used to visit Owen’s shop every School lunchtime in about 1987. My first bikes were all from him. I never heard anything that would indicate that he’d had any racing involvement with Scotts. I always thought his own sidecar racing success was mainly with Triumph twins and he gave me advice about rebuilding the engine on the one we had.. “Don’t lighten the primary gears as they’ll chatter like hell and don’t lighten the crank because you’ll ruin the handling”. He was a really nice man. Although he’d had great success, he never made me feel anything but welcome. His TT records are here which show that he was an accomplished solo rider too:

https://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=ALL&ride_id=1431

[Author]

Posts