continental 9f engine - 29 erskine

[automaschinewerks]

hi everybody, I have been searching for any websites that may have info on the continental engines in erskines, I have been searching the net for other car makes websites that use the same engine as the Erskine, but I haven't had a lot of luck.  any ideas?

Terry

[stude24]

I owned a 1928 Erskine a number of years ago and as I recall from the research at that time there aren't any other Continental engines that are similar enough to substitute for the Erskine 8F and 9F engines. These engines were originally designed with the European market in mind and were small bore engines to stay within tax thresholds over there. That's not to say another engine might be made to fit, but wouldn't likely be a drop in substitute.

 

There is an Erskine website and if you're looking for a replacement engine you might contact some of the owners listed there. It's rather small group of Erskine enthusiasts and there are a lot of connections among them regarding spare parts and information.

[automaschinewerks]

thanks for the info, Dan.  I wasn't looking to substitute a different engine, just to find any repair or general information on them.  what website for Erskine's were you mentioning?  I tried emailing the Erskine registry, but didn't get a reply. Does anybody know If that site is still active?

[stude24]

Try this link: http://members.tripod.com/~erskine_registry/erskine.html

[Ivan Saxton]

Quote

 

You will find that those engines were used in an English car called a Marandez Special, which looked for all the world like a small clone of a 3 litre Bentley.  I gather they were well-liked there, are there are surviving examples.  Several decades ago I received a phone call from an owner who was here as a backpacker.   His short 70mile drive here to visit was distressing for him because his "Rent-a-Bomb" regularly cut out,  Then fired up again just before it rolled to a stop.   Small problem in the distributer was readily fixed. It was getting late, and dark because it was winter, so we had evening meal to refuel him.  Then I showed him around the car projects and workshops.  Then I opened the door behind the 1918 Mercer and hit the starter, and took Robin Morris for a 10 mile joyride around local roads.  The headlights that Bud Catlett arranged for Vic Billstrom to make for me were excellent at night with quartz halogen dipping bulbs transplanted to regular bulb sockets.  He started telling me that the mercer was performing far better than a Bentley, but I was sceptical.   No. His brother used to own a 3 litre Bentley, and specialised on serve and restoration work on Bentleys.   I had traded the Bentley parts that I had gathered to a long-term friend in return for purchase of an incomplete DV32 Stutz engine which was incomplete, and which carried numbers no-one could understand.  Bill Orde was not able to buy any Bentley parts he needed from anyone in UK.  No problem.  Robin's brother advertised, and Bill was able to get everything he wanted, from two former owners in England and one in Ireland.  Bill got what he wanted,  some 4 1/2 litre parts enabled Jack Gray to restore his car, and the extras helped another owner to complete his 3 litre Bentley.  I was not able to help Robin with bits for his small Continental engine, but I gave him referrals. He completed his car many years ago.  But the visit and the ride in the Mercer helped three people put their vintage Bentleys back on the road.  Goodwill always compounds when you pass it around.