The Ford Sidevalve is a

side valve A flathead engine, also known as a sidevalve engine''American Rodder'', 6/94, pp.45 & 93. or valve-in-block engine is an internal combustion engine with its poppet valves contained within the engine block, instead of in the cylinder head, as ...

(

flathead engine A flathead engine, also known as a sidevalve engine''American Rodder'', 6/94, pp.45 & 93. or valve-in-block engine is an internal combustion engine with its poppet valves contained within the engine block, instead of in the cylinder head, as ...

) from the British arm of the

Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...

, often also referred to as the "English Sidevalve". The engine had its origins in the 1930s

Ford Model Y The Ford Model Y is an automobile that was produced by Ford Britain, Ford SAF and Ford Germany from 1932 to 1937. It was the first Ford automobile specifically designed for markets outside the United States, replacing the Model A in Europe. Prod ...

, and was made in two sizes, or "8 HP", and or "10 HP". The early engines did not have a water pump as standard, instead relying on

thermosiphon Thermosiphon (or thermosyphon) is a method of passive heat exchange, based on natural convection, which circulates a fluid without the necessity of a mechanical pump. Thermosiphoning is used for circulation of liquids and volatile gases in heat ...

cooling as the

Model T The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relati ...

engine had. A water pump was added in 1953 for the 100E models when the engine was re-engineered to the point that few specifications are identical between the early and the later series. The Sidevalve engine was used in many smaller Fords as well as farm vehicles, commercial vehicles and a marine version in boats. Production of the engine was stopped in 1962. Windscreen wipers were often driven by the vacuum generated in the

inlet manifold In automotive engineering, an inlet manifold or intake manifold (in American English) is the part of an engine that supplies the fuel/air mixture to the cylinders. The word '' manifold'' comes from the Old English word ''manigfeald'' (from th ...

. The Sidevalve Engine was also used in German Fords, starting with the

Ford Köln The Ford Köln is an automobile that was produced by Ford Germany from 1933 until 1936 at its Cologne plant. Origins The English Ford company had developed the car and introduced it in 1932 as the Ford Model Y. The German-built version, rena ...

in 1932 and ending with the last rear-wheel drive

Ford Taunus The Ford Taunus is a family car that was sold by Ford Germany throughout Europe. Models from 1970 onward were built on the same basic construction as the Ford Cortina MkIII in the United Kingdom, and later on, the two car models were essentiall ...

12M (G13/G13AL) in 1962. Only the 1172cc version originally invented for the English Ford "10 HP" was used in the german Ford lines. Early further research and development were being carried out at the german Ford engine plant in Cologne to improve the engine for ease of use in the Taunus line of cars but this work was finally halted in 1942. It was replaced by the Kent engine in Britain and by the Taunus V4 engine in Germany.

Engine modifications

Many ways were explored to enhance the power output of the standard engine, most notably special

exhaust manifold In automotive engineering, an exhaust manifold collects the exhaust gases from multiple cylinders into one pipe. The word ''manifold'' comes from the Old English word ''manigfeald'' (from the Anglo-Saxon ''manig'' anyand ''feald'' old and refe ...

s, twin

carburettor A carburetor (also spelled carburettor) is a device used by an internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the venturi tube in the main meterin ...

s, stiffer valve springs, thinner cylinder

head gasket In an internal combustion engine, a head gasket provides the seal between the engine block and cylinder head(s). Its purpose is to seal the combustion gases within the cylinders and to avoid coolant or engine oil leaking into the cylinders. Leak ...

s and modified

camshaft A camshaft is a shaft that contains a row of pointed cams, in order to convert rotational motion to reciprocating motion. Camshafts are used in piston engines (to operate the intake and exhaust valves), mechanically controlled ignition systems ...

Power rating

The

nominal horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are the ...

quoted for each engine size comes from the British method of power calculation for road taxation purposes, and bears no relationship with the actual power output.

Displacement Displacement may refer to: Physical sciences Mathematics and Physics *Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path ...

, cylinder diameter, stroke, and number of cylinders determined the power for road taxation purposes.

Gearbox & transmission

A three-speed

gearbox Propulsion transmission is the mode of transmitting and controlling propulsion power of a machine. The term ''transmission'' properly refers to the whole drivetrain, including clutch, gearbox, prop shaft (for rear-wheel drive vehicles), differe ...

was fitted as standard; three forward and one reverse. Several ways of improving the performance through modifications to the gearbox and transmission train were applied; replacement close ratio gears fitted to gearbox,

overdrive Overdrive may refer to: Organizations * OverDrive, Inc., a digital distributor of entertainment media ** OverDrive Media Console, a media player developed by OverDrive, Inc. * Overdrive PC, a subsidiary of Velocity Micro Technology * Overdrive ...

gears fitted behind the original gearbox and higher ratio crown & pinion gears fitted to the differential unit on the back axle.

Applications

Ford cars

*Ford Model Y (1932–1937) *Ford Model C (1934-1937) *Ford 7W (1937-1938) *Ford 7Y (1937–1939) *Ford Anglia E04A, E494A (1939–1953) *Ford Prefect E93A, E493A (1938–1953) *Ford Popular 103e (1953–1959) *100E series **Ford Prefect (1953–1959) **Ford Anglia (1953–1959) **Ford Squire (1955–1959) **Ford Escort (1955-1961) **Ford Popular (1959-1962) *

(1932–1935) *

Ford Eifel The Ford Eifel is a car manufactured by Ford Germany between 1935 and 1940. It initially complemented, and then replaced, the Ford Köln. It was itself replaced by the Ford Taunus. Between 1937 and 1939, it was also assembled in Hungary and De ...

(1935–1939) *

Ford Taunus G93A The Ford Taunus G93A is a small family car that was produced by Ford Germany between 1939 and 1942 in succession to the Ford Eifel. It was the first car developed at Cologne by Ford Germany which previously had built cars originated by Ford bus ...

(1939–1951) *

12M first generation (1952–1959) *

12M second generation (1959–1962)

Other makers or models

Ashley Ashley is a place name derived from the Old English words '' æsc'' (“ash”) and '' lēah'' (“meadow”). It may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ashley (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...

* Autobee Pacemaker *

Buckler A buckler (French ''bouclier'' 'shield', from Old French ''bocle, boucle'' 'boss') is a small shield, up to 45 cm (up to 18 in) in diameter, gripped in the fist with a central handle behind the boss. While being used in Europe since an ...

for their lightweight sports kitcars for road use and rallies, trials, hillclimbs or racing. * Concordette *

Convair Convair, previously Consolidated Vultee, was an American aircraft manufacturing company that later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee Aircraft. In 1953, it ...

Dellow {{for, the surname, Dellow (surname) Dellow cars were made in a factory (owned by Delsons - who produced nuts and bolts) at Alvechurch, just south of Birmingham, England between 1949 and 1956. Dellow Motors Ltd was started by Ken Delingpol ...

* Fairthorpe Electron *

Falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Adult falcons ...

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = " Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , e ...

Ginetta Cars Ginetta Cars Limited is a British specialist builder of racing and sports cars based in Garforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire. History 20th century Ginetta was founded in 1958 by four Walklett brothers (Bob, Ivor, Trevers and Douglas) in Woodbridge, ...

** G2 ** G3 (aka Fairlite) * Gregory *Hud *

Lotus Lotus may refer to: Plants *Lotus (plant), various botanical taxa commonly known as lotus, particularly: ** ''Lotus'' (genus), a genus of terrestrial plants in the family Fabaceae **Lotus flower, a symbolically important aquatic Asian plant also ...

** Mk2 ** Mk4 ** 6 ** 7 S1 *

Martin Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austral ...

* Mazengrabs *

Morgan Morgan may refer to: People and fictional characters * Morgan (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Morgan le Fay, a powerful witch in Arthurian legend * Morgan (surname), a surname of Welsh origin * Morgan (singer), ...

** F4 ** 4/4 Series II ** F4/ F2 ** F Super * Naco Estate *

Nota Nota Sports and Racing Cars is an automobile manufacturer in Australia. The company was founded by Guy Buckingham in 1952. He was an aircraft engineer and used his expertise to build triangulated spaceframed sportscars. Possibly Australia's fi ...

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...

Rochdale Rochdale ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, at the foothills of the South Pennines in the dale on the River Roch, northwest of Oldham and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough ...

** C-type ** F-type ** MkVI ** ST ** GT **

Riviera ''Riviera'' () is an Italian word which means "coastline", ultimately derived from Latin , through Ligurian . It came to be applied as a proper name to the coast of Liguria, in the form ''Riviera ligure'', then shortened in English. The two areas ...

*Shirley * Speedex Sirocco GT *

Streamliner A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating wikt:streamline, streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "High-speed rail, bullet trai ...

* TVR ** Grantura I **

Tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...

Typhoon A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...

Cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...

** Trials Car

Ancillary equipment, designers & other related information

*Aquaplane, manufacturer of dedicated exhaust and inlet manifolds for the Ford sidevalve engine, also aluminium alloy cylinder heads etc. *

Leslie Ballamy Leslie Mark Ballamy (28 December 1903 – 16 July 1991) was a British inventor and automotive engineer who had a major impact on the British motorsport scene both before the Second World War and in the post-war period. His business L.M.B. Component ...

, designer of split front suspension used on many Ford "specials" *

Buckler Cars The Buckler Cars company founded by C. D. F. Buckler was based at 67 Caversham Road, Reading, Berkshire, England and produced approximately 400 cars between 1947 and 1962. In about 1947, Buckler took over the Welco Farm Implements Ltd at Crowtho ...

manufactured 1172 Formula racing cars using a space frame chassis and the 4 cylinder English Ford Sidevalve engine and other Buckler sporting cars using similar equipment. Manufacturer of close-ratio gears, special axle ratios, and all types of engine tuning equipment for the 4 cylinder sidevalve engines. *Willment in the UK, designed and manufactured overhead inlet valve cylinder heads for the side valve engines. *Elva Engineering in the U.K. designed and manufactured overhead inlet valve conversion cylinder heads for this sidevalve engine, also complete sports/racing cars and other tuning parts.

External links

Ford Sidevalve Owners Club

Bibliography

* Cars and Car Conversions, "Tuning

SU Carburettor SU carburettors were a British manufacturer of constant-depression carburettors. Their designs were in mass production during most of the twentieth century. The S.U. Carburetter Company Limited also manufactured dual-choke updraught carburettor ...

s", Speed and Sports Publications Ltd, (1968). * G B Wake, "Ford Special Builders Manual", J H Haynes & Co Ltd. * Philip H. Smith, "The Ford Ten Competition Engine", G T Foulis & Co. Ltd. A complete tuning manual. * John Haynes, "Building a Ford 10 Special", Auto Publications, London. * John Mills, "The Constructions of Ford Specials", B T Batsford, London. * Bill Cooper, "Tuning Side-Valve Fords", Speed and Sports Publications Ltd, (1969). * Miriam Nyhan, "Are You Still Below", The Collins Press, (2007) - The Ford Marina Plant, Cork, 1917-1984. * Ford Motor Company, "Anglia-Prefect Repair Manual" * Dave Turner, "Ford Popular and the Small Sidevalves", Osprey Publishing Ltd, (1984). * Bill Ballard, "English & Australian Small Fords", Ellery Publications, (2002). {{ISBN, 1 876 720 07 7

Sidevalve A flathead engine, also known as a sidevalve engine''American Rodder'', 6/94, pp.45 & 93. or valve-in-block engine is an internal combustion engine with its poppet valves contained within the engine block, instead of in the cylinder head, as ...

Gasoline engines by model Straight-four engines