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Burgundyben

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January 2, 2011 at 10:14 pm in reply to: Napier Lion Engines – Survivors #1099209

Burgundyben
Participant

The engine is looking fantastic.

I’m looking forward to hearing it run.

I’d still like to find one for my boat, I heard of a dismantled one but the trail went cold. Very frustrating.

January 21, 2009 at 9:04 pm in reply to: Napier Lion in Sahara.. #1234441

Burgundyben
Participant

Hi Burgundyben, thanks for your interest in the Lion rebuild, I have got a lot done, although it doesn’t look that different.
The water jackets have been hot pressure tested with the help of Chris Williams and are leak free, cylinders honed, pistons ordered, crank stripped, rebuilt and pressure tested, con-rod assemblies stripped, checked and rebuilt, timing case stripped, checked and rebuilt, I will be cutting the valve seats and building up the heads in the next couple of weeks.
Time is now being put into the carrier which will have the controls, tanks and radiators.

Andy

Looking very good!

I’m in the middle of rebuilding a flat 6 air cooled Porsche engine, if it runs and is oil tight I’ll be very proud, you should be the same.

Who is making the pistons?

January 21, 2009 at 4:18 pm in reply to: Napier Lion in Sahara.. #1234785

Burgundyben
Participant

Hi Schneiderman and all, thanks for the Lion photo’s, any other photo’s, info or parts are greatfully received.

First trial assy photo’s.

Andy

Andy – How is progress?

Have you spoken with this chap about carbs?

http://www.carburetterspecialists.fsnet.co.uk/older%20carburetters%20page.htm

November 24, 2008 at 3:24 pm in reply to: Napier Lion Engines – Survivors #1213513

Burgundyben
Participant

Hi Roger and all,

Thanks for all the info especially the Portugese museum collection items, the Fairey IIID looks like it has an Eagle V12 fitted, does anyone have better photos of the IIID and the Lion engine in this collection ?

The Old Warden Lion does have its carburettors fitted, they are at the front, they are the black square units with black inlet manifolds turning backwards to the heads, I am looking for a set of these, does anybody have any under their bench for me ?

Andy

Andy,

I’m not sure what carburettors were fitted to your Lion, the rights to both SU and AMAL are now owned by Burlen Fuel Systems in Salisbury, in their reception there is a glass case containing a number of older carbs, at least some of them are aeroplane items. It might be worth a call to them.

Ben

October 20, 2008 at 9:11 am in reply to: Napier Lion Engines – Survivors #1169929

Burgundyben
Participant

Noel Pemberton Billing started Pemberton Billing Ltd, he sold it to Hubert Scott Paine who chose to rename the company Supermarine, it was Scott Paine that appointed Reginald Mitchell.

Scott Paine’s other love aside from aircraft was motor boats, he sold Supermarine and bought Husbands Shipyard in Hythe across Southampton Water and opened British Power Boat Company.

The biography of Scott Paine ‘Fast boats and flying boats’ is worth reading. Scott Paine was instrumental in marinising the Lion and in marinising the Merlin, he later took the marinised Merlin to the USA to be lisense built by Packard when Rolls Royce could not keep up with demand for engines for torpedo boats.

I believe 7 speed boats, ie not for military use, survive, the two I have, Miss Paris, Miss England, Miss Britain, Panther III (owned by his grandson), one with a stepped hull in Italy that I know very little about.

It would be very fitting for me to have a Sea Lion running in mine.

October 17, 2008 at 11:11 am in reply to: Napier Lion Engines – Survivors #1172918

Burgundyben
Participant

We should go international with this list.

Great work!

I’d like to see this list go international, I am aware of Lions in Malta, New Zealand and Australia although I have little info.

I spoke to Chris Williams about a year ago, he told me he is aware of three in the USA of which one is rebuilt and running (a sea lion). He plays his cards close to his chest, I think he does not want someone to put one in a car as his is currently unique (except of course the Railton, but his is unique in the sense that his is the only one competing).

My interest in this is that I have two boats build by Scott Paine at the British Powerboat Company in 1936, the larger is identical to his own boat Panther III at 23 foot. Its been a long rebuild and its now ready for a period engine and a Sea Lion would be the right thing to do.

Regards.

Ben

June 27, 2008 at 3:35 pm in reply to: Napier Lion in Sahara.. #1218624

Burgundyben
Participant

Thanks Andy,

I don’t know the difference between the different numbers on the engines – in fact I know very little about the Napier engines at all! I would take a wild guess that “INSTR 1474B” might be short for “Instruction” and was, maybe, applied later at a technical school/college?

Are all the engines AERO engines ie were they all originally built as aeroplane power units and some later modified for land/marine use? Or did Napier build the land/marine units – perhaps modifying the normal aero engines on the production line? I presume the Sea Lions fall into this latter category.

Anyway here is the list with your ammendments:

A.T.C., Seaham Sea Lion
Brooklands Museum Mk.VIIB (ex Gloster IVB 1927 Schneider Trophy entrant – owned by Napier Power Heritage?)
Brooklands Museum Mk.XI (“Railton” – running)
Brooklands Museum Mk.XIA Special (no. 66113 from Fairey Long Range Monoplane 1933 – incomplete)
Imperial War Museum Mk.? (no. CRA1251)
IWM, Duxford Mk.IB
Manchester University Mk.VIIB
Museum of Flight, East Fortune Sea Lion
National Motor Museum, Beaulieu Mk.VIID (installed in “Golden Arrow”)
National Motor Museum, Beaulieu Mk.II (cutaway)
National Motorboat Museum Mk.VIIA (installed in “Miss England”)
National Motorboat Museum Mk.? (ex “Miss England III” – supercharged
National Maritime Museum Mk.VIIA
RAFMuseum, Cosford Mk.V (no. 50479)
RAFMuseum, Hendon Mk.V
RAFMuseum, Hendon Mk.VIIA (no. N47-50179
RAFMuseum, Hendon Mk.VIII
RAFMuseum, Hendon Sea Lion
Rolls Royce Heritage Trust – Bristol Mk.II Or Mk.V (RAFM) (may have moved to Derby)
Science Museum Mk.V (cutaway)
Shelley, R.C. Collection Mk.V (no. 50108 ex Blackburn Velos G-AAAW)
Shuttleworth Collection Mk.? (sectioned, motorised)
Solent Sky, Southampton Mk.VIII (62418)
Solent Sky, Southampton Mk.?
Solent Sky, Southampton Mk.?
Solent Sky, Southampton Mk.VIIB
Think Tank, Birmingham (ex Museum of Science & Industry) Mk. VIID (no. 63307 installed in Railton speed record car)
Think Tank, Birmingham (ex Museum of Science & Industry) Mk. VIID (no. 63308 installed in Railton speed record car)
Williams, Chris Bentley Napier Sea Lion (running)

Plus,
Andy/’Racer2 UK’ Mk.VA (no. 51383 also marked N.1405 & INSTR 1474B – under rebuild)

Finally – have I got the designation of Chris Williams’ engine correct? or is a Napier Sea Lion (ex Bentley/still in a Bentley = running)?

Roger Smith.

That’s a much more comprehesive list of Lion engines than I was aware of.

My interest is in the Sea Lion, I have a 23 foot motor boat built by Hubert Scott-Paine at the British Power Boat company in 1936, the restoration is progressing well and I am seeking a Sea Lion to fit.

Any information on the whereabouts of a running or nearly running Lion would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Ben
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