The Harrison Racing Outboards - Legendary Birmingham Metal Products Alky Outboards

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

The march toward putting together an A and B Harrison is progressing through the accumulation of parts to make their assembly as accurrate as possible step by step is coming. Through some swapping I now have a Harrison transom clamp system though again it is somewhat different than what is already pictured so it might be a generation difference?? Not sure but things are coming. Hoping for more parts as we go along with these projects as these were pretty unique engines.

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

Talk about hands across the seas and names being intertwined with British outboard racing engines and their American cousins the following. - Just recently the dispersal of some part of the Harrison estate (they worked with British Anzani over in the UK and are related to the Harrisons in the USA?) engineering documents turned up concerning British Anzani racing outboards. With that also turned up a racing engine too that the new owner wants to restore and get running again. The only 2 people I know in the UK that are enthusiasts with these engines are Ron Champkin and Corin Huke. Where are you guys? The new enthusiast needs your expertise. Email me at - catwerx@hotmail.com for more details.

Nice to see that more of these engines are turning up!

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

There has not been much to post on this thread for a while other than the previous featuring of some of the Harrison A and B Alky parts. Sice those opening features some more parts have been obtained that will make at least the assembly of one engine, the class B nearly possible. That restoration will be featured in a staged process this spring hopefully with the second one shortly afterward. In the meantime if any readers know of any Harrison parts assemblies lying there loose that could assist in the assembly of another Harrison motor I would sure like to hear from you to that end.

If any one has some pictures of Harrison racing engines they could post on this thread, please do as there were variations of the same class engine be they As or Bs.

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

Question?

I just bought 2 Tillotson HL series carbs to make up a 3 carb Anzani, the 2 carbs are converted to Alky and were used on some alky racing Kart engine at one time. I have not asked Jim Hallum yet if the Tillotosn HLs used on his Anzani projects and seen on other Harrison engines are also Alky conversion carbs or just gasoline versions seeing that the main block carb was already Alky version? Was the Alky conversion on the 2 HLs necessary seeing the main carb was feeding alky for both cylinders anyway? Does anyone know off hand?

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

Anyone ever try to reed valve the main carb inlet on a Harrison or Anzani?

I broached the question if anyone had ever tried to reed valve an Anzani or Harrison's main block mounted carb with Jim Hallum? When expansion chambered exhausts were being tried way back then in the later 1960s the main carb spitout increased significantly as the pipes turned on bringing that experimentation to an end retaining the open pipes to get the records that resulted. That carb spitout demonstrated the supercharging effects of modern day pipes that without question put 2 stroke loop engines over the top on the horsepower they develop today. Anyone toy with those reed valves on these engines? There is little doubt they could have killed spitout and improved power then?

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

I was looking at the Harrison flywheel that covered the Phelon/Repco points, condenser and coil setup. The flywheel is of alumium casting that enclosed the steel hub core that had the keyway and taper machined in to fit the Harrison crankshaft that had the cam ground on to activate the points. Thw flywheel magnets were nicely cast on the perimeter of the flywheel itself on the outside rim. Does any reader know about who actually did the castings of these for Birmingham Metal products? And what variations they came in?

[Mark75H]

Was the Alky conversion on the 2 HLs necessary seeing the main carb was feeding alky for both cylinders anyway? Does anyone know off hand?

You don't have to do anything to an HL to switch it back and forth between gas and alcohol, just turn the hi and lo jet adjusting screws for proper mixture for the fuel running thru it. That's one of the beauties of the Tillotson diaphragm carb scheme.

Why don't you ask Kay Harrison himself about the casting?

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

The thing is that the Anzani/Harrison hybrid with 2 carbs here as well as the exploded remains of the 2 carb Anzani, here, both their Tillotson HLs are larger jet and jet pipette converted than the HL gas version I have since received but they (the enlarged jet versions) were parked adjacent the rotary valve opening window where the Harrisons in many pictures have theirs planted on reed blocks right on each crankcase half adjacent the crankshaft. What the Hallum versions of HLs I have yet to ask Jim Hallum. Makes you wonder which version of HL would be safest when you have Alky conversions already being used. Using gasoline jetted versions for show may be fine but for the odd go, I am reluctant.

When it comes to the Harrison aluminum & steel flywheels question, I have no way of knowing who is around reading when they are so I toss it out as a general inquiry to those who might or would know. If Kay Harrison is seeing this and answers the question, that would be first source. Tim Chance having access to Harrison company materials from Kay Harrison would be next and any old employees or racers who made or used Harrisons would be on down the line but if they are not on line like the rest I have to wait too, so that is wha

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

The only completely enclosed Harrison Flywheel Magneto ignition system (Repco-Phelon) I have ever seen to date is the version that was machined on to Roger Wendlt's (North West USA) B Alky engine which is a hybrid (Anzani (crankcase & block) (Vacturi (OMC) carb & Tillotson HL carb) -Harrison (crankshaft & rods & flywheel and ignition system) -Konig (gearcase) -Mercury (clamps & saddle)(steel stick tower) class B Alky 2 carb version he ran which is now a museum piece here. Its a nice tidy affair of an engine and on top not unlike a Merc's 20H but with aluminun castings in the flywheel, base plate, base plate cover collar that was screwed down once the flywheel was in place with its embosed Harrison ropeplate bolted on the aluminum lightweight flywheel.

This Phelon-Repco flwyheel magneto style Harrison system is the only one I have ever seen until some parts came in and now there is now here a complete second one, but from an A or B Harrison??? I don't have a clue or the vintage either for that matter but like the Wendt 2 carb hybrid it used the Harrison heavy duty crankshaft and it all fits down nicely on the end of the Harrison crank. The person I got the parts from does not have a clue as to what vintage or version (class) of Harrisons these parts came from. He got them some years ago at some swap and sell meet. Do you have some insight on what class and vintage of Harrison Alkys these nicely cast systems were used on??

I will shortly photo and post pictures to help out with the questions.

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

Some pictures of very recently acquired Harrison Class A - B Alky parts. I have no idea of the vintages of any of them. From what I see there is still the use of an Anzani crankcase it all bolts up to though the crankcase is machined out to fit a model of Harrison crankshaft to go with the aluminum light weight flywheel and flywheel magneto ignition system which uses Repco/Phelon components/parts. Kay Harrison, you looking? Anyone else have any info on the vintages of these components?