-
This part was amongst some spares which were in the boot of the Rapide when I bought it. It is aluminium, around 12″ wide and appears to have been screwed to the car? I can’t work out where it came from but it was probably internal…
Anyone have any idea?
Hi Christian,
Nice find! 🙂
What you have there is quite a rare thing – it’s a cam timing tool. It may (or may not) be an original factory item – these are often cut out of 1/4 inch thick alloy and will have stampings such as ‘Front’, ‘C Type’ in the centre and numbers on each limb e.g. 100 and 50. However, since these are very simple items to replicate I have come across ‘workshop’ items cut from different stock, such as thiner alloy and mild steel.
Regards,
Tim
Tim hi
Well identified, clearly a very rare item, not one I have come across before!
Thank you Tim, not many people would know that!
Fascinating! Appears home made as asymmetrical, and it’s quite hard to see which of its surfaces or edges would have been precise enough for measurement against
As I remember the cam sprockets are individually adjustable, this is partly to take into account the chain stretching over time resulting in the relative distance between each camshaft increasing. I think this tool must lock two cams into the correct position, then the sprockets can be loosened and the chain set to the correct tension using the top tensioner.
It also allows the cams to be adjusted relative to the crank for the timing.
ASD sell much nicer versions than my hand made one.
Having built a great meny of these engines I for one would`nt
use a cam timing jig there not accurate. The only way to time
any Aston based engine is to use DTIsRay Sherratt.
I take it from Ray’s helpful remarks that the cut-outs in the tool’s underside as illustrated above in Christian’s photo are intended to enable setting of the cam timing by reference to the position of the cam lobes & their profile matching the cut-outs in the tool. So I can well understand Tim’s remark that other tools are more heavily constructed as being less prone to distortion. I agree entirely with Ray that the proper way to set the cam timing is with a dial indicator gauge not some technician’s home-made short cut. The other facet to perhaps consider is the provenance of the tool to a specific Rapide in that there were at the time several cam profiles available (DB4, DB4GT, standard Rapide, experimental [as my other car], etc) and without a micrometer etc one cannot be sure the tool actually matches the cams installed in a particular engine.
I agree with all that has been said, of course. For me, these things are just nice pieces of AML ‘history’ to own. For reference, here are a couple of snaps taken of the factory tool in my own collection.
I like those – very nice!
Love your factory tool, looks to be in super condition.
May I assume part of the TVJL reference collection ?
Indeed, Simon, indeed. Just about to depart for Beaulieu to try and find more treasures. 🙂
If you find any more treasures, would love to hear about them ?
Before I forget, did you bid on the collection of Lagonda material at the Bonham’s AM auction? (there was a rare full electric circuit diagram in the lot)
I missed it entirely, Simon. Drat! Did you mention it, as I certainly would have had a go.
Yesterday was fun. However, I came away with a few fairly pedestrian AM & Lag brochures and an Edwardian foot warmer. 😀
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.