Odd Ball Question!

[katana]

See the picture? And see in between the slots in the lower valance there is a round hole? Is this intended for / was a hang over from - using a manual crank handle? Does the hole actually line up with the crankshaft bolt? Does anyone know if a crank handle was ever supplied for this use and if so, has anyone ever tried to start one 'manually'? Enquiring minds need to know!

[Bobcat]

More than likely. I used to have Anglia 105E which I remember had a similar set up in 1970’s. One day in a breakers yard I came across an anglia van which had a new radiator so I got that. The radiator had square hole in the middle which when fitted lined up with the crankshaft pulley. I went to the dealer and asked if any Anglias  were ever fitted with starting handles and yes vans came with handles was the reply so ordered the locating cog to replace the crank pulley bolt and a starting handle. It all fitted perfectly.

i could never start the car with the handle. I was later advised not to start the car that way because high compression engines were difficult to start and with a back fire one could easily break ones arm! I found it perfect for setting valves though. If I remember correctly there was a strengthening plate welded to the back of valance 

[Ray]

you would need to make a nice hole in the rad to use the starting handle

as far as I'm aware, the hole was there on some cars and not on others, a random thing, Haynes manual shows a 1300 sport with it, and I think AVO cars had it as stage 1 do a blanking grommet, but that grommet I know dosnt fit, if its a pattern panel, unless the swage is ground off

the clue is, look at the van bumper, the van bumper had a hole in it that marries with that hole for cranking handle, the rad also had a drain plug, but not sure if the rad was a different height

probably just one of those useless things carried over and not used

Colins an old git, he should remember

[colr6]

Think you really struggle to start an escort with a starting handle, due to amount of compression and lacking in flywheel weight. Can't ever remember seeing an escort rad with a starter hole in it! Problably an old fart who designed the early front panel still living in the starting handle days.

[accord83]

I have a friend (unbelievable I know!) who fitted a green light into this hole on his rally car so his service crew knew it was his car approaching.

[Vista]

14 minutes ago, accord83 said:

I have a friend (unbelievable I know!) who fitted a green light into this hole so his service crew knew it was his car approaching.

Hmmmmm, a green light in his hole? It can't have been very comfortable driving with one of them up there! 

[accord83]

It startled his Proctologist as well!

[Rally Pack 2000]

Eva Braun had the same question.

That picture shows the crank hole on an Australian Twincam. Its a symbolic reminder before you get into the car that odds are the key starter isnt going to get the job done.

[preacherman]

My dad had a Renault dauphine that had a cranking handle. It was a pig to start and had a few accidents.  We were talking about thus yesterday.

I think the hole in the front valance was for lower spec models such as vans and very early cars. Somehow it got carried over.

[colr6]

36 minutes ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

Eva Braun had the same question.

That picture shows the crank hole on an Australian Twincam. Its a symbolic reminder before you get into the car that odds are the key starter isnt going to get the job done.

Would love to see someone start a twin cam with a handle or even better attempt to !!!

[Rally Pack 2000]

21 minutes ago, colr6 said:

Would love to see someone start a twin cam with a handle or even better attempt to !!!

I think the hole is a mocking gesture from Ford telling you to get creative to start it. When I first bought mine the ring gear had gone and it was a push or a hill for the first few weeks. My mum used to tell the neighbours she had pushed it more than she had ever been driven in it.

[accord83]

It's for an early Field Marshall tractor starter. (When we were lads a mate and I scrapped an old Field Marshall where the farm hand had used a live cartridge instead of a blank.........)

 A  blank cartridge is loaded into a breech on the engine's intake system. The smouldering paper is placed in the cylinder head, and the cartridge is fired by tapping the base of the protruding firing pin with a hammer. This puts a charge into the bore, sending the piston through its stroke, bursting into life. This method, however, deposits carbon which often causes jamming of the decompression valve if cartridges are regularly used. It also puts significantly more strain on the engine.

It certainly added some strain on the engine, but it cleared the carbon deposits!!