Abstract
Abstract
In attempting to gain better performance from a 1902 James & Browne veteran car, the relationship between the spring rate of the inlet valves and the average speed of the car on a specified test slope is examined. The performance of the car using the existing valve springs is taken as a baseline, with the variation in performance being evaluated against this. The spring rate is calculated using measurements of mass against extension. The average speed of the car is calculated from the time taken to traverse the known distance of the test slope. Other factors (such as exhaust valve timing) are held constant during the study. The performance criterion is a merit function which includes the achieved road speed, the outside noise of the car and the exhaust Carbon Monoxide emissions.