Originally Posted by
Planemike
PJ......... Thank you for your comprehensive reply. Ten years to strike a deal....!!! You were both patient & persistent...!! Worth it in the end of course!!
In the meantime I had (with Swift) moved to Cornwall and was trying to eradicate or solve the vales issue, which was rather important due to the extended ferry trips to Air shows.
The matter came to a head (or rather cylinder head) when no 1 cylinder on the original R engine suffered an exhaust valve failure on take off from a local strip, although I managed a hurried landing the valve penetrated the piston and rather spoilt my day. I was in another protracted 'deal' to buy a genuine 42 Willys Jeep (in a shed on a local farm) but had to 'overshoot' to try to get a replacement motor for the Swift. This required another attempt for the Streatham Pobjoys which took a couple of years and the Jeep money. The R engine has no proper valve lubrication so with the Niagra I trusted with its oil fed rocker heads the problem would fade away. It was better but during a ferry trip to Redhill for yet another show there was another 'bang' and I landed straight ahead in a pasture near Dorking. This time the piston held so it was not a serious situation for the innards. To cut this brief, I decided to consult with a serious manufacturer of vales for the racing car world and was invited up to Godalming for a investigation. This was an absolute superb visit as they decided immediately that the material of the original valves was totally useless for reasonable use, and that was the main problem rather than lubrication. They fixed me up with a replacement set in a modern material (and slightly better tulip design) with the classic statement (they will never break) and they never have since.
This became a PFA/LAA approved mod eventually many years later when they found out.