Hi Guys,

Following Simon's post on his fathers dilemma with rust on his Bentley engine crankcase I though I'd better check my own. Just been into the workshop and had a look and took a few pics – hope they are of interest.

As stated elswhere I began this in 1992 and for most of the time the parts as made have been and still are stored in card boxes under the bench in the workshop. As has been described elswhere too the workshop is wood, well insulated and heated with one permanently on oil filled radiator set on 1KW output and this maintains temperature well as well as keeping condensation at bay.

These parts, which last saw light of day at the Forncett 'do' in 2011 (didn't take them this year) were packed away after as you see them with nothing more than a coating of paraffin and Tonna T68 lubricating oil mix – ratio about 10:1. All the steel parts case are made from EN1a and have a wrapping of VPI paper inside waxed paper or are just in polybags. As you see, slightly dull but no sign of rust and indeed apart from one time when a very small trace was found on the thrust box after a long period of hibernation none has ever been experienced.

We all know that rust is a pain but this is offered as proof that it can be controlled by the simplest of means depending on the environment the parts are stored in.

This is the part in question Jeff – if I remember right it came out of a 6" diameter blank – it would be a big lump in stainless – not to mention the swarf

The conrods and master rod are from scraps of UHB11 bolster steel (roughly EN9 – works sponsored). Lovely material to machine with no distortion.

Most of these parts were made several years ago the last parts being the cylinder heads seen stored in poly bags which were posted on here.

Hope this will be of use to someone not least Simon and his dad

regards – Ramon

PS In case you are wondering – regretably I can see no way to find the space in time to continue on it at present