‘ Now I’ ve done four out of the six Tipo 26 Maserati Grand Prix engines’
The straight-six used in the Grand Prix Maserati 8C Tipo 26M, HCS has built four now
‘ Now I’ ve done four out of the six Tipo 26 Maserati Grand Prix engines’
The Wolseley engine being mated together and held by a heavy-duty engine stand, a necessity for the big engines that HCS builds
‘ I’ ve got very sophisticated engine modelling software on my computer, so I can model all the lengths of the [ exhaust ] pipes. We design our own camshafts, our own crankshafts, our own pistons, our own modifications to cylinder heads, our own superchargers. Whatever we do, we try to build in performance and reliability.’
But when it comes to manufacturing these computer modelled parts, it’ s back to the old school.‘ It’ s mostly traditional because it’ s mostly low volume. Therefore, you don’ t need modern mass production techniques. We might make, maximum, 10 at a time. Generally, it’ s five or six. You can do some operations by CNC, but mostly it’ s hand machining by people that just know what they’ re doing.’
It’ s this sympathetic approach to old cars and combining the best of modern tech and traditional processes that has made HCS a success.‘ People talk. People go on rallies together. They say,“ Your car goes so well. How does it go so well?” And then they say,“ HCS built me a special engine.” You then get the commission to build another special engine. And so it goes from there.
‘ We try to give them a very nice tractable engine rather than one that gives maximum power at the top end and nothing in the middle. So we try to give them power under the curve. And people are always asking me,“ Can you make this or that go faster?” Without spoiling its looks, of course!’
50 The Engine Rebuilder Issue 04