Gilford AS6 With Buda "ASB"?? Engine

[Bud Tierney]

Andrew Stevens of High Wycomb is restoring a Gilford AS6, fitted with a Buda "ASB" engine (6cyl, 35/8x41/2, 4.55L, 278/279 CID).
Unfortunately, two obsolete Buda parts dealers here don't recognize it, nor does my own Buda list (several pages, but made from US catalogs only) include it.
Andrews original post, with a great deal more detail, is on smokstak (no typo) in the Multi-Cyl Power Unit forum under "Buda Engines" (sorry, never learned to make links) under poster name steveand123. Another thread is on hcvc.com.au, under "Gilford AS6 with Buda ASB??" with additional comments.
I understand Buda's factory in Wembley actually only assembled Buda parts into whole Buda engines, presumably to escape duties on whole engines.
35/8 was not a popular bore with Buda, my list only showing one 4cyl and one 6cyl series, the DS, but it had a 5" stroke. (Is the "ASB" a destroked DS??)
(1) Does anyone here have an old replacement engine parts catalog that might ID this engine and/or list an "ASB" in its Buda engine list??
(2) Does anyone here recall mention of a Buda "ASB" engine??
Any comments appreciated; Andrew can be contacted by clicking on his posting name in the smokstak forum; an email form, thru the system, will come up.
I'm not involved in the bus project; my interest is ID'ing this previously unknown engine. Any comments appreciated. Many thxx!! Bud

[Bud Tierney]

(Sigh) Due to another in the all-too-often attacks of ignoring the obvious for the illusory, despite knowing Gilford also fitted Lycomings, I overlooked checking my Lycoming list...and, there it was, Lycoming ASB, correct b/s and time period.
I'm feeding Andrew some specs to double check.
My apologies to all and my thanks for your interests. Bud

[stevand123]

Bud,

I am actually researching to assist the restorer not doing the restoration

[albion1938]

I have 3 x sets of Gilford pistons. I'd have to check, but I think they're 3-7/8inch standard size. Maybe not correct for the vehicle in question but they may be of some use to somebody, albeit Gilfords are a bit few and far between. I know Gilford used several different makes of engine and don't know which these are for, but they have Hepolite numbers.
Bernard

[stevand123]

Bernard,

If they are 3 7/8 they are not right for the AS6 engine. They would be appropriate for the Lycoming TS. I know two people who may have use for these in their restoration projects and will contact them.

Andrew

[albion1938]

I'll have a look at them and confirm the size etc. They've been stored in a damp environment so are a bit corroded, but would work with a clean up. I had to buy 19 sets of assorted pistons to get the one set I wanted for my pre-war Albion, these were amongst them!
Bernard

[Bud Tierney]

AL38: Have you tried Googling "hepolite XXXX"???? Sometimes catalogs are online and a hit will come up.
Don't have a Hepolite catalog, but have a few others (sometimes parts companies will use some major producers thinly disguised numbers to save the trouble of making up their own).
If you're still trying to ID them, post a couple numbers and I'll see if I have anything familiar.
With sympathy, Bud

[albion1938]

Hello again. I've got some old Hepolite and Wellworthy catalogues, but cant find the pistons I have listed, although Wellworthy do list rings for 3-7/8 pistons on 6 cylinder Gilfords. I've now had a look at the pistons I have. There are a set of 6 each of Hepolite 2727 and 2737, plus another box with one missing, leaving five. They are sized 3-7/8 standard. As I said, they are suffering from some corrosion in storage, but perfectly useable with a clean up, no worse than the ones I got for my own vehicle. As one enthusiastic owner to another, they could be very cheap to anyone who can use them, I had to have them in a job lot to get the ones I wanted, apart from the cost of buying them, it cost me a 350 mile round trip and a night out in a hotel, so a contribution would be nice! I have some more for Hillman, Commer and Albion, if anyone's interested I'll post details.
Bernard

[Bud Tierney]

AL38: Nothing similar in my few US catalogs...
If your box says for Gilford, here it usually listed the models/years the part fits; is there any further installation ID on the box/es??
If your Hep and/or Hep/Well catalog/s include the late 20s/mid 30s Gilfords, does it show other numbers for them??
I assume these're old boxes, NOS original Hepolite and not the newer Wassall Taiwan Hepolites.
If your catalog/s do cover the late 20s/early 30s, do your numbers (2727, 2737) seem to be typical Hepolite numbers of the period??

[albion1938]

Hi Bud, and thanks. The numbers are definitely Hepolite from the period, I worked as a manager for many years in a motor parts company who specialised in engine parts, and were a part of AE, who also owned Hepolite, so I'm familiar with the numbering system. The only catalogues I have are for rings, and carry cross references to the pistons that they fit, they list Gilfords with 6 cylinders at 3-7/8", but the numbers don't tally. There are are usually a few catalogues for sale on ebay, but they're silly money, I've identified all the other pistons I've got, it's just the Gilford ones , so not worth me investing! They may end up in the scrap bin yet, a shame if somebody can make use of them, I'll sit on them a bit longer, I'd put them on ebay, but it's a bit difficult when I know so little about them.
Bernard