Holbay RS2000 16v head; anyone have pics or links?

[Greg Cozier]

Looking for any technical info on this engine other than the Mk1 RS2000 homologation form.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Greg Cozier

Looking for any technical info on this engine other than the Mk1 RS2000 homologation form.

Greg, from memory I believe the Holbay head was resurrected as the Warrior head, and if you look at Connaught Engines website they have info on the latter. They may be able to advise more about the history and whether I am completely wrong or not!

[Greg Cozier]

Mike, the Warrior head is nothing like the original Holbay. Someone convinced the MSA it was a performance equivalent and so it is allowed in Historic rallying in UK in place of the original. It is not recognised by the FIA but I think the Belgians allow them (along with dog gearboxes and over bored/stroked engines).

The Warrior is much narrower with associated valve angles and cam centres, the only similarity that I can see is the separate cam carriers like a BD and the original Holbay. The YB valve angle is more like the Holbay but it has integral cam carriers.

Will Jones makes a Holbay valve cover for the YB, at this time not accepted by the MSA as a performance equivalent.

http://www.smithandjonesengineering....cessories.html

[Greg Cozier]

my google-jitsu is strong today

http://www.rsmotorsport.com.au/forum...87a163e7f03ab4

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Greg Cozier

my google-jitsu is strong today

http://www.rsmotorsport.com.au/forum...87a163e7f03ab4

There you go- good old google! I will show it to the knowledgeable friend who gave me duff info!

[Greg Cozier]

Correction, the Holbay head does not have separate cam carriers like a BDA. It does not have cam caps like a YB either, the cam bearings are pressed into drillings in the head casting.

[terence]

If anyone can can help'I would have thought that Alan Sherwood, founder of MASS Engines can. Worth an e-mail to him? I dont have his details to hand at present but try typing in his name,good luck.

[Greg Cozier]

Thanks for the suggestion Terence.

My investigation is an academic one regarding historic regulations.

The Holbay head is unobtanium; I have read estimates that less than 20 were ever built.

They are homologated for the Escort RS2000 for Gp2 competition and the HRCR has allowed the newer design Warrior head to be used on Pinto blocks as a performance equivalent. There is no similarity between the two heads other than the fact that they both fit on Pinto blocks and have the inlet/exhaust on the same side.

A case has been made for the allowance of Cosworth YB heads on Cat 1 and Cat 2 Escort RS2000 Pinto blocks on the same basis. The YB is cheaper to find and can be built by hobby mechanics with used parts. NZ has already allowed the YB head on RS2000s.

Before we do as well, I wanted as many images as possible to make a visual assessment; my opinion from what I've seen so far is that the YB seems far more like the Holbay than the Warrior does. I've spoken to Roy Millington about it as well but the problem with the Holbay is that it is so rare (especially in rallying) that even experienced engine builders have never seen one.

I'll keep asking around.

[GORDON STREETER]

I believe that the series mentioned with Holbay using Warrior heads was a Donnington single seater series based on a retro "old looking" race car.
I don't think it came to much and was shelved, but maybe the cars are still about ?