BDA. What does it stand for?

[Steve Holmes]

To help with a story I'm writing, I'm wondering if someone can please confirm what BDA stands for? I'd read several years ago a book on competition Fords, and it said it was short for 'Belt Drive Anglia'.

I've never had to write on the subject before so have never questioned or challenged that, but now I've also been told 'Belt Driven A series', and 'Belt Drive Assembly'. Does someone know the correct answer?

While we're on the subject, FVA. 'Four Valve Arrangement'???

Thanks in advance.

[davemorganfan]

Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

To help with a story I'm writing, I'm wondering if someone can please confirm what BDA stands for? I'd read several years ago a book on competition Fords, and it said it was short for 'Belt Drive Anglia'.

I've never had to write on the subject before so have never questioned or challenged that, but now I've also been told 'Belt Driven A series', and 'Belt Drive Assembly'. Does someone know the correct answer?

While we're on the subject, FVA. 'Four Valve Arrangement'???

Thanks in advance.

Belt Drive A Series. Similar with the FVA - Four Valve A Series. Then of course there was the FVB (the 1.5 litre version), the FVC (1.8 litres)....you get my drift?

[Peter Mallett]

But weren't they Ford engines? A series engines were BMC/Austin.

[davemorganfan]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

But weren't they Ford engines? A series engines were BMC/Austin.

Yes they were, but it was A Series in Cosworth rather than Ford or BMC terminology. Have a look at Graham Robson's excellent book "Cosworth" - it tells you far more than I could!

[Peter Mallett]

I knew it just thought I'd pose the question to cut the confusion factor.

IIRC the BDA was a 1000cc screamer from the Anglia.

[davemorganfan]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

I knew it just thought I'd pose the question to cut the confusion factor.

IIRC the BDA was a 1000cc screamer from the Anglia.

I hate to sound like a smartarse, Peter, but BDA was the 1.6 litre twin-cam job that was thought to be a productionised FVA when it first appeared in the Escort RS1600 road car. Actually, there were (I think) some 1 litre versions built some time later. Yes, it was loosely based on the FVA, but had many differences. The 1-litre screamer was the MAE (Modified Anglia Engine) for F3, or even the SCA (Single Cam A Series) for F2.

[Peter Mallett]

Ta.

[David McKinney]

Without any reference-books to hand at the moment, I'm sure FVA was for "four valve arrangement" and the belt-drive version was "belt drive arrangement". The BDA engine capacity was 1601cc, and the various other versions had other designations such as BDD, BDG etc, but I can't say off the top of my head (no pun intended) which was which

[josvandeperre]

I'm about as sure as I can be that the use of 'arrangement' is wrong here - there is a clear sequence to Cosworth changing the last letter to denote variations on engines - hence BDA became BDG, FVA became FVC, DFV became DFW - the A was the first in the sequence - my vote therefore is the 'A' is A series

[davemorganfan]

Going off at a bit of a tangent here, I always liked the way that Hewland named their gearboxes - LG: Large Gearbox, DG: Different Gearbox, FG (which evidently gave them some trouble in its development stages): F*****g Gearbox...........

[Peter Mallett]

Here’s a good one:



And then Darren Galpin (one of our posters) tells us about the DFV here

[Bryan Miller]

Gents,

Graham Robson's excellent book on Cosworth the search for power advises BDA is belt drive A series and FVA is four valves series A .

The road engine is a BDA , the race engine in Formula Atlantic is a BDD , which is standard bore on carbs , generally 48mm , Weber of course , other versions followed for different formulae and countries , e.g. South East Asia in the mid 70's allowed injected BDD 's with bigger than the mandatory size Atlantic valves , these were BDM designated .
My BT35 utilises a BDE , which is iron block , 1790cc on Lucas Fuel injection , then there came the alloy block to allow bigger bore to go closer or up to the F2 maximum of 2000cc, these were termed BDF and BDG , again on Lucas mechanical fuel injection.

Lots of other versions were developed by Cosworth for various uses including a BDP from Cosworth America 1975cc alloy block fuel injected and on Methanol.

Bryan.

[Arty B]

BDA 1601 cc
BDB 1700 cc
BDC 1700 cc
BDD 1598 cc
BDE 1790 cc
BDF 1790 cc
BDG 1975 cc
BDH 1298 cc
BDJ 1099 cc
BDM 1598 cc
BDR 1600 & 1700 cc ( Caterham 7 )

Any other views?

AB.

[Anuauto]

I'm sure the confusion arises because the first Cosworth engine (MAE) used the Anglia name and it has stuck in people's minds even though all subsequent engines used "A" as "A series".
The BDA of course was the same nominal 1598cc as other "1600 Crossflow" blocks. Homologating it at 1601 to allow stretch in the BDA snookered the Mexico when it was offered as a 1598 for homologation and it was rendered uncompetitive in its class at 1601. The 1600 Xflow Capri however kept its 1598 homologation (which is why one or two 1600 Capris were seen in International rallies because no Escort was allowed in the1600 class).

[Peter Mallett]

A bit more background to the BDA here

[Michael Oliver]

Originally Posted by davemorganfan

Going off at a bit of a tangent here, I always liked the way that Hewland named their gearboxes - LG: Large Gearbox, DG: Different Gearbox, FG (which evidently gave them some trouble in its development stages): F*****g Gearbox...........

A nice story about the F*****g Gearbox but not quite true! When I interviewed Mike Hewland for my Lotus books, he told me that story of each one and said "The FG stood for half of one and half of the other. It was the FT and DG boxes put together, as simple as that!"

With the DG he said "I was drawing away at this thing and I said 'Oh Christ, what are we going to call this gearbox?' And the woman from accounts came in and said 'Oh, is it a different gearbox?' and I said 'Right, that's it - DG!'"

[paulSenna]

Originally Posted by Arty B

BDA 1601 cc
BDB 1700 cc
BDC 1700 cc
BDD 1598 cc
BDE 1790 cc
BDF 1790 cc
BDG 1975 cc
BDH 1298 cc
BDJ 1099 cc
BDM 1598 cc
BDR 1600 & 1700 cc ( Caterham 7 )

Any other views?

AB.

There was even a BDX

[paulSenna]

Originally Posted by Michael Oliver

A nice story about the F*****g Gearbox but not quite true! When I interviewed Mike Hewland for my Lotus books, he told me that story of each one and said "The FG stood for half of one and half of the other. It was the FT and DG boxes put together, as simple as that!"

With the DG he said "I was drawing away at this thing and I said 'Oh Christ, what are we going to call this gearbox?' And the woman from accounts came in and said 'Oh, is it a different gearbox?' and I said 'Right, that's it - DG!'"

Was FT = Formula Two ?? so FG means Formula Gearbox??

[Arty B]

Originally Posted by paulSenna

There was even a BDX

I think I missed BDN as well.

AB

[Team Red Rose]

They went well in the Chevrons too!!!

[Peter Mallett]

Welcome to our friendly forum Team Red Rose.

[Michael Oliver]

Originally Posted by paulSenna

Was FT = Formula Two ?? so FG means Formula Gearbox??

Yes, FT stood for Formula Two and FT200, stood for Formula Two, 200bhp, as that was what Hewland had designed the box for originally. So literally, FG stands for Formula Gearbox, I guess!

[bobdar]

There is a handy chronology of the Cosworth motors at
http://www.race-cars.com/utility/coswrthr.htm

[eldougo]

Originally Posted by David McKinney

Without any reference-books to hand at the moment, I'm sure FVA was for "four valve arrangement" and the belt-drive version was "belt drive arrangement". The BDA engine capacity was 1601cc, and the various other versions had other designations such as BDD, BDG etc, but I can't say off the top of my head (no pun intended) which was which

Your are right David it has always been" Belt Driven Arrangement".Dont listen to those that think they know everything.and FVA "four valve arrangement" .

[Camaroz]

My two-bobs worth, always told and have stuck to the following;

BDA - Belt Drive Assembly
BDG - Belt Driven Gear
FVA - Four Valve Assembly
FVC - Four Valve Cosworth

So where BDD fits..... Dunno!

Hewlands, an ex-Williams mechanic informed me that my FG (400) stood for *#@: Good (Gearbox), DG stood for Damn Good (Gearbox) and FT stood for *#@:ing Terrific (Gearbox).