New Swedish Engine

NEW SWEDISH ENGINE

BENGT BJORKLUND

SWEDEN, A nation having the best men and machines in International mote -cross competition now has a new engine for the 500cc class. Designer and manufacturer of the new engine is Sweden’s young motorcycle engineer Nils Hedlund, with facilities just outside of Stockholm. Hedlund has designed the new engine on the crankcase of an old engine which was also the basis of the present Husqvarna and Lito machines. But nearly everything is new inside; crankshaft, connecting rod and a new cam drive as the engine has double overhead camshafts.

Measurements are as follows; bore 80mm, stroke 99mm, giving 499cc, compression ratio 9.5:1, but no figures are given as to power output. The engine has not seen action as of this writing though plans call for its mounting in a Metisse frame and being sold as a “production” machine. The fabulous Rolf Tibblin recently left Husqvarna, reportedly to ride one of the new units in moto-cross racing.

The cam drive goes from the crankshaft up to the cylinder head through a chain similar to the arrangement on the AJS-7R, but linking the two camshafts is a gear train. The diminutive flywheel magneto is carried on the end of the exhaust cam. The first engine will be ready in Autumn for Tibblin. Hedlund, a full-time professional engineer, has invested over $15,000 in the project.