It is a local design, but as we know most of them are rarely virgin designs, they are normally based upon existing designs. For example the Cleveland was designed using a lot of BBC ideas as it was designed and influenced by ex GM people. The Holden V8 shares SBC bore spacings from memory, and its design was constrained by the desire for it to be fitted to the vehicle by body drop, and to be fitted to a number of totally different vehicle platforms which dictated the oil pump go where it is. As far as I know though it is as close to a clean-sheet engine design as we ever got in this country. I think I'm right in saying the GMH V8 is the only locally designed and built engine used in a volume constructed Australian car. All the rest are far more heavily based upon overseas designs.

I think even the lifters are different Terry, at least to a SBC. They have more travel in them (0.2305") to allow for the fixed rocker gear. They may well be from another US vehicle though, they were made by Frigidaire. They have an Australian (74) part number though.

A few other parts are US sourced (going by the part numbers at least):

Valve springs.
Valve stem seals.
Rear main seal.
Camshaft plugs.
Conrod nuts.
Fan.
Water pump seal.
Thermostat.
PCV valve clamp.


Plus maybe a few more bits and pieces - bugger all though in the scheme of things and exactly what you'd expect, ie use already designed bits wherever possible.

Have you read through Holden V8 Engine Report http://www.hrc.org.au/im...Holden%20V8%20report.pdf

On the so called Cleveland V8 all the USA engines, be it Chrysler Ford or any GM are all sent to same one company who does build and work on all the setting up of the castings and tooling and then when they get it all sorted they then hand it all over to the car company's, the car company's have a design of what they want, but it's up to this company to make it all work.
So the Cleveland looks much like the Ford big block to save money mainly, but as with car body designs you can see as the years go on the same type of designs are used in all cars of the same area. the latest trends are used regardless.

The Cleveland is an orphan in Ford. It was very much copied off the BBC. Bunkie Knudsen was recruited from Vice President at GM to become Ford's President. He bought GM Engineers with him, and is credited (or criticised by some) for the larger 1971 Mustang and the Cleveland design, his Engineers essentially used the BBC as a model for the Cleveland. You'll find this all through US Ford literature. When he and his recruits left the Cleveland was shuffled off to Australia.

Thank for that info....All you say makes sense of course...I have a cut off ring spanner welded to a small tyre lever for that particular job...Just a tad difficult changing points etc for the sort fellas...lol.