Thanks, Allan. I've just looked it up and the crankshaft was reputedly 7.5 feet long! Just imagine the vibration. Early days of motoring, of course, and people were always trying something new to see if it worked.
(I'm pleased that you have Court's work - I have a soft spot for his style of narration, although I perfectly understand that some enthusiasts find it a bit "different". The books seem to sit for weeks on E-bay. Such a shame that people are missing out.)
