Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Da Tow'd · Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 1:29 am Post subject: The fine smell of Castrol R

The fine smell of Castrol R
I went to a photography school in Santa Barbara California from 1965 to 1967.
It was an excellent school and at a excellent time.
On the weekends I got into driving in autocrosses and rallyes and a few hill climbs with a 1964 40 hp. VW Bahama Blue sunroof beetle .
I had the engine built with bigger cylinders and bigger valves and balanced, extractor exhaust + Empi sway bar and Koni shocks and Michelin X rubber on a decambered Porsche rear wheels.
I had fun and had the dash glove box and the space below the rear window covered in dash plaques from all the events I entered. We had a Halda Tripmaster mounted on the dash and hooked to the speedo cable and a clip board and stop watches with a Flex light. We had a copy of the Reed time/distance tables and an AM-FM-SW radio to listen to the WWV time station. Fat shoulder harness but no roll bar. Damn lucky
I got tired of my big boy navigator pal always leaning on me during a corner so we removed the passenger seat and he sat in the back with lots of leg room.
The 5 Lucas Flamethrower lights taxed the 6v system so I had an electrician tweak my regulator and installed a 8volt tractor battery.
I had the road ahead covered with all that candle power.
Just thinking that it had been 50 years since the last time I smelled Castrol R!

cheers
Hank

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22784 Location: UK

That looks like fun Hank, so you've been around VWs for quite a while then! Smile

RJ
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ka · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 600 Location: Orkney.

Being a regular Vintage racer, Castrol R regularly gets wafted around the circuit.
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Better three than four.

mikeC · Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 9:05 am Post subject:

I have a small can of Castrol R - it must be at least 70 years old as it dates from my father's motorcycling days - and every so often when I feel withdrawal symptoms I put a teaspoon full of oil in the petrol tank of whatever old car I am running at the time... aaaah, bliss Cool

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7214 Location: Edinburgh

It never occurred to me that Castrol R found its way to the States!

Peter Shocked

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baconsdozen · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1119 Location: Under the car.

Probably soon to be banned because the fumes make polar bears attack school children or something.
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Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7107 Location: Derby

BigJohn · Joined: 01 Jan 2011 Posts: 954 Location: Wem, Shropshire

Closely following someone for 24 laps running a heavy mix would clear your system out reasonably quickly........
Ask me how I know that, damn you Wartburgs!

Phil - Nottingham · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1252 Location: Nottingham

I think it is horrible smell - I used it in the early 1970's in 2 stroke DKW/Auto Unions (1:40)- they smoked more too without any noticeable performance improvement. Silkolene (Daltons of Belper now Fuchs) did it it 5 gallon drums - slightly cheaper than their T/s oil

Castor oil not much good for medicinal either and our next door neighbour has a huge Castor tree with giant leaves which drops sticky black berries in later summer all over the pavement. In blossom now
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kevin2306 · Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 6:54 pm Post subject:

I love the smell and it always gets added to the Honda mower fuel.
Reminds me of my pre-60 racing days.

Kev

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22784 Location: UK

Ashley · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 1426 Location: Near Stroud, Glos

I think it was originally Castor Oil, which became Castrol and Castrol R was first outperformed by Shell X100 in the early fifties. I remember mechanics saying what a difference it made to engine wear.

kevin2306 · Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 8:54 pm Post subject:

Mog · Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Posts: 663 Location: Sydney

I can only add what I know about Castrol R. It is a vegetable based oil. I have never used it. Some of my mates used it on total loss systems on Morgan 3-wheelers. It worked fine, but, but, it was very hard to remove from the paint work and was soon given a miss. They bought Newton R as it was cheaper than Castrol R. You had to buy a gallon and that lasted a long, long time. If used in say, a racing Austin 7 , it needs to be cleaned out after every race meeting. The longer it stays in the engine thicker it gets.

stevel98 · Joined: 04 Apr 2014 Posts: 74