1934 Excelsior 246cc Road Racer - 'The
Mechanical Marvel'
The 1934 model of the "Mechanical Marvel" looks
very much like the 1933 one. In fact,they were
the same machines lightened by much drilling of
holes and filigree work on parta like their gear
change lever and exhaust brackets. The only significant
change was the switch from Amal to Bowden carburettors.
One feature of the engine was the very steep downdraught
of the induction tracts, good for gas flow but
it may have provided carburation problems. Presumably
the Bowden instruments had been found to perform
better at the acute angle, though the float chambers,
being part of structure, could not be mounted
horizontally as with the Amal. The factory does
not seem to have found any more power or gained
reliability, nor did private tuners subsequently
and the "Marvel" was soon abandoned in favour
of a more conventional design with an overhead
camshaft and two valves, the Manxman.
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