By Michael E Ware:
(please note: I have used the spelling for carburetter which is used throughout the book)
There can be few old car enthusiasts who have not experienced a car which was fitted with a one or more S.U. carburetters. In a recently published book "Skinner's Union" Michael Harvey has very cleverly combined the social and technical history behind this make of carburettor. The social side being the Skinner family and their racing and other exploits with a series of home made specials. Barbara Skinner married John Bolster but was tragically killed early in the war, otherwise I am sure she would have continued racing post-war, and may have become better known.
Originally designed by Bert Skinner and produced by his younger brother Carl Skinner, the SU carburetter has with continuous development, remained in production since 1908. The SU history starts the Skinner family and their involvement with the large national footwear company of Lilley and Skinner Ltd; a company whose success generated the family wealth, which helped to keep the SU company afloat during the loss making years between 1919 and 1926. Prior to being purchased by William Morris.
Carl Skinner continued to manage the SU Company under Morris, and with access to Morris components and suppliers, he arranged for two fast road going "specials" to be built, which initially he used as his own company transport. He also has two racing "specials" built for his son Peter and daughter Barbara, which they successfully campaigned in hill climbs and sprints during the 1930's.
During the Second World War the SU Company produced aero-carburetters for the Rolls-Royce Merlin and Napier Sabre engines, which powered many of the RAF's aircraft. Every Hurricane and Spitfire in action during the Battle of Britain in 1940 used a twin-barrel SU AVT aero-carburetter.
The Company's link with the Skinner brothers came to an end with Carl's retirement in 1947. SU continued to prosper under BMC after Morris and Austin had merged in 1952, but started to decline in 1975, during the turbulent era of the nationalised British Leyland. The last of their KIF series of carburetter for the Rover Metro came off the SU production line in 1994, and the plant finally closed in 1999.
However, the closure of the factory was not the end of SU carburetter and fuel pump production. During the 1980's. Burlen Fuel Systems Ltd who was the SU agent in Salisbury negotiated an agreement with the company to supply SU carburetters, fuel pumps and spares, for after-market applications. This eventually lead to Burlen purchasing the tooling, jigs and stock, and acquiring the Intellectual Property Rights and SU trade mark; enabling then to continue to manufacture SU carburetters and fuel pumps for the vintage, historic and classic car markets today. This reviewer remembers with great affection the first time he fitted twin SU's to his 1931 Austin 7 saloon.
This book cleverly marries the social and the technical history – even if you are not technically minded the social side of the Skinner family and particularly their racing and other motoring activities is extremely interesting. This is a detailed and heavily researched book, very well illustrated with contemporary and modern photographs and detailed technical drawings by the Author of the workings of important carburetters. With over 300 pages this book is amazingly only priced at £20 plus £3.95 p and p.(UK) The S.U. Carburetter Company have chosen to sell this book at around its cost price.
Details on www.sucarb.co.uk