28/05/2026
We recently had one of those jobs that had us acting like excited kids at Christmas 🎄🔥
This isn’t your everyday engine… this is a 1 of 30 produced Dunstan Rotary Valve engines, designed by Adelaide engineer David Dunstan and produced with Southcott in the 1950s. Instead of conventional valves, it used a rotary valve setup — pretty clever gear for back then.
Only a very limited number were ever produced, which is why these things have become almost mythical among Aussie car enthusiasts. Most found their way into Holden grey motor based race cars, speedway cars and modified early Holdens. There is also a story of one in an old wooden boat that sank in the Murray River on its first run.
To put the rarity into perspective… you’ve probably got a better chance of winning the 60mil in last nights lotto than finding one of these sitting in a workshop 😅
Safe to say we felt pretty lucky getting to work on a genuine piece of South Australian motoring history.
Not every day a job rolls through the doors that’s rarer than rocking horse S& ❤️
Thanks to our regular customer for trusting us with it.
dryicesa