Twin Engine Coupling (How Do You Get Two V8's In-Line?)

Going back to the Duesenberg idea - what about 2 V6s back to back, to make a V12? Not quite so crazy long. Displacement 7 or 8 liters depending what engines you chose.

And for any double engine, if you use an electric water pump on the rear engine you don't need a fan belt which eliminates a few problems.

 

Don't understand "solid" in this context. If there's no "flex" the engines would have to have the same exact centerline in all axis within a few thousandths.......as if they had the same physical crankshaft.

Back in the 60's, a cousin and some pals put a dual-engine IHC "M" together using two Hemis. I don't know exactly where he came up with the idea.
They weren't from the same kind of car tho' IIRC, one was from a Chrysler, the other one was a DeSoto.
Required a little stretching of the frame to accommodate them.
To couple them, they used a double-chain and sprocket affair. I think it was #60 roller chain size.

I was thinking that they should be "timed" together; but as the project progressed, it was found they didn't need to be.

It took a lot of dragging up and back to get the thing started the first time, but once it did...man that thing would move. It even spun the big tires when the throttle was cracked. And each crack twisted the frame a little too........ but not permanently.
This was at the time when the pulling sleds using the windup weight increase were first used.

 

From industrial experience alignment is paramount to coupler life regardless what manufactures claim. Straight edges and feeler gauges wont get it done. Takes reverse dial indicator alignment. New electronic instrumentation makes it much easier. Never used laser however.

 

Man, this is old. Didn't GM have tandem V-6's on some trucks? Or were they diesels? How was the starter(s) and coupler worked out on them? Gary

 

I got to thinking, if you could pop the core out of the second engines thermostat, so the central hose didn't get to pressurized, and pop, couldn't you just hook the radiator out line to the first engine, then hook the water coming out of it to the second engine's in pipe, then connect the water coming out of the second engine to the radiator's in pipe. Would it run as all one system like that?

 

Nope. That was a dedicated V12 block, that used 4 V6 heads.

 

^I see, said the blind man. Gary

 

So I've been working on an engineering project recently where I am going to be forced to place two Ferrari 65°next to each but not in the 'traditional' W formation as used by Bentley and Bugatti. Instead, it will be in the much less 'common' X formation (last worked on by an automobile company in the 1960's). To make a wildly complicated process easy I have one question- Should I custom design an engine block which would make the engine combine and share one crankshaft, or should I design a custom engine mount which would place the engines parallel and then connect them using a set of chain link?

 

The GMC 702 cubic inch TWIN-SIX it was called. One of my dream engines.

Denny

 

How much money do you have? Chain is going to be way cheaper.

 

You tie the empty engine blocks together thru the mains with a line-up bar and then mount into the chassis

 

Follow Mother Mopar's lead with the WWII-era multibank engine used in Sherman Tanks. 5 separate engine blocks, 5 crankshafts, all bolted to a central case and geared together to a common output shaft.

 

I've read through the entire thread, As I contemplate building something with 2 flat caddy 8's, my thought was to use a stock clutch and pressure plate to couple them, Make a input shaft adapter bolted to the crank of the rear engine, have a clutch lever like a wood chipper. then you could run only the rear engine if need be, start either one with one running engine. Seems like a good idea but I've not seen it in this thread.
Any thoughts?

 

Cool old thread, first time I've seen it. I was thinking along the same lines as you, then I thought a fluid coupling from like a Hydramatic, or a torque converter, would ease shock loading on the crankshafts and eliminate concerns about timing of the 2 engines. It would make starting easier, each engine could be started on it's own without hurting the other, or start one and use it to start the other.

 

A lock up torque converter, if you could figure out how to feed oil to it. Possibly from the engine oil supply.

 

Ok so i wanted to try making my own car and i was thinking about combining two V8s together for the car and I was reading through and I learned a little bit but I still have a few questions.

 

Nice thing about the electric motor connectors listed above is the instant torque they can withstand. Working in power generating plants as an electrician I have seen and worked on many. They stand up under multiple startups up into the thousands if maintained properly.

 

I was going to couple two v8s together but my dad says that I should make the two engines into one instead of coupling.

 

I was thinking about trying this but maybe closer together instead of the 45 degree, maybe 35 or 30.

 

Not being helpful here. Just looking for an excuse to show off this picture.

 

V12 GMC gas engine?

 

what?

 

huh?