Projects Seagrave 531 V12 Special BuiLd Up in Brazil

Your project is an inspiration and shows the true meaning of this old quote- We have done so much with so little for so long, that now we can do anything with nothing.
Your ability and resourcefulness is amazing.

 

Yes, we will use 20 inch rims with 700/20 tires.


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Thanks for the tip about the ignition wires colors!
Your engine is beautiful!
I’ll take a picture of the distributor cap soon.


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Thanks Poletto!
If you came to São Paulo I’ll be glad to show you my Seagrave project.



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Next step was to open and see inside the differential.
The 1926 Buick has a 4.56:1 ratio. Combined with the 0.86 overdrive of the 5 gear of the Seagrave gearbox and the ultra low first gear I believe will result a good match.

Ver good looking for a 1926

The axles was resurfaced and will have new screws

The original Buick radiator shell was abandoned for a totally custom one that will do having the 1932 DeSoto shell as inspiration.


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WOW, great thread- thank you for posting!!!

I'm really looking forward to reading and seeing more of your build, but I'd be concerned about using an early GM rear end- they are known for being weak, especially the axles.

 

That’s a good point!
Let’s see if it can handle the V12!


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Meanwhile we put back some engine aggregates.

Zenith Model 29 carbs.

Timing chain, gear and cover.

Water/Oil exchange heater.

Spark plugs with wires and distributors caps.



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If that engine runs any where close to it's looks, oooh boy!

 

It’s odd that the exhaust exits in the front of the engine! I guess that because of the daul distributors? Are the manifolds interchangable? Did the original single distributor V-12 exit in the rear? Excellent work ! You guys seem to have the ability to do ANYTHING!




Bones

 

And it runs!!



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That's super neat. Now you heard the noise you will work harder to complete keep up the outstanding work

 

GREAT SHOW!!

 

You guys are doing a great job. Can't wait to see it when it's done!

 

Hah hah, that is so cool! Congratulations on the first start up. We had no doubt. You guys are a joy to watch.

 

Neat project. It even makes little boys excited!

 

The water pump was opened and all bearings and seals were changed.



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Yup, sounds like it looks!

 

Get 'er tuned up! These things run extremely smooth and will idle easily as low as 300 rpm. When I had my Seagrave, I'd take it to cars show and bet the locals a beer that I could start it with the crank that came with it. I drank a lot of free beer over the years!

 

Maybe mine could start with a crank too!
So, isn’t this a legend?!?


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Nope. The more cylinders, the easier an engine is to start, especially with a good ignition. I had a 4 cylinder Yamaha snowmobile (do you have those down there?) which was the easiest manual starting machine I have ever seen. Since it was a 2 cycle, there were four firing impulses with each revolution which meant that it fired as much in one revolution as a single cylinder did in 4 revolutions.

The typical "pull" on a hand crank is 180 degrees; in that time, a 12 cylinder will fire three times, one or two of which will be at the right time. That's why you pull the crank on a four cylinder until the piston is on the compression stroke. Then, you re-position the crank and give it a pull to make sure that you get a ignition cycle when you finally pull the crank. If you don't do that with a 4 cylinder, your chances of getting it started are not good.

(If an engine has a HUGE displacement, this theory obviously goes out the window.)

 

This is a damned nice build going... MUCH talent in that shop

Wish I had even half of the talent they got.

 

Man you guys work FAST.

 

The first friction disc we made was a little thick. So we put it off and remade.



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Following this build very closely, love those Seagrave's, When I joined our local Fire dept. we had 3 flathead powered seagraves,2 pumpers and a truck, as the years went by and things got upgraded they were repowered with Detroits and Allison trans.
I recall the 3 flatheads and tranys lining the wall at the back of the station, sat there for years and then slowly began disappearing one at a time. I think they just walked away and nobody realized it till one day they were gone.
Beautiful,dependable engines sad they are gone. Ralphie

 

OK. This clutch and flywheel combination is making my brain hurt. I'm familiar with Borg & Beck, Long style and diaphragm clutches. But what exactly do you call one these self- contained clutch and flywheel assemblies?

It appears to have a diaphragm spring but with a built-in release bearing . . . ? I'm guessing that these might have been fairly common on big trucks and other heavy-duty equipment? Must have been fun to resurface down inside of that flywheel.

 

We bought a new set of 4 red coils and will put them through the firewall.
So we made special aluminum collars to them.



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Subscribed.Nice job!

 

Now this ignition system is making my brain hurt!