The interesting about that Chevrolet engine is that many folks think Chevrolet introduced their first V8 in 1955. I remember seeing one of those in the Crawford Auto / Aviation museum in Cleveland.
That's a real puzzler! My best guess is that it's a flat (boxer) 8 cylinder, with common combustion chamber over each pair of cylinders. Shared combustion chamber was used on some twin cylinder motorcycle engines, although I think these were 2 strokers, and done as a clever way to optimize port/piston timing. Could be a flat four with 2 exhaust ports per cylinder (old Jawa singles had 2 exhaust ports, were called "Twingles"). I tried analyzing the head stud pattern to resolve whether it covers 2 or 4 cylinders, but my brain started hurting!
What was the purpose of these covers? Some say it was just for looks, others claim it was to keep plugs dry externally, primarily for marine applications. ???
Ford Model T conversion head. It utilized rows of ball bearings within the curved tubes to substitute for pushrods and rocker arms.
"Turnip"(Triumph) heads & Barrels on a fabricated crankcase using a V8-60 Crankshaft It's a midget motor in the Speedway Museum.
KNUCK, Your first picture (Yellow motor) is a Detroit Diesel 24V-71T. 24 cylinders of 2 stroke Diesel goodness. It is not HAMB friendly, but check out Mario Racicot's V24 Detroit powered Freightliner Argosy COE if you want to see what one of those motors is capable of. Your 2nd picture is a early 30's Marmon V16. Marmon was an early luxury car maker, but had to merge with Herrington to survive the depression. After the merger, they got out of cars and focused on the heavy truck and bus game initially with vocational conversions and then complete truck production. They lasted into the 70's. Marmon- Herrington 4x4 conversion Marmon COE The 3rd picture I have no idea.
The V8-60 was kind of a weird motor to begin with, but with a set of Smith Jiggler F-heads on them, they are even odder.
Marmon-Herrington is actually still around. They do a lot in the heavy equipment and military space, and they still do a lot of 4x4 conversion stuff.
Good to know. I had it in my mind that they folded up when they got out of making complete trucks in the late 70's. I see that they are now part of Mr. Buffett's holdings.
It is Italian, an Isotta Franschini and if I had to guess I’d say mid to late ‘20’s. I had no idea but the I S logo on the side cover tipped me off.
Rotary Valve Head. The head has one round bar-like "valve" timed to the crankshaft via a chain. The head is a cross flow type and each of the four valve cuts acks as both intake and exhaust.
Popp 90ci 4 cylinder SOHC with winfield carbs built in Texas for Midget racing back in the early days.
Built and raced during the 1955-'57 european motorcycle competition. 8 cylinders, 8 carburetors, 8 sets of points. Total displacement of 500cc or 30 cubic inches V8 Moto-Guzzi.
If I remember correctly – imagine something like an open diff, with an engine crankshaft driving one axle shaft, a turbocharger turbine driving the other axle shaft, and the driveshaft yoke driving a centrifugal blower. The more restriction there is in the exhaust, the more drive the blower gets from the crank. The more load there is on the engine, the more drive the blower gets from the turbine. Now imagine that the gear ratio between the two axle shafts isn't 1:1 – either because the differential gears aren't the same size or because there is a reduction gear on the turbine side, as there is likely to be because the turbine spins an order of magnitude or so faster than the crankshaft. The thing is obviously to figure out what the gear ratio ought to be for best performance. In all probability this can be computer-simulated today. It couldn't be worked out on slide rules etc. in 1953 or whenever it was.
Well this obviously was a '30's midget and should be posted on the Cageless Midget thread to see if any one recognizes it. Riley did build a horizontal, I believe 4 cylinder, that I have never seen a picture of, but know that Speedway Motors acquired a number of the blocks when they bought the remaining Jim Ash collection in the early to mid, 1990's, which I did see.
The Jalopy Journal
