That is a Model T based engine conversion. At first I was thinking the Macaulay Foundry in Berkeley, CA poured the castings for those, but no, they did Harry Miller's castings. It was the Hanford Foundry located in the same general area that cast them and a local machine shop did the finish work on a kit that used the Model T crank with some other T components on a custom crankcase, intake and ignition. The kit sold for $175. .
Apparently the Oakland and Pontiac versions of the engine differed in that the synchroniser changed side when used in the Pontiac. https://forums.aaca.org/topic/321174-v-8-with-horizontal-valves/?tab=comments#comment-1833271
The idea of the rockers operating on the underside the valve covers is a similar idea to that used by the Stephens Salient Six engine. http://wokr.org/gallery/Step_02.htm
I did not know that there was a "kit"!!..I had read I think at Ford Barn that a Taxi cab company had the v8 made for their taxi cabs..40 hp was better than 20! Henry Ford got wind of it and more or less was not amused and production stopped..Don't know if patents were involved..Tried to find the article and pics a couple weeks ago but had no luck..
Seb, I had seen that engine before but couldn’t recall what website it was on. Thinking the castings were by Macaulay I Googled “Macaulay, Model T V8” and that’s when I got the lead on Hanford Foundry. Google it, there is some good info about the project.
There actually was a flathead powered Camaro that ran on the salt way back when. That may not be it but it did happen. I don't have anything really bizarre but I have this old 394 that is a little different for a little while longer.
Pn'B- what's up with those heads/valve covers on the 394? I still need pick mine up, but I know my covers are different
This Indianapolis 500 driver and engine builder Frankie Brisko engine was running in a midget race car pre-war. It was 5 main bearings and constructed like an DOHC Offy mono bloc with hemispherical chambers but had no camshafts. Valves were operated by individual hydraulic actuators operated by a hydraulic pump. This could be considered the fore runner of today's variable valve timing, and in fact Frank patented this in the '60's but of course the development went a different direction.
March 1961. Hemi-headed small-block Chevy on Isky's dyno for a bit of tuning. This engine made 638hp with a 301ci SBC, a 6-71 blower, an Isky cam, a Vertex mag, and a two-port Hilborn injector on alcohol. http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/engines-drivetrain/0510sc-principles/
Gurney-Eagle Ford V-8 Indy Car Dan Gurney and Carroll Shelby teamed up in 1962 to form “All American Racers”.
Engine of Frank Lockhart’s Stutz Black Hawk that attempted the land speed record in 1928. Two 91 ci inline 8 cylinder engines on a common crankcase. Engine uses 2 cranks in one common crank case.
Offenhauser 159cu in fitted with a Roots type blower. This image clearly shows the internal splines to take the special multi-plate racing clutch, with timing marks around the whole circumference. Same 1965 supercharged Offy , which developed 525 bhp.
The Jalopy Journal
