J.Ukrop submitted a new blog post: Small Scale, Big Horsepower Continue reading the Original Blog Post
When dad and I were going to the LARS every year in the 90's, as soon as the roadster or whatever we were driving was parked I would beeline to find the Bay Area Modelers and just loiter for a while and watch them fire those things up. My uncle Jim Hay began building scale single cylinder hit and miss engines, then graduated up to a 4 cylinder.
Joey @J.Ukrop - Thanks for sharing! The yearly "Bay Area Engine Modelers" show within this "late August Car Show" is always a Must-See for me. I always enjoy talking to these talented machinists ... and appreciate how enthusiastic they are to share their creations with us Hot Rodders. The supercharged V8s are for sure very cool ... but my favorites still remain Ron Bement's ARDUN & Offy minature motors ... Here's a couple iPhone videos I shot at the 2011 "late August Car Show": Sadly, we lost Mr. Bement a little over a year ago: Ronald Bement January 7, 1939 - November 16, 2018
These engines are great. This show comes to Wyandotte Michigan every year. There are lots of 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2 scale engines. Gas, alcohol, and steam. https://www.namesexposition.com/expo.htm
I just love these miniature engines! I remember back in the 60's building my Visible V8 and wishing it was real. I wanted one for my go kart. These are about the same size. I wonder if the horsepower output is in scale relation to the full scale engines they are modeled after. Has anyone ever dyno'ed one of these engines? They are examples of supreme craftsmanship!
Many years ago there was a magazine article with photos about Ron Bements' unbelievable handbuilt engines and his shop, now I was a machinist for many years but I sure felt out his league, a true craftsman with skills beyond belief. RIP Mr. Bement.
Great pieces of engineering, but that cited website URL shows where my mind is. Instead of reading it as North American Model Engineering Society Exposition, I first read it as Name Sex Position. Surely I'm not the only one? Not that I was disappointed when I checked it out....
Totally what I always thought. Go kart, mini bike, even a push mower would be awesome with one of these.
No, by my memory it was another magazine, I can imagine that with Rons' notoriety there were many articles featuring his work.
Skills and much better eyesight than I have! No way I could see some of those tiny parts without a big magnifying glass, and I doubt my ten thumbs could assemble one for sure!
I really would like to know how much power these miniatures make! I would think they could be hooked up to a dyno like the kart or motorcycle engine builders use. I can only imagine having a V8 go kart. How cool would that be?
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