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Hot Rods Exotic Engines circa 1946?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Django, Oct 4, 2011.

  1. Django
    Joined: Nov 15, 2002
    Posts: 10,198

    Django
    Member
    from Chicago

    What would you consider to be an exotic engine for a hot rod in 1946? I realize most were Ford or Cadillac flatheads. I'm thinking more what could have been used that would have been really crazy to see in a hot rod in 1946, not really what was standard practice. Something automotive, and not surplus aircraft like a Ranger engine. Maybe something more above and beyond than an Ardun or a Riley. Thoughts?
     
  2. 8flat
    Joined: Apr 2, 2006
    Posts: 1,392

    8flat
    Member

    Lincoln-Zephyr V12
     
  3. ferrets bueller
    Joined: May 17, 2011
    Posts: 74

    ferrets bueller
    Member
    from NW Indiana

    :Dsleeve-valve? haha, it would be awesome, doubt it was done, though. Completely impractical, but about as exotic as you can get
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2011
  4. How about a Duesenberg?

    Charlie Stephens
     

  5. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    Very few Cads. Some Chevys and GMCs. A Cad 16. A few of whatever was available. But at the first Bonneville Nationals 98% of the entrys were Ford powered. Few Buicks. Howard Johansen had a Marmon 16.
     
  6. rainh8r
    Joined: Dec 30, 2005
    Posts: 792

    rainh8r
    Member

    A 420 Duesenberg engine was pretty exotic. DOHC 4 valve straight 8, up to 400 hp rated w/blower. 1946 was the time those type of cars weren't very expensive, but there weren't very many to start with.
     
  7. propwash
    Joined: Jul 25, 2005
    Posts: 3,857

    propwash
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    how about Indy engines? Meyer-Drake, Offenhauser....etc - still considered 'exotic' in any track roadster today....great little powerplants

    dj
     
  8. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Offenhauser, Meyer-Drake. Race engines for sure then, and Joe Public knew one when he read the name plate!

    Propwash must type faster, his Offie & Meyer Drake beat me to the line! Protest! Protest!
     
  9. Duesenberg straight 8
    [​IMG]

    Cad V16
    [​IMG]

    Tony Capanna's v16 Marmon
    [​IMG]

    Van Orx A with Riley S.O.H.C.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  10. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    That Cad 16 roadster looks like one that used to run around the Bay Area in the early 50s. Caused me to always want but never own a Cad 16. Is that a recent picture?
     
  11. Vintageride
    Joined: Jul 15, 2009
    Posts: 204

    Vintageride
    Member

    Tony Capanna's v16 Marmon
    [​IMG]

    Yes, a Marmon. Tony was thinkin.

    Blessed. V16. Aluminum. Big cube Marmon.

    Here is another Marmon powered hotrod built by Dick Saunders. Note the 1940NY Worlds Fair plates and the '29 Auburn boat tail body.

    Not recommended in this day and age. 904080

    Vintageride
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Oct 4, 2011
  12. pasadenahotrod
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 11,775

    pasadenahotrod
    Member
    from Texas

    Any European engine ala DOHC Jag, Ferrari, etc.
    Any Ford-based OHV, OHC, DOHC conversions.
     
  13. blyndgesser
    Joined: Jan 2, 2011
    Posts: 167

    blyndgesser
    Member
    from Georgia

    Hmm. The Jag XK didn't come out till '48-49, about the same time as the first Ferraris. Maybe that big Rolls-Royce straight six?
     
  14. CutawayAl
    Joined: Aug 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,144

    CutawayAl
    Member
    from MI

    The circe 1948 engine was nice looking, but I think the earlier Phantom 6 and 12 cylinder engines, and the later V-8s, were more impressive looking.
     
  15. Never2low
    Joined: Jan 14, 2008
    Posts: 1,160

    Never2low
    Member

    My first thought was anything from Europe. Rolls, Alfa, Mercedes, Jag, Ferrari, maybe a super-charged Bentley. I think there were several aluminum block, inline six's in prewar Europe. And to be honest, those are still considered exotic in hot rods. (good bad or indifferent, of coarse):p
     
  16. nailhead terry
    Joined: Mar 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,458

    nailhead terry
    Member

    Any more info on the riley
     
  17. Dale Fairfax
    Joined: Jan 10, 2006
    Posts: 2,585

    Dale Fairfax
    Member Emeritus

    In 1946, the most "exotic" engines to be found in hot rods were probably the 4 banger Fords with "far out" cylinder heads like: Dreyer D.O.H.C., HAL S & D.O.H.C., Riley 2 & 4 Port, Cragar (Miller HI Speed) push rod & D.O.H.C. and Roof. These were far mor exotic than any flathead V-8.




     
  18. Yes, that is from a recent GNRS. Here is a Hot Rod feature from June 1950.

    [​IMG]
     
  19. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    Wow. Nice to know that car survived. Thanks for posting.
     
  20. Django
    Joined: Nov 15, 2002
    Posts: 10,198

    Django
    Member
    from Chicago

    Wow Jimmy, those are great!

    It's hard to compete with that Riley though. Wow.
     
  21. It's amazing what made it out to the lakes in that early postwar era... Of course that's where it all really started, isn't it?

    Marmon 16 - WAY ahead of it's time in terms of technology (for the road) and output. I believe a few Miller 8s had made it into hot rods by that time as well.
     

  22. I realize you are not asking about aircraft engines, but the Rolls Royce Series 60 “Merlin” aircraft engines were pretty exotic for the 1940s as used in the Spitfire fighter and also the Packard Motors version made under license Model V 1650, which was used in the P51 Mustang.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Merlin

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard_V-1650
     
  23. Ole don
    Joined: Dec 16, 2005
    Posts: 2,915

    Ole don
    Member

    Most Miller straight eights were rather small CI for the rules at Indy. I think the most exotic engine in the world in 1946 was the NOVI Indy V8.
     
  24. I think Ferrari's first car EVER was a 1949. Most of the European stuff prior to 1946 was tiny little 4-bangers. Not many 'super cars' in those days!! America was king then!!!
     
  25. Did you ever stop to think that the OHV Cadillac and Oldsmobile engines were the MOST POWERFUL automotive engines IN THE WORLD in 1949??

    Want happened????
     
  26. 8flat
    Joined: Apr 2, 2006
    Posts: 1,392

    8flat
    Member

    haha, it's all been downhill from there!

    Auto Union (Germany) made a supercharged V16 in the '30s that went 268mph for a record on the autobahn.
     
  27. I meant to say "most powerful Automotive PRODUCTION engines" LOL!!!

    Yes, definitely, the Auto Union and Mercedes race cars (and several others) were very fast prior in Europe prior to 1946.
     
  28. 1960fordf350
    Joined: Feb 6, 2011
    Posts: 67

    1960fordf350
    Member
    from ohio

    How about a Stutz overhead cam motor?
     
  29. young'n'poor
    Joined: Jan 26, 2006
    Posts: 1,281

    young'n'poor
    Member
    from Anoka. MN

    I know you said no aircraft but somewhere I have a hop up with a t bucket with a Hispano suiza (sp?) engine in it. I know nothing about those or their availability back then but it looked like an odd but powerful engine...


    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
  30. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Another vote for Stutz. They made an OHC straight eight of 298 cu in (later 322 cu in) smaller and more suited to a hot rod than a Duesenberg, Marmon or Cadillac V16. They even made a few DOHC engines with 4 valves per cylinder like a junior Duesenberg about 1932 - 35. Also a handful of supercharged straight eights 1929 to early 30s.
     

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