Technical 283/286 Sporting TWIN TURBOS very rare engine!!!!!

Thanks to everyone that has giving me some info.

This engine was found in Torrance, California in a Home garage as a coffee table, be leave it or not lol, the owner of the house had called my buddy Jack and told him that he had just bought a new house and there was several engines in the garage that he wanted out, So when my buddy Jack got there he saw the small block and as he moved it to one side he was surprised how light it was, and that's when he notice it was a "ALUMINUM BLOCK" He tough it seem cool cause of the twin turbos by Air research, so he took it home.

Now is at the Shop at Starlite Rod and Kustom in the City of Torrance,CA.


For the past year we been trying to find out where this engine came from and there's been a lot of dead ends.

The latest info I got was from Mike Yager, the owner of the CERV-1.
Below is a copy of the email I received from him, but haven't heard back from him in about 2 months.

CERV-1 had Seven distinct engines in it during its life as a GM Chevrolet test bed. Each had a number similar to the one you refer to, but on match remotely close.

I have to assume that the one you have is a 283 based on the date. Two series of 283 were used by the Corvette Engine Group. 2 283's 17495-12 and -13 for CERV-1.

Another was 18004-54

All others were "377" engines.

That certainly does not mean anything except that records for CERV-1 do not reflect that engine.

If you can get me a clearer casting from the bell housing, I would appreciate it and keep looking for you. Other photos of the intake/turbo I do have some photos that were shot in a test bed, but not installed in CERV.

Regard,

Mike Yager

 

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The engine is aluminum with Air research turbos.

 

I'm not much of a Chevy guy myself. But that is pretty cool for the late 50's vintage for sure and looks to be pretty original. But, being somewhat top heavy and bit gamely looking, For me, it'd have to be dropped in a hooded car with some good top clearance to be of actual use in a a hot rod or custom. But, if you could pop the hood of a late 50's car and show off that baby, that'd be pretty sweet.

Or, if by some miracle it could be put back to use in its original type of application, but would be even better.

 

The second picture is the engine I have. I don't think there's another one like this. We took that pic a while back.

 

The lower part of the intake looks like the bottom of a fuelie intake....might be experimental too...but that is what it looks like to me at first glance...

 

Very cool motor to own.

 

W O W . What a piece ! This must be truly a very odd thing .

 

You sure about that?

 

they aren't "belly button" either. Good ol' Arkus.

 

Heck yeah, he could send it to China to be copied then we could all have one!! Well, for a week or so until it blew up.

I think personally, if I wasn't going to keep it myself, I'd put in a call to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. Or anyone but Speedway.

 

Didn't the Mallicoat Bros also run a twin turboed SBC for a while in their Willy's gasser??

 

-----------------
No way. Speedy Bill already has way
too much cool stuff. Better to send it
to me for preservation, hoarding and
adoring!!!

Mart3406
===============

 

Interesting read,thank you for posting. HRP

 

----------------
I'm just guessing, but the use of a
single-bbl. side draft carb, rather
than a two-bbl Weber that the manifold
appears to have been designed for, was
probably necessitated due to the close
proximity of the exhaust outlet on the
turbo. As it is even, I imagine that heat
soak into the carbs and fuel percolation
would have been a problem without
some additional shielding

Mart3406
==========

 

So is the engine that you have is it the 17495-12 or is Mr. Yager saying that the 12-A is not one of the ones that was used in the CERV ?

None the less I am sure that you guys are really excited about some of
the information that has been coming in. Thanks for sharing this

 

Thanks for sharing!

Very cool engine! +lots of history!

 

Awesome engine and story...
Tom

 

That's some pretty cool shit! It's obvious some real designing went into that thing,not home-built. There's got to be someone on here that knows more about it. HAMB never lets us down!!!

 

Is it plumbed for mechanical fuel injection also? or are those vacuum lines?

 

Nice coffee table! Seriously, this is one of the coolest stories I've heard in a long time. Good luck

 

how cool would that be in a flaked out model a sittin on the ground!

 

I'd want to find some old one off sports car for it. Like the old fiberglass bodies in another post.

Or maybe something like a Lister or an Allard.

My OT comment earlier was just due to this being the first turbo related post I've seen that acknowledges the existence of turbos during the "HAMB period".


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Turbos are more than 100 years old, invented by Swiss engineer Alfred Buchi in 1905, used increasingly ever since, mostly on aircraft and industrial in the early days. GM sent out the first production turbos in '62 on the Olds F85 Cutlass and Corvair Spyder.

jack vines

 

If its as rare as purported, it's most likely a museum piece. A replica CERV1 even tricked out could be cool too.


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

Cool engine. Please don't waste an engine like that in a model A or T.

 

Man I sure could use a new coffee table.

 

I would bet good money that the 17495-12 with or without the -A makes it one of the 283's that were in CERV-1. I would also say that this motor should NOT be put in ANY car. Too much chance of destroying what is essentially a 1 of 1 engine. It really needs to be in a museum and if anyone doesn't believe that Speedy Bills is the best place, with all the rare motors he has, and the way they are displayed and cared for, well they are just letting their opinions of the other side of his business get in the way of what would be the best way for this motor to be seen and preserved for future generations.
I would be on the phone to Mr. Smith Right now!

 

very cool, I bet someone would love it for a replica/tribute car or a correct car that needs that motor, I have never seen anything like it, thanks for sharing!