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?
sleeve-valve? haha, it would be awesome, doubt it was done, though. Completely impractical, but about as exotic as you can get
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.
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.
how about Indy engines? Meyer-Drake, Offenhauser....etc - still considered 'exotic' in any track roadster today....great little powerplants dj
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!
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?
Tony Capanna's v16 Marmon 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
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?
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.
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)
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.
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.
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
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.
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!!!
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????
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.
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.
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!
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.