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Motion Pictures 1911 FIAT S76 Runs For 1st Time In Over 100 Years!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by HEMI32, Dec 1, 2014.



  1. by Stefan Marjoram (@smarjoram)



    by Graham Rankin




    by Ant Lucas
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2016

  2. 1911-Fiat-S76-Colorized.jpg
    "THE BEAST OF TURIN"
    (
    1911 FIAT S76)
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2014

  3. 1911 Fiat S76 connecting rod.jpg
    One of the BEAST's four Connecting Rods​

    NOTE: The BEAST's ~28.3 liter (~1,729 cubic inch) inline four cylinder engine features a single overhead cam, multi-spark technology, & four valves per cylinder!
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2014
  4. Man that was way cool!!! Kinda surprised when it fired. Tim
     

  5. Holy shit, that's beast alright! Fantastic!
     
  6. I couldn't believe that the connecting rod in the picture could actually fit into the engine until I watched the video and saw the size of the engine itself. The view into the exhaust ports while the engine's running must be like looking into the Gates of Hell! :eek:
     
    gimpyshotrods likes this.
  7. Kona Cruisers
    Joined: Feb 4, 2007
    Posts: 1,078

    Kona Cruisers
    Member

    one guy had on a tie while working on it... i found it fitting.
     
  8. Here's some pics of the BEAST's engine assembly process:

    S76-1.jpg
    S76-2.jpg
    S76-3.jpg
    S76-4.jpg
    S76-5.jpg
    S76-6.jpg
    S76-7.jpg
    S76-8.jpg
    S76-9.jpg
    S76-10.jpg
    S76-11.jpg
    S76-12.jpg
    S76-13.jpg
    S76-14.jpg
    All images by Stefan Marjoram (@smarjoram)​
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2016
  9. 3wLarry
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 12,804

    3wLarry
    Member Emeritus
    from Owasso, Ok

    what blows my mind is that each cylinder had more cubic inches than a 427 Chevy Rat motor
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  10. OFT
    Joined: Jun 1, 2005
    Posts: 574

    OFT
    Member

    WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Bet that motor shook the ground!
     
  11. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,629

    The37Kid
    Member

    Thing I noticed was the direction the knockoff was beaten with a hammer, hope they have the hubs on the correct side. Bob
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2014
  12. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    Simply Amazing ..... can you just imagine the torque that it makes?
     
  13. Bruce A Lyke
    Joined: Jun 21, 2009
    Posts: 2,523

    Bruce A Lyke
    Member

    Wow, Too bad its just 4 Cylinder and not a V-8:rolleyes:
     
  14. Johnny99
    Joined: Nov 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,068

    Johnny99
    Member

    After a crazy Monday at work this really made me smile. Thanks for sharing.

    John
     
  15. Yep ... Bore & Stroke is 19cm x 25cm (i.e., ~7.48" x ~9.84") ... which calculates out to ~432.40 cubic inches per cylinder!
     
    Stogy likes this.
  16. ron ladow
    Joined: Nov 24, 2014
    Posts: 4

    ron ladow

    @hemi,
    Looks like a really nice rod ratio!
     
  17. aircap
    Joined: Mar 10, 2011
    Posts: 1,748

    aircap
    Member

    That's beyond a four banger, that's a four BOOMER!
     
  18. bambbrose
    Joined: Dec 29, 2008
    Posts: 226

    bambbrose
    Member
    from So. Utah

    Harbor freight engine stand not good enough?

    Joking aside, that's an amazing machine. Early innovation in its rawest form
     
  19. midroad
    Joined: Mar 8, 2013
    Posts: 296

    midroad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Interesting technique with the crank handle.
    Brave guy!
     
  20. In 1913, the FIAT S76 was sold to (Russian Prince) Boris Soukhanoff.

    In December of 1913, on the stretch Mariakerke-Middelkerke near Ostende, Belgium; Frenchman Arthur Duray (with Soukhanoff as his riding mechanic) made several attempts to break the existing Kilometer World Record of 228 km/h (~142 mph) established in April 1911 by American Bob Burman driving the 200 hp "Blitzen Benz" on Daytona Beach.

    The Automobile Club de France brought their electrical timing device from Paris to Ostende especially for this official record attempt, as required by the AIACR.

    Duray attained speeds above 220 km/h ... but not sufficient to pass the existing record.

    On December 8th, the "Beast Of Turin" was clocked at 211.661 km/h (131.52 mph):


    From FIAT's house journal "Rivista Illustrata Mensile" No. 9 - 1914:

    We have received from the well-known French driver Arthur Duray this description and his impressions of the speed tests he did with one of our 300 hp cars:

    Prince Boris Soukhanoff bought a Fiat 300 HP car a few months ago with the aim to set a new world speed record. He had the car shipped to Moscow where he tested it, but the speed he reached convinced him of the difficulties of driving such a fast car, so he came to France to look for a professional driver and I had the pleasure to be chosen.

    The car was shipped to Brooklands, after just a few laps I realised it was pointless to insist on this track. I had no wish to kill myself. I telephoned Prince Soukhanoff to tell him I was ready to show him the perils of the English circuit. I drove him at a speed of about 200 km/h. but after two laps he signaled me to stop; at one time the centrifugal force almost made me go over the banking where Percy Lambert was killed. I grazed the edge by just 10 centimetres!

    The test convinced the Prince how dangerous it would have been to insist and he asked me to look for another track.

    I thought I could use the road between Arles and Salon, the best in the world for such an attempt, but the Sports Committee of the ACF stated that they would not recognise records set away from staged meetings. I went to Italy without success.

    At last I found the Ostend road, though it had the short-coming of not being long enough to allow a good run. I made fourteen test runs at over 200 km/h; on some of the runs I reached a speed of 225 km/h on the timing apparatus. Unfortunately, the markings on the tapes were not clear enough, so these records could not be ratified by the International Committee. The only good tape we could get shows a speed of 211,661 km/h, attained on the 8th December.

    With Mr. Jostens, official time keeper of the ACB and a skillful electrician, we had to make new contacts to record the passing of the car on the road.

    I feel sure that next Spring, with the same car, I will be able to seriously attack the record. It was because of the weather that my attempts were interrupted. During the six weeks spent in Ostend I only had two favourable days : there is not just the car to take care of, there is also the organisation, laying the wires along the road, getting the time keepers, etc..., all things which require quite a long time to set up. You also have to be aware of people trying to stop the attempts. The Director of the Ostend Tramways - an earnest "autophobe" - called the police whenever he knew we were out for an attempt.

    My feelings? To engage first, second or third gear is relatively easy, but when it comes to engage fourth whilst travelling at 190 km/h, that is a different story. One has to hold the steering wheel firmly, push the gear lever forward and pay attention so as not to jump on the side-walk, because the moment the air enters the carburetter the bounce causes you to feel the seat hurting your back.

    In the time it takes to say this you are through the two kilometre run-way. You see the time-keepers. The moment has come to break the record and the timing starts. For a tourist one kilometre is relatively long, but at that speed you have hardly seen the first signal before the second is well behind you. You just have time to count to 17!

    I was disappointed to note that at Ostend the run-way is too short and the top speeds (230/240 km/h) can only be achieved at the end of the measured kilometre.

    For a professional the job is not too terrible during the record, but it is afterwards that things become really difficult; when you cut off the throttle the car tends to turn sideways, so you have to keep it running straight and since there are just 1500 metres to the end of the straight, this is far too short and the brakes are not able to stop the car. When I cut the throttle off oil pours on to the exhausts and over the 1500 metres the riding mechanic turns completely from white to black, this "n - - - - r" is no other than Prince Soukhanoff, the perfect sportsman.

    When speeds like these are reached, the smallest bump on the road makes the four wheels airbone at once, which the spectators see perfectly. As for me, I feel it and it reminds me of the time when I was an aviator.

    - Arthur Duray
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2014
    kidcampbell71, Stogy and bambbrose like this.
  21. autobilly
    Joined: May 23, 2007
    Posts: 3,123

    autobilly
    Member

    Absolutely fantastic, thanks for posting Todd.


    RETRO Spec. (tive) -Getting to where you're going by knowing where you've come from.
     
  22. bambbrose
    Joined: Dec 29, 2008
    Posts: 226

    bambbrose
    Member
    from So. Utah

    Those guys had some big cajones in 1913!
     
  23. As I understand the technique for starting an engine of enormous size, the crank is used to put a piston just over TDC, with fuel mixture in the chamber. Then the mag control is flicked from full advance to full retard, thus sparking the plug and hopefully the mixture, therefore the engine. It has been said that while warm, sixes especially, could be started by simply flicking the mag control, thus achieving somewhat of an automatic start.

    That aside, did you notice that enormous forces when the engine caught?? Looked like to flip the car!!

    Cosmo
     
    HEMI32 and Stogy like this.
  24. It sounds like a locomotive engine....WOW.
    So, what happened to it in the last 101 years??
     
  25. C-1-PW
    Joined: Jun 11, 2006
    Posts: 357

    C-1-PW
    Member

    Oh, man! This alone makes 2014 worthwhile. Thanks for sharing.
     
  26. shivasdad
    Joined: May 27, 2007
    Posts: 584

    shivasdad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Texas

    Magnificent. I'd love to be a part of bringing something that "beastly" to life. Learning the nuances of the technology that preceded what we are comfortable with today would be fulfilling. We all enjoy playing with and working on "old" mechanical devices. This takes it to another level. Can't wait for the movie to come out. Thanks for sharing.
     
  27. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    I hear Fiat will be putting that motor in next years Dodge Dart.:)
     
  28. Thor1
    Joined: Jun 6, 2005
    Posts: 1,664

    Thor1
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I'm with Rick on this one...what is the story on the car and where has it been for the last 100 years. There is a lot of history this car had to survive - World Wars I and II, theft, dismantling, scrapping, etc. I am always fascinated by the histories on these types of automobiles. Often their story of survival rivals the the interest of the restoration and the car itself.
     
  29. Mike51Merc
    Joined: Dec 5, 2008
    Posts: 3,856

    Mike51Merc
    Member

    Wow.
    Hey man, how big is your engine?
    A cubic foot or so. :cool:
     
  30. Actually ... It has been rumored that FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) is planning on putting the S76's engine in a (retro-styled) 2017 Barracuda dubbed the "BEAST UNDER GLASS" edition ;) ... The prototype car is clearly visible in the back of the bloke's shed! :rolleyes: :D

    1911 FIAT S76 & #95 \'Team Starfish\' 1965 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S.JPG
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2014
    Stogy and autobilly like this.

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