Been Wondering....

We've been musing on the idea of twin engines..in my case twin Toyota T Series. These engines were rated at 101 bhp, or 86 SAE net . Now, TWO of these would equal 204 bhp, or 172 net, right? But what happens when you connect the two directly together at the cranks? Being nearly impossible to tune both engines EXACTLY the same, one will create a certain amount of drag on the other. Also, acting like one BIG version of themselves, would there be any torque advantage in "phasing" the firing order of the two, versus pairing them, where there are always the same two cylinders firing at the same time? 1-3-4-2, only with a bigger bang?
I remember back in the day, seeing dragsters with odd pairings of engines...like a small block Chevy in front of a Mopar Hemi, or even a side by side twin Buick with a blower on one engine and injectors on the other. I never did hear WHY this was done, but I always felt that the parasitic drag of the weaker of the two would make total power enough lesser than ideal, that it wouldn't justify the weight of the second engine. The more I think about this, the dumber I feel! Can any of you smart folks "edjumacate" me on this one, or at the very least point out the error of my ways?

 

4 Banger.. Like now, They just built with what they had on hand..Different injection. Different motors. Different sizes of the same brand Etc..They figured out finally that the gain with two engines was not worth the hassle of the tuning and replacing the broken parts with the small gain, And added weight that they were getting with the two engines.. You don't really get double the HP.. only gain some torque. The engines still put out the same amount of HP..It was found out that a single engine with twice the horses is much better than 2 engines with 1/2 the horse power..And like you said, One correctly tuned motor will have to work harder to pull the other motor that isn't running quite as well, Loss of Horsepower..I tried this once.. Stay with a good running single engine design.. You'll be money ahead,, And you will end up with all your hair...Dick M.......

 

Too late, Dick....I STARTED OUT on this project without all my hair! I really figured it is probably counter productive to do a twin, but you just GOTTA see two of these little hemi's sitting in a row! The cool factor is off the scale! Even ONE is neat as heck.... I have a vision for this car, of being able to swap engines easily as I get bored, or think of new ideas. If we get enough of these cars that are "legal" to throw a big bash someday, I'll have a HAMB kosher engine by that time. (I now own a Chevy 235). In the mean time, I'm just going to have fun being creative, and my mind has a tendency toward the weird, if not bizarre. Sorry, I just can't march to a common drum beat.

 

Are you still going to use the 194 till you get your 235 built.?? I built my 194 car(third one on the Ca books) Everyone said go ahead..I spent the money on Flywheel, Clutch, Bell housing, Plus all the other stuff,,, Now deemed illegal.. So if you want to build something different,, Go for it,, Just won't be able to run it at the HAMB Drags,...Dick M......
My next project is a 27 Ford roadster for BV and the lakes...

 

The 194 is still very much on the table. It is ready to run, and has some mods done already (it came out of an old oval car). The old Stovebolt will need a complete rebuild from top to bottom, so it is a longer term project, and I'm not starting on it untill I see where the west coast HAMB cars are headed, numbers wise. I'd have to travel 750 plus miles to attend any of these events anyway, so untill the numbers go up to the point of having a real big "heads up" event, I'll be running brackets anyway, so true legality isn't a pressing matter. That 194 thing still gets in my craw....don't get me started.

 

Thats why I'm not at Eagle Field..Also because I have to be at the CHRR next weekend then the ANRA Finals the following.. I also have a Nostalgia 48 Fiat altered. And will be crewing on a Funny Car from Washington state, It belongs to a good friend of mine.. This will be at the CHRR....But The HA/GR car was just something I thought I could drive as I'm no spring chicken (75) and still going for it..BTW I also have a 1960 235...But I'm in no big hurry either.. Dick M......