Well, I'm back on my 34 Coupe project - and the engine is a sort of Frankenstein design that is 3/4 1957 392 Hemi, has a top-end that came from a Donovan 417 and has rods out of a 426. I must be nuts! So, as I'm back into all things early Hemi . . . I was cleaning up my office the other day and found an article that I'd saved from HotRod - back in the early 70's. It was about the first purpose built all aluminum Top-Fuel engine - the Donovan 417. Was a good read - so I thought I'd share it. Now I know that this article is from the early 70's - which is past the HAMB's cut-off date, but because this engine was designed all around the Chrysler Hemi (from the 50's), thought you might enjoy it. It was really a rather short-lived adventure (as far as being super-competitive in TopFuel) - as Keith Black rapidly decided that he was going to build an all aluminum Top-Fuel engine based on the 426 platform (followed by the Milodon, TFX, etc). It soon became evident that the 426 platform was more modern, more competitive and the 417 was pushed back from the forefront of Top-Fuel. It was still used in many other applications - and Donovan Engineering is alive and well today (they even released a billet version of the 417 block a few years ago). Anyway, enjoy the article . . .
PURE gearhead porn. I'm sure I have that magazine issue and read this but you saved me from looking. Will definitely read it thanks.
The Jalopy Journal
