Technical Strange Engine Combinations

Okay Bonneville engine guru's explain this one. I found it in my Facebook feed this morning, i guess it runs as a 4 cylinder in the F (123-183 cubic inch) class and the last comment i read was that it exploded on the strating line pieces of block into someones windshild.

 

What is to explain? It's a 4 cylinder hemi.

Oh...why are there spark plugs on the other side? Maybe the ignition system likes it better that way?

 

Why would you use a Lenco at Bonneville ,I was always told they ate a lot of Horse power.

 

Jim has it. Needed half an engine to make class cubic inch limits. Had lots of old fuel car parts. Needed to close off the other side with something. Why not make it confusing to the uninitiated? Lenco and more often BHJ transmissions are used at Bonneville for the same reasons as anywhere else. Strong and convenient shifters.

 

maybe set up to run in more than one class - back story on this would be interesting

 

Lenco's can be made to have "less" drag. The use of radial load bearings and remove 1/2 or more of the clutches. The fibers can be placed together and the "steels" replaced by aluminum are just a few.

 

Getting the power to the salt (without spinning) is the issue....using the most efficient drivetrain parts really doesn't seem to be that important.

 

It runs the other side head and spark plugs due to the magneto. You can't just pull the wires off a Magneto and they really don't like to be grounded, so that head has a tube chamber welded inside the spark plug area on each one that is charged with Nitrogen for the pus to fire into. That particular motor is also set up so they can move the rods and spacers on the crank to run the other side of the motor if they hurt a cylinder.