Posted on 11/26/2015 8:03:34 PM PST by MtnClimber
Flat-plane engines This term has become one of the buzz words of 2015 thanks to Ford’s stellar Voodoo V8 (covered previously by us) found in the Mustang GT350. With 526 horsepower and a soundtrack like this, it’s easy to see why it has been attracting attention. Rather than the loping burble of a traditional V8, the sound of a flat-plane engine is much tighter. It’s a tenor to the cross-plane V8’s baritone. However, flat-plane production engines are not a new concept, as Ferrari and Lotus have been using them for years.
The engine in the 458 Italia, for instance, is a flat-plane crank engine. That’s the real term as it describes the construction of the crankshaft of the engine. Before we dive into the technical details, opportunities, and limitations of flat-plane crankshaft engines, watch the short animation below that displays a flat-plane crankshaft and a cross-plane crankshaft, which is what most V8s use, in action.
OK. I know people that race vintage and historic sports cars. They did all sorts of tricks with oil delivery and reducing friction/drag. Things like spraying a mist from the crankshaft to lubricate the pistons/rings but not so heavy as to cause drag in movement. Probably not things in a stock motor.
My brother has 4 pre WW2 packards, two 6’s and two 8’s.
They are lovely cars, dependable too if you keep them moving.
He picked up a 4 door convertible in Oklahoma a few years back, it is a project.
The seller had a 1932(?) v12 Limo, not for sale.
It belonged to Charlie Chaplin.
Neat piece of history.
My first 2 cars, a 64 Special with the V6 and a 65 Skylark, a 2-door post with the 300-in 2bbl, and yes the quarterpanels and trunk floor were particularly rust prone on those Buicks, especially after some NY winters, learned that the hard way. I’ve seen a Special with a 455 in it, it’s doable, as long as the brakes and suspension are beefed up to handle the extra torque. When I had my 65 there was a local junkyard that had a 65 Gran Sport, I started pulling out the buckets seats and console and make my Skylark in to a GS clone. But the damn timing chain jumped a gear and the engine caught fire. That was the one problem with the small Buick V8, the plastic timing gears wore out fast otherwise they were good engines. No damage, but I was so frustrated with it I told my brother-in-law to give my $25 for the bleeping POS and get it out of my sight. To this day whenever I see a mid-60’s Skylark at a show or cruise night I kick myself. But I’m happy with the Impala :)
Full tube race chassis. Fiberglass shell or body. $15k in a race engine (in the late 80's and early 90's). Dry sump oil system.
600+ hp in a 355 cu in, normally aspirated engine.
There’s a number of aftermarket suppliers for those parts:
http://alfaparts.net/sky.htm
You could do this with the old Buicks as well...
You can also try Year One, near Atlanta. They have a very good inventory of GM A-body stuff. Another place is Kanter Auto Products in Boonton, NJ. They used to specialize in pre-war Packard and Buick parts, but now have lots of postwar and later parts.
I was flipping through the newspaper one day and saw an ad for a '64 Impala (non SS), supposedly with a 409.
Called my buddy up about it.
A few hours later he pulled up with his 409.
Took the best of both cars and built a '64 SS 409.
Then life happened. It was in the back of a garage for a number of years waiting to get completely gone through. 20 years and 7 kids later, he traded it away, never able to restore it the way he wanted.
Wasn't a four speed (more like powerglide), dual quad, positraction, 409.
I thought that would be the case. Race cars and production cars usually have exterior appearance in common.
I know someone who years ago got a great deal on a 41 Buick Century. It was a barn find, after replacing all the brake and fuel lines, as well as new brakes, tires, fluids it ran incredibly strong and smooth considering it sat for 30+ years. The only major work it needed was a new paint job and interior. And he had to put seat belts in it because his kids were 7 and 3 at the time. Even though cars from those years didn’t come with seat belts many states require them and properly secured car seats if needed if kids ride in these cars no matter if it’s a 2016 or a 1916.
I recently saw a 64 SS 409 convertible with all the options sell on Barrett Jackson for just over $100k. My dad had a 59 Impala convertible with the 348, nothing short of a Corvette could beat it and he was sorry after he sold it.
You can achieve the same exhaust sound on a traditional American V-8 with 180 degree headers.
http://www.revsearch.com/dynamometer/headers.html
Here’s how they sound;
http://www.revsearch.com/sounds/dodge450.wav
As a lifelong (retired now) machinist I can tell you the short answer to making CS's. You turn them like a CS as you're cutting (turning). Everything starts out as round and true as you can make it. It's not as difficult as it seems when you take it step by step but it is very advanced machining.
Did you know, today’s super carriers are faster than the WWII PT boats?
You can’t make those marks without positraction, which was not available on the ‘64 Buick Skylark!
Aluminum block Packard engines were also used in U.S. Navy minesweepers through the mid 80s.
There was a place near me when I was in NJ, in Neshanic, called CARS, Inc. that specialized only in old Buick stuff. They didn’t have the quarter panels I need though. I was trying to find cancer free ones in SW desert junkyards. We’ll see.
There was a movie that came out in ‘69 about the Battle of Britain.
The ME-109s in it were borrowed from the Spanish AF.
Amusingly, the engines in them were Merlins.
That’s useful.
“For smooth, about nothing could beat an old straight-eight.”
I beg to differ. My RX-8 Rotary is superior to all comers on the issue of smoothness.
Now, oil and gas consumption coupled with weak low-end torque, that’s another matter entirely. But she sure is smoooooooth-especially at highway speeds.
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