Aero engine's V Automotive engines.

[agripper]

Have seen a few engines over teh years that have a due use I.E they where designed for aircraft but found uses in cars trucks and even tanks, also the same for automotive engiens which have been converted for use in aircraft. This got me thinking about what has been used. I know of teh merlin and the meteor for automotive use and the VW flat 4's used in powered gliders and light aircraft, also the spitfire and mustang replicas that used a buick V8 in place of teh merlin. I am sure the list is longer than this? :confused:

[mcspool]

From Wikipedia:

 

QUOTE

Immediately preceding World War II, Ford developed an aircraft engine similar to that of the Rolls Royce/Merlin and Allison engines of that era. It was a 60 degree V-12, all aluminum (block & heads), dual over cam, 4 valve engine. The intention of this design was to help Ford break into the anticipated large market for fighter engines. This engine was built to typical aircraft standards: It was a light, high performance and highly reliable engine. Everything was safety wired or staked with close attention to detail on every part. Available information suggests that this design performed well.

 

However, this engine never went into production as an aircraft engine due to the US Navy's decision to only use radial engines for its aircraft, and the Army's contractual commitments to existing engine manufacturers.

 

With the approach of war, increasing orders for the Sherman tanks were causing supply issues with the existing engine. The US Army decided they needed to source an engine supplier. So Ford removed 4 cylinders from the design and it went into production as a V-8.

UNQUOTE

[gritineye]

Talking to the chap who maintains that big Russian 8 wheeler missile tug thingy at W&P, he said the engine was developed for airship use, alloy block etc.

[antarmike]

Weren't some of the Napier aero engines similar to some engines in the race cars of the thirties...

 

I seem to remember seeing something that looked aero engine in a couple of cars at Brooklands (or am I only dreaming?)

 

( hang on wasn't that the Bangles??)

Edited July 30, 2009 by antarmike

[snowtracdave]

Think there were several twenties racers with Napier and other aero engines . I believe that some of the world land speed record holding cars also had Napier engines .

 

And a quick Google later - Golden Arrow , driven by Henry Seagrave had a Napier Lion 930bhp engine as built for the Schneider Trophy races . A W 12 cylinder engine it ran at 231.326mph at Daytona on 11th march 1929

Edited July 30, 2009 by snowtracdave

[gritineye]

Golden Arrow , driven by Henry Seagrave had a Napier Lion 930bhp engine as built for the Schneider Trophy races . A W 12 cylinder engine it ran at 231.326mph at Daytona on 11th march 1929

 

I have a picture of Henry Seagrave found among my fathers effects, will try and find it, my father was an apprentice mechanic at Brooklands

[snowtracdave]

Prior to that the 1920 Sunbeam 350hp was another aero engined machine which set a record of 129.171 at Brooklands and later under the ownership of Malcolm campbell reached 146.16 on Pendine Sands in 1924 and 150.766 in 1925 .

 

In 1927 Seagrave cmapaigned the 1000hp Sunbeam at Daytona beach . It was powered by two 435bhp Matabele aero engines and reached 203.793mph on it's second record run having been driven into the sea on the first run after the brakes failed .

[Jessie The Jeep]

Clive Du Cros used a modified Jaguar (V12?) in is Prototype Spitfire 1:1 replica. I seem to recall it ended up putting out over 400HP, half the original power, but then the replica aircraft weighed much less than the original Spitfire prototype. There are videos of the aircraft on Youtube.

 

Steve

[Chrisg]

There's Bentley Chassis using a 24 Litre Napier Sea Lion aeroplane engine which develops approximately 550 bhp

[Richard Farrant]

Don't forget the US Liberty aero engines dating from WW1, they were used in racing cars between the wars, Parry Thomas's "Babs" was a well known one. He was killed in it when a drive chain broke. The car was buried on the spot at Pendine Sands, only to be dug up in late 70's and now back in running order. Nuffield Mechanisation developed the engine for tank use and it was used in Crusader, Centaur, etc.

[abn deuce]

several other clips on this conversion of putting an aircraft/ tank radial engine in to the smallest possible car body!

 

building the transmission

 

driving the car

Edited July 31, 2009 by abn deuce

[AlienFTM]

Parry Thomas's "Babs" was a well known one. He was killed in it when a drive chain broke. The car was buried on the spot at Pendine Sands, only to be dug up in late 70's and now back in running order.

 

And available for public viewing in a museum on the beach at Pendine.

[Richard Farrant]

And available for public viewing in a museum on the beach at Pendine.

 

I had the good fortune to see it running at a Brooklands event a couple of years ago, here is a pic of the Liberty engine.

[antarmike]

I have seen the write up of a nine cylinder radial put into a drag bike. Ground clearance was virtually zero, but it didn't half go.

[agripper]

I seem to recall seeing a photo of a bike with a merlin engine fitted in a bike mag years since. Cant rememebr is this was a real bike or just an advert for somthing else. what i do remember is it having loads of pipes stated 1 on top of the other with silencers attatched.

[snowtracdave]

I've just found several references to a bike built in Australia (where else ? ) with a 'Merlin' engine . Didn't study the details but the motor is built from Merlin parts creating a 5000cc v twin .

[agripper]

I hope its not a kick start only.

[antarmike]

I have seen the write up of a nine cylinder radial put into a drag bike. Ground clearance was virtually zero, but it didn't half go.

This is the one I was thinking about

but a google found hundreds, here are a couple

[agripper]

That is truely amazing.Love to have that in my garage. Do you know how it would be started? I dont think he has a GPU to tow with him. How far do you think that tank would take you!

[antarmike]

if you want a daft motormike engine (actually this one is 24 engines) how about the chainsaw bike.

 

Apparently going round and pulling all the recoil starters takes 15 minutes, so it isn't a case of jump on and go..

[antarmike]

Aussie bike uses front two cylinders chopped of a Merlin to give a mental 4500cc Bike, although being Aussie with their liking to exagerate it is badged as 5 litre. (surely it can't have been bored out as well?)

[antarmike]

http://blog.cardomain.com/2008/07/01/bell-aurens-lon/

Or how about a Merlin powered Land-Rover

[agripper]

Didn't someone do a mini panel sided van with a merlin in the back?