[BITList] Fwd: [vsdh] Minature Engines....

Sat May 28 13:15:01 BST 2011

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>     Patience and Skill...
> SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE MACHINISTS... AND SOME REALLY ARE!
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>     V-8 and V-12 Engines in Miniature! 
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>     For all you out there who like big, honking V-8's and screaming V-12 engines, check out these
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> tiny versions that you could run on your workbench or kitchen table. These models were built
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> by craftsmen the same way the big ones are made by machining billet stock and castings,
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> but in miniature. 
>     These are not just models that look like engines, they are real running engines. Some of these photos
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> were taken from the Joe Martin Foundation Craftsmanship Museum but many more images can be
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> found elsewhere on the web, and engines like these can be seen in person at model engineering shows
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> around the country. (Underlined words in the text are links to related sites.)
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> Here are some really nice examples:
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>     The late Lee Root built this ¼ scale Corvette engine. The major components were machined
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> entirely from solid billet aluminum that has been bead blasted to look like castings, and it will
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> turn 18,000 RPM! The coin you see in some of the photos for size reference is a US Quarter. 
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> The valve covers are just 4-1/2" long, and the miniature spark plugs are commercially available.
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>     This 1/3 scale billet machined, supercharged Chrysler 300 Hemi racing engine from the 1960s
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> was built by James Weber. It has a 1.0" bore and 0.90" stroke displacing 5.65 cubic inches.
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> The engine burns gasoline or methanol (methyl alcohol) on dual electronic spark ignition and
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> incorporates a two-stage pressurized dry-sump lubrication system. It will turn around 12 grand
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> and uses a couple of computer cooling fans on the radiator to keep things cool. Note the
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> professional looking throttle and gauges on the stand.
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>     Here's a V-8 and a half ; a ¼ scale Ferrari V-12 by Jeron Classic Motors. It has double overhead
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> camshafts, burns methanol on glow ignition and is equipped with two oil pumps for dry sump
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> lubrication. All six carburetors function and are linked together for smooth operation. The heads
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> and block are about 7-1/4" long. Only a few of these were made before the company went out of
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> business, so it's pretty rare. Like many of the engines you see here, it is on loan to the Craftsmanship
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> Museum courtesy of Paul and Paula Knapp and their Miniature Engineering Museum . 
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>     Here's another twelve. The late Al Ingersol built this Curtiss D-12D 1/6 scale V-12 airplane
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> engine completely from billet stock and also built a model Curtiss Wright P 6E biplane to put
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> it in. The engine is only 9" long and weighs 6 pounds. It has a 0.80" bore and 1.062" stroke,
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> displacing 6.46 cubic inches.
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>     One of the more popular model V-8 engines over the years has been the Challenger.
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> This one was built by Ron Colonna. Casting kits are still available for this 1/3 scale
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> engine through Coles Power Models, although it is definitely not a beginner project.
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>     Several V-8 engines by Ken Hurst are displayed at a model engineering shows like the
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> recent Western Engine Model Exhibition (WEME) in Vallejo , CA . How about that
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> supercharger! Behind the first engine is his blue Challenger V-8. The 103 cc engine
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> sounds great running on a mixture of white gas and high octane racing fuel.
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>     Eugene Corl built this 1/3 scale Chevy V-8 using engine castings he produced himself.
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> The engine is seen here at the Gas Engine Antique Reproduction Show (GEARS)
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> in Portland, Oregon.
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>     Seen above are some of the wooden patterns, molds, cores and raw castings that had to be made
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> to build Gene's 1/3 scale Chevy V-8. Once cast, the parts must be precisely machined just like
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> real engine components. When you look at one of these finished little engines, keep in mind all
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> the planning, preparation, fixturing and behind-the-scenes work that goes into making one.
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>     The three photos above show the world's smallest known running Chevrolet V-8. Jim Moyer
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> built this 1/6 scale version of a 1964 365 HP Chevrolet Corvette 327. Note the tiny firing order
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> cast into the intake manifold just like on the real thing. The heads and block are machined from
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> billet aluminum. Jim even made stamping dies to make the oil pan, rockers and front cover.
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> The valve covers are investment cast.
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>     The finished 1/6 scale 5-bearing crankshaft fits in Jim's hand. It utilizes real Babbitt bearings.
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>     Here you can see the cylinder heads of the Moyer 327 plus the stamped oil pan and front cover.
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> Some parts inside the engines are made to scale like the 30-30 Duntov camshaft, but some things
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> have to be modified to make a small engine run. Electricity and fuel molecules don't scale, so some
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> parts have to be slightly heavier or larger than exact scale would dictate. Getting a small engine
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> to run requires skill and careful work; getting one to run well is an art.
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>     Here's a shot of Jim's tiny Corvette V-8 being test run.
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> He is now working on a 1/6 scale Chevy 409.
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>     Gary Conley came up with the ¼ scale Conley V-8 in the 1980's. This version has twin carbs.
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> You could buy it as a kit or as a completed engine. Gary is now building what he calls the
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> "Stinger 609" V-8 that will soon be available as a complete running engine.  A supercharged
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> Stinger 609 running in a 1/4 scale dragster. Impressive!
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>     Paul Knapp built this great looking version of the Conley V-8. It runs twin carbs on
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> a fully functional Roots style 671 blower and will turn 12,000 RPM on methanol.
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> Note the nicely painted and highly polished finishes on this beautiful engine.
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> (Did you notice that the ignition switch even has its own set of keys like a real engine?)
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>     A Cirrus V-8 by Profi M.E. of the Ukraine is based on the Merritt Zimmerman design.
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> The exposed rocker arms need to be manually lubricated before running the engine.
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> Again, note the really nice finishes on every part.
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>     This is one of only six air-cooled Micro Cirrus 1/12 scale V-8s produced by Profi M.E.
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> using the components from a run of 4-cylinder Micro Cirrus engines. Six water-cooled
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> versions were also built. The cylinder heads on this rare V-8 are only about 2" long.
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> Note the size of the quarter at the bottom of the photo. This thing is TINY!
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>     This 87 cc V-12 by Martin Ohrendorf of Germany has a 21 mm bore and stroke, 24 exposed
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> rocker arms and three carbs. It will spin a 24/10 propeller at 4500 RPM. One just like it can
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> be seen running on YouTube.
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>     This scale 426 Hemi V-8 by Roger Butzen was made by using parts of a plastic model kit
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> for reference. This one, however, is all metal and it RUNS! Only the air cleaner decal from
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> the plastic kit made it to the final running version.
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>     Here is another Challenger V-8 at the WEME show in Vallejo . This one was built by
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> Dick Pretel and sports triple carbs. Starter, batteries and other peripherals are hidden in
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> the wooden base. It even has carrying handles! Big fins on the valve covers help with cooling.
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>     The Joe Martin Foundation for Exceptional Craftsmanship has a machine shop in their
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> museum in Vista , CA , where they are currently building a miniature Howell V-4 engine.
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> They have documented the build step-by-step so you can see what it takes to put together
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> a running miniature engine. 
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>     Send this on to every 'Motorhead' you know.
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> The craftsmen who build these little beauties deserve plenty of recognition.
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