Sunday, August 23, 2009

Ecologically Correct Corvettes

Ecologically Correct Corvettes

A lot of people love making working, scale models of various machines:
My current project is a 1/6th scale Chevrolet 327 cu in V8. Based on a 1964 365 hp Corvette motor, measurements have been taken from an actual engine as to be most accurate. The head and block began as billet aluminum that have been painstakingly machined on a Bridgeport-style mill. The 5-main crank has real babbit bearings, while the cam is a scale 30-30 Duntov.

Dies were developed for stamping out the front cover, oil pan and rockers. The pistons and water pump housing are cast aluminum, and the valve covers are going to be investment cast.

Since this engine is a runner, there is spark ignition, a pressurized oil system and a cooling system just like its big brother.

There's video of the engine running. Because it is 1/6th scale (in linear dimensions), that means that the displacement of the engine is 1/6th x 1/6th x 1/6th, or 1/216th of the original engine, so the power output is going to be...tiny. But I suppose if you were making a 1964 Corvette for the original, incredibly bad 1960s TV series Land of the Giants, this would be the correct motive force for our little heroes to get around in...until one of the dogs decides it would make a fine plaything.

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