New A Engine from Burtz

[johnneilson]

In your profile you admit you don't know too much about cars so you should not make uninformed statements lke the above. Being an aerospace engineer you should be able to look at a model A fender and tell it would have down force, not lift.
I have had full fendered model A's that I ran at Bonneville and turned over 130 mph. They were extremely stable,
even with 10 mph cross winds.
My current 1930 2 door will do 150+.
I can also drive it in parades.
If anyone is interested, they can see it in the classified section of Rodding Roundtable.

Pete,
Would like to look in the classifieds, but site will not activate the account, oh well.
Rumor in Wendover was you sold the car to a Kiwi.
Is it leaving the states?

J

 

[Chris Haynes]

Sad to say but the Burtz engine is dead in the water. The foundries high cost of pouring the metal have killed the project for now. I hope that Terry can find someone to make his, and my dream come true.

 

[Terry NJ]

A Diminishing supply of engine blocks! Talk to a rebuilder! I was told By Ora Landis that he goes through about 4 blocks to get one that isn't cracked. Rebuilders are fixing and using blocks that they would have discarded years ago. Model A engine blocks are about 90 yrs old. Engine block castings are complicated things that are full of internal stresses. They've taken hot and cold (weather and starting and stoping) cycles. They all seem to be cracking at once, are they all getting timed out at once? Perhaps not on the same day or year, But one day, there will be a shortage.
Terry

What exactly is the purpose of such an engine, I wonder, in comparison to a stock engine? Sure, 5 mains compared to 3 will benefit the crank, but are broken crankshafts in A's really a common occurrence?

The way I understand it, the stock A's ability to rev higher is limited by (1) the carburetor and (2) the camshaft, perhaps (3) to some degree valve float. So if somebody uses a stock block, a top-notch crankshaft, insert bearings on mains and rods, Venola pistons, ARP bolts, has everything balanced to the T, then adds a "better" carburetor and camshaft, that engine should rev to at least 4,000 rpm, right? Is at that point the 3-main block the limiting factor, or what warrants spending a lot of money on such a block? Just wondering . . .