Anybody know about straight 8 engines?

topcatcustom · Post by **topcatcustom** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:47 am

I'm looking out for a straight 8 engine, big, and have been offered 2 so far, one is a 1932 Nash 240ci and the other is a 1939 Pontiac 249ci.

I researched what I could and really want a Buick 320ci, but these are few and far between, all I know is that the Nash engine is twin spark (2 plugs per pot) and has 9 main bearings against the usual 5, and being old and very long in the crank I know they will all have weaknesses but I really want to find out if one is a stronger engine than another!

I want to supercharge whatever I get, very low boost so not much stress, but obviously I want to find one with a good reputation, but being so old there isn't much info or people about with any experience of these!

If anyone can offer some help it would be awesome.

ChrisJC · Post by **ChrisJC** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:48 am

Why?

Chris.

ian.stewart · Post by **ian.stewart** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:53 am

Nash had a good reputation of building quality kit, probably the better place to ask would be on the HAMB or Rods n Sods

Ian Anderson · Post by **Ian Anderson** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:07 pm

See
http://www.v8forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10194

They were talking straight 8's there

Ian

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:40 pm

Hi Tom
As Ian says Nash had a good reputation for making high quality products, also for being inovative in their design. Having 9 main bearings is good point in it's favour. Many of the engines of this era were very long stroke and small bore, they tend as a result to have long con rods, tall pstons that are relativly small bore, this leaves the posability of quite big capacity gains just by resleaving the block and using a more modern piston out of a very non exotic engine.
As in the previous thread I would look at that website of MOD stuff, they are about to have another tender auction next month, there could be a few straight 8s come up there,they would be from Rolls, alvis, leyland and a few others, and likley to be more modern designs than the US straight 8s.
Best regards
Mike

Nollywood · Post by **Nollywood** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:40 pm

I looked into running an I8 many years ago. They're strong, and as has been mentioned, the majority will have relatively small bores for the length and width, leaving plenty of meat for an overbore, with massive capacity increases.

I was going to import one from a Buick, the cost of shipping at the time was prohibitive,and the chassis I wanted to install it in would have required severe re-engineering to get the long block to fit with the trans. Most likely the use would require a rail, with an almost mid-mounted solution, but it's very possible.

topcatcustom · Post by **topcatcustom** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:20 pm

It's Rods n Sods I've been looking on, the only thing about the 2 I have been offered is the size, I have a huge blower which really wants to be on something 5l or bigger, although as this isn't for performance I don't think it will really matter!

Mike did you get one of the RR blocks??

The MOD stuff is interesting but there wasn't any complete i8's last time round, I just want to find something cheap(ish) and cheerful for a fun project, no real performance involved.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:42 pm

Hi Tom
No didn't get one in the end, for me it is a problem of storage, though I will be looking at the next listing to see what is on there. I'm not sure which blower yuo have, but as you probably know a 4-71 is about "right" for a road going 4 litre, a 6-71 for a 350ci engine and and, road going wise a 500 ci engine is roughly right for an 8-71 or maybe a 10-71. go much outside these ranges on a low boost aplication and you end up under driving so much that you only get boost at higher engine revs and it becomes "sluggish" on the throttle, not really what you want.
I actually don't see it being too much of a problem though as a big capacity increase should be pretty easy.
Best regards
Mike

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:19 pm

Hi Tom
Just had a re read on the MOD site, to quote
"Large Quantity of CVRT, FV 432, Ferret, Saracen, Saladin, Centurion, Chieftain Etc. ARMOURED VEHICLE SPARES inc. Engines, Transmissions Etc."
The saladin and saracen are both fitted with the Rolls-Royce B80 Mk.6A straight 8 engine, the ceturian had a meteor engine (if you want a real laugh stick that in a landrover). The chieftain had a multi fuel 2 cylinder 4 piston twin crank thing called a leyland L60 that you don't want to even think about. Though I believe it would run on turpentine or brandy, petrol, deisel, parafin you name it, if it was liquid and burnt it could run on it for a while. . . then it blow up regardless of the fuel.
Best regards
Mike

topcatcustom · Post by **topcatcustom** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:05 pm

I can't remember what this blower is, not a GMC derivative, IIRC it came from some military/industrial application, bit of a monster at about 2ft long but I paid £60 for it so snapped it up for a laugh!

I do need to try and somehow calculate the volume of the rotors as I tried before online and couldn't find any info on it, will get over to the workshop soon and get a pic anyway.

I'll keep my eyes open for the MOD auction/tender, the listings should pop up soon!

bigaldart · Post by **bigaldart** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 9:05 am

Simplest way to find the volume Tom is take a rubbing of a rotor end, transfer to graph paper, draw a circle round it and count squares in the voids, can get you really close. How's tricks Tom, is the Maverick on it's way?

Alan

topcatcustom · Post by **topcatcustom** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 1:21 pm

Yeah I'm going to try and get a paper cut out of a rotor but don't really want to strip it down, keep forgetting to pull it out for an info check and pic!

Maverick not been touched, I'm beavering away on a truck and my mini, both need(ed) more work than expected which is the usual case!!

Post by **Coops** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 2:50 pm

Tom sorry to hijack your post mate, any of my PM's come through mate?

Eliot · Post by **Eliot** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 4:18 pm

Vaguely related;
My late father just finishing a porting job on an 8 cylinder "stutz"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzRIQi4EXUs&feature=player_embedded

topcatcustom · Post by **topcatcustom** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 5:57 pm

Tony, completely forgot, I received one about membership time, nothing else. Will try and remember to sort that soon as got to shoot off from work now.