"No Replacement for Displacement", the 14-Liter Racers of 100 Years Ago
11-20-11, 01:00 PM
#1
Out of Warranty
Thread Starter
"No Replacement for Displacement", the 14-Liter Racers of 100 Years Ago
Back when automotive technology was in its infancy, somebody decided to see whose cars were faster - hatching motor racing as we know it today. While efficiency was minimal, the only logic for producing more power was to build BIGGER engines . . . the 14-Liter Fiat S74 of 1911 was a typical entry in Grands Prix of the day.
1914 Fiat S74 GP Car at Pebble Beach, photo courtesy Conceptcarz.com
Racing rules of the day did not limit engine size, but did put a limit on the track of the car. Therefore you got rather heavy racers with minimal frames and running gear sporting an enormous 4-cylinder gasoline engine, often the type found in aircraft of the period. Horsepower was pretty embarrassing, about 75 hp for this Leviathan engine, but it had torque - about 150 ft/lbs. You might think it would produce more, but remember it was installed in a "lightweight" chassis that could be twisted into a pretzel with much more grunt. As it was, the engine was probably the car's worst enemy.
Imagine the weight of pistons, rods, crankshaft and counterweights whirling around at about 2000 rpm! Yes, it turned slow, you might not want to sit behind all that mass turning up much faster. Remember the days before balance shafts, when 1800 to 2000ccs was the practical limit for a 4-banger? Imagine the violence of a 14 Liter at WOT.
But 14-Liters pales into insignificance by the following year . . . Most GP racers favored immense engines, and within a year, Fiat produced the 28-Liter S76 with twice the output of the 14-L car - probably on the theory that if 14-L is good, 28-L is twice as good, and boring and stroking an engine can't be carried too far. While the S74 was as aerodynamic as a brick, the S76 showed the beginnings of an attempt to streamline the vehicle, thus proving that aero forms are not necessarily attractive.
Only two of these S76's were ever built, one purchased by Russian Prince Boris Soukhanov in 1911, and ended up in Australia by 1919 after the fall of the Russian monarchy. It's engine was replaced by a Stutz, and it campaigned down under until it crashed in 1924. Fiat kept the other car, but it was supposedly scrapped - except for that massive engine in 1922.
What ever became of these S76 engines? Well, they still survive today, purchased a few years ago by Duncan Pittaway, who hoped to get the #1 (Russian) engine running by 2007, however there is a problem . . . it seems that the two engines shared not much more than a rough set of plans - #1 had a 4 valve per cylinder head with valves driven by an overhead cam. The second engine had a similar cam drive, but operated three intake and four exhaust valves. Parts compatibility was not high on Fiat's agenda in 1911, so there's a significant amount of fabrication work that lies ahead for Mr. Pittaway.
It would be interesting to see one or both cars restored/replicated if nothing more than to hear the bellow of that open exhaust as played by 28 Liters.
1914 Fiat S74 GP Car at Pebble Beach, photo courtesy Conceptcarz.com
Racing rules of the day did not limit engine size, but did put a limit on the track of the car. Therefore you got rather heavy racers with minimal frames and running gear sporting an enormous 4-cylinder gasoline engine, often the type found in aircraft of the period. Horsepower was pretty embarrassing, about 75 hp for this Leviathan engine, but it had torque - about 150 ft/lbs. You might think it would produce more, but remember it was installed in a "lightweight" chassis that could be twisted into a pretzel with much more grunt. As it was, the engine was probably the car's worst enemy.
Imagine the weight of pistons, rods, crankshaft and counterweights whirling around at about 2000 rpm! Yes, it turned slow, you might not want to sit behind all that mass turning up much faster. Remember the days before balance shafts, when 1800 to 2000ccs was the practical limit for a 4-banger? Imagine the violence of a 14 Liter at WOT.
But 14-Liters pales into insignificance by the following year . . . Most GP racers favored immense engines, and within a year, Fiat produced the 28-Liter S76 with twice the output of the 14-L car - probably on the theory that if 14-L is good, 28-L is twice as good, and boring and stroking an engine can't be carried too far. While the S74 was as aerodynamic as a brick, the S76 showed the beginnings of an attempt to streamline the vehicle, thus proving that aero forms are not necessarily attractive.
Only two of these S76's were ever built, one purchased by Russian Prince Boris Soukhanov in 1911, and ended up in Australia by 1919 after the fall of the Russian monarchy. It's engine was replaced by a Stutz, and it campaigned down under until it crashed in 1924. Fiat kept the other car, but it was supposedly scrapped - except for that massive engine in 1922.
What ever became of these S76 engines? Well, they still survive today, purchased a few years ago by Duncan Pittaway, who hoped to get the #1 (Russian) engine running by 2007, however there is a problem . . . it seems that the two engines shared not much more than a rough set of plans - #1 had a 4 valve per cylinder head with valves driven by an overhead cam. The second engine had a similar cam drive, but operated three intake and four exhaust valves. Parts compatibility was not high on Fiat's agenda in 1911, so there's a significant amount of fabrication work that lies ahead for Mr. Pittaway.
It would be interesting to see one or both cars restored/replicated if nothing more than to hear the bellow of that open exhaust as played by 28 Liters.
11-20-11, 03:14 PM
#4
Och, you beat me to it, the BMW Brutus got a 46 Liter engine 
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...mw-brutus.html
Jay Leno's tank car got 30 Liter.
Is not fair though, those Fiat's engine are actually made for a car, the Brutus got a plane's engine and Leno's car got a tank engine. But then in the Fiat's article it did say these huge engine usually are from planes.
My engine is bigger then your engine..........LOL
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...mw-brutus.html
Jay Leno's tank car got 30 Liter.
Is not fair though, those Fiat's engine are actually made for a car, the Brutus got a plane's engine and Leno's car got a tank engine. But then in the Fiat's article it did say these huge engine usually are from planes.
My engine is bigger then your engine..........LOL
11-20-11, 07:46 PM
#6
Out of Warranty
Thread Starter
That "external" chain drive was dropped after several drivers and riding mechanics were put at risk by a chain breaking at speed. Count Louis Zborowski of England was known for developing a series of racing and land speed record cars using huge aero-engines and that fragile chain drive. You know the famous name of his cars, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" - models one through four. (Yes, Ian Fleming borrowed the name for his "Magical Car" and Roald Dahl wrote the screenplay, based on Fleming's book.) "Chitty 4" (someone should have looked more closely at the alliteration) was partially developed by Count Zborowski who was moving on to other racing venues on the Continent and in the US by that time and the partially-finished car was put up for sale. (The Count would appear at the 1923 Indy 500, driving a Bugatti, where he DNF'd).
"Chitty 4" was purchased by John Godfrey Parry-Thomas for a land speed record attempt at Pendine Sands on the Welsh coast. Having rebuilt the 27-Liter V-12 Liberty engine with new Zenith carbs and pistons of his own design, Thomas set about beating the record in the car he had rechristened "Babs" on March 3, 1927. Because the massive engine was so large, the driver had to hang his head over the side of the car to see directly ahead. Parry-Thomas habitually hung his head to the right, and at 176 mph the right-hand drive chain parted, decapitating him. Parry-Thomas was buried in St Mary's Churchyard near the famous Brooklands Circuit. His car, "Babs" was buried at Pendine Sands near the site of the wreck, Some 40 years later it was exhumed and underwent a long restoration.
.jpg/640px-Parry_Thomas_and_Babs,_Pendine,_April_1926_(Our_Generation,_1938).jpg)
Parry-Thomas and "Babs"
The accident eventually changed the way automobiles were built, and is a major reason we don't see open chain drives on cars today. They were vulnerable to contamination by dirt and grit, resulting in rather high maintenance in automotive service, and as speeds increased, they were abandoned as wooden spoked (artillery) wheels were abandoned for more modern laced wire wheels and solid discs that could handle more torque and cornering loads. It was the tire technology of the day that limited the width (and grip) of tires, fortunately, because brakes were mechanical and early on, used only on the rear wheels to avoid placing heavy braking loads on fragile front ends. Despite their being a simple and lightweight solution to power transfer, the chain drive never regained its popularity on large automobiles . . . although racing would produce considerably better brakes and tires in the years to come.
"Chitty 4" was purchased by John Godfrey Parry-Thomas for a land speed record attempt at Pendine Sands on the Welsh coast. Having rebuilt the 27-Liter V-12 Liberty engine with new Zenith carbs and pistons of his own design, Thomas set about beating the record in the car he had rechristened "Babs" on March 3, 1927. Because the massive engine was so large, the driver had to hang his head over the side of the car to see directly ahead. Parry-Thomas habitually hung his head to the right, and at 176 mph the right-hand drive chain parted, decapitating him. Parry-Thomas was buried in St Mary's Churchyard near the famous Brooklands Circuit. His car, "Babs" was buried at Pendine Sands near the site of the wreck, Some 40 years later it was exhumed and underwent a long restoration.
Parry-Thomas and "Babs"
The accident eventually changed the way automobiles were built, and is a major reason we don't see open chain drives on cars today. They were vulnerable to contamination by dirt and grit, resulting in rather high maintenance in automotive service, and as speeds increased, they were abandoned as wooden spoked (artillery) wheels were abandoned for more modern laced wire wheels and solid discs that could handle more torque and cornering loads. It was the tire technology of the day that limited the width (and grip) of tires, fortunately, because brakes were mechanical and early on, used only on the rear wheels to avoid placing heavy braking loads on fragile front ends. Despite their being a simple and lightweight solution to power transfer, the chain drive never regained its popularity on large automobiles . . . although racing would produce considerably better brakes and tires in the years to come.
Last edited by Lil4X; 11-21-11 at 07:28 AM.
11-21-11, 04:56 AM
#7
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I find those early race cars and the courageous men driving them fascinating. It took some serious skill and determination (and a bit of lunacy) to drive these cars. Safety? What's that?
One of my favorites land speed record cars is the Blitzen Benz.. One of them is at the Mercedes Museum here. A fascinating car.
In 1909, the Blitzen Benz was built in Mannheim by Benz & Cie. The vehicle was one of six built with a 21.5 litres (1,310 cu in), 200 horsepower (150 kW) inline four engine enlarged from the company's Grand Prix racer. The car was modified to improve its aerodynamics. At Brooklands on November 9, 1909, land speed racer Victor Hémery of France set a record with an average speed of 202.7 kilometres per hour (126.0 mph) over a kilometer. On April 23, 1911, Bob Burman recorded an average of 228.1 kilometres per hour (141.7 mph) over a full mile at Daytona Beach, a record that would not be surpassed until 1919.
After 1914 the car was rebuilt for circuit racing, undergoing a number of revisions before it was broken up in 1923. Several other examples of the 200 hp have survived.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blitzen_Benz
One of my favorites land speed record cars is the Blitzen Benz.. One of them is at the Mercedes Museum here. A fascinating car.
In 1909, the Blitzen Benz was built in Mannheim by Benz & Cie. The vehicle was one of six built with a 21.5 litres (1,310 cu in), 200 horsepower (150 kW) inline four engine enlarged from the company's Grand Prix racer. The car was modified to improve its aerodynamics. At Brooklands on November 9, 1909, land speed racer Victor Hémery of France set a record with an average speed of 202.7 kilometres per hour (126.0 mph) over a kilometer. On April 23, 1911, Bob Burman recorded an average of 228.1 kilometres per hour (141.7 mph) over a full mile at Daytona Beach, a record that would not be surpassed until 1919.
After 1914 the car was rebuilt for circuit racing, undergoing a number of revisions before it was broken up in 1923. Several other examples of the 200 hp have survived.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blitzen_Benz
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11-21-11, 11:30 AM
#11
Out of Warranty
Thread Starter
Jay Leno did interviews with the current owners of a Fiat S74 and the Blitzen Benz at this year's Pebble Beach show.
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/collec...ix-racer/#more
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/at-the...z/#item=193793
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/collec...ix-racer/#more
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/at-the...z/#item=193793
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