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Hooniverse Asks- What’s Your Favorite Race Motor?

Robert Emslie March 31, 2010 Hooniverse Asks

Tracks need cars to run on them, and drivers need cars to run on those tracks, and all those cars need motors to make them more than just stationary art objects. Out of all of those motivators, which one really gets your motor running?

I have a soft spot for the little Cosworths – specifically the BDA series, as it has always seemed to me to magically produce horsepower from nothing, like rabbits out of a hat.

But if you’re a NASCAR fan, those little four-bangers might look like they’re missing half the motor. You’d probably be more brand-oriented, and might be jonesing for something like Chevy’s RO7 as your dream motor.

Of course, F1 has seen its share of mind-melting motor, from the amazing BRM V16s, to the pneumatic-valve Renault V6s, it’s always been the gear-head geek’s playground.

So which engine sparks your plugs? Is it a high-strung WRC contender, or maybe a big, loping super speedway demon? Is there one that stands out above the rest?

Image sources: [Project917.com, Burtonpower.com]

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« »

Currently there are "68 comments" on this Article:

  1. BGW says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:13 pm

    It's hard to go against the Cosworth DFV. A 20-year run in F1, 15 of which it was *THE* engine, plus another decade of F3000, a handful of LeMans wins and a decade of Indy Car dominance as a turbo variant.

    But I still marvel at the BMW M12. A 1.5L 4-cyl turbo unit kicking out over 1000HP in qualifying trim? Yes, please.

    Reply
  2. Syrax says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:20 pm

    I wish I could think a better option but the Type 912 flat-12 owns everything. The flat-16 was something too.
    <img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2120/1590800376_f30e7ef089.jpg"/&gt;

    Reply
  3. discontinuuity says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:21 pm

    Offy!
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offy

    Reply
  4. acarr260 says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:23 pm

    I can't leave this out, found across town at the Porsche museum (Carerra GT motor). Just check out the header pr0n.
    <img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4478685563_3f988c646e.jpg&quot; width="500" height="375" alt="P1010323" />

    Reply
  5. c0de says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:32 pm

    I don't have a favorite… I guess i'm not hoon enough for that.. but I have always admired Lancia Delta S4's engine.. Both Turbo and Supercharged producing 470 bhp from a 1.8, yes you read right they managed to create 1.8 in 1985 that produces 470 bhp.. i rest my case..

    Reply
  6. dmilligan says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:36 pm

    The 5.4 liter flat 12 in the Porsche 917/30 gives me goosebumps. In a good way.

    Reply
  7. James says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:37 pm

    [img]http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/218/dsc0736297…

    BMW F1 engine from '82-'87 – 2002 block debored to 1.5L, eight billion pounds of boost, 1400bhp in qualifying trim. That's almost 1000bhp/l, and the blocks were all 100,000+km used blocks from BMW road cars!

    Reply
  8. damnelantra™[!] says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:38 pm

    its hard not to love the cosworth 20k v8!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPdm51QwZEw

    Reply
  9. Alan says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:38 pm

    Porsche 917/30 Motor.

    5.4 Liter air-cooled twin-turbo flat 12. 1600HP @ 39 PSI boost for qualifying – 1967.36 bhp/ton!

    Reply
  10. Alan says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:39 pm

    [IMG]http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs160.snc1/5968_118…

    Porsche 917/30 Motor.

    5.4 Liter air-cooled twin-turbo flat 12. 1600HP @ 39 PSI boost for qualifying – 1967.36 bhp/ton!

    Reply
  11. dahm says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:39 pm

    SOHC it to me!
    <img src=http://www.musclecarreport.com/article_images/Ford%27s%20Incredible%20427%20SOHC/427%20Engine.jpg />

    Reply
  • OA 5599 says:
    March 31, 2010 at 4:06 pm

    426 Hemi. Telling Richard Petty he couldn't use it caused him to pull out of NASCAR, and nearly 50 years after its introduction, its decendants still rule the roost in NHRA.

    Reply
  • dustin_driver says:
    March 31, 2010 at 4:19 pm

    [youtube Go3Fgd1wgic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go3Fgd1wgic youtube]

    It's madness! Madness, I say!

    Reply
  • dustin_driver says:
    March 31, 2010 at 4:19 pm

    [youtube Go3Fgd1wgic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go3Fgd1wgic youtube]

    It's madness! Madness, I say!

    Reply
  • engineerd says:
    March 31, 2010 at 4:29 pm

    This

    <img src="http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/attachments/engine-conversions/102711d1210801853-8v-2l-twin-charged-my-little-project-lancia-delta-s4-engine.jpg&quot; style="width: 220px; height: 168px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />

    Which goes in this

    <img src="http://homepage.virgin.net/shalco.com/images/lancia_delta_s4_san_remo.jpg&quot; style="width: 457px; height: 391px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />

    OR

    This

    <img src="http://www.racecar-engineering.com/imageBank/a/audi_motorsport-090728-1715_p.jpg&quot; style="width: 440px; height: 293px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />

    Which goes in this

    <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-eYRIyTo08/SbW_u2eYdrI/AAAAAAAAe6Q/XeYDMioR5Aw/s400/audi-r15-tdi_7.jpg&quot; style="width: 400px; height: 267px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />

    OR

    This

    <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Rolls-Royce_Merlin.jpg&quot; style="width: 500px; height: 322px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />

    Which goes in this

    <img src="http://reviews.cnet.com/i/bto/20080807/Spitfire_Stephen_Browser_med_270x313.jpg&quot; style="width: 270px; height: 313px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />
    The Swandean Spitfire Special

    Reply
  • scroggzilla says:
    March 31, 2010 at 4:31 pm

    So much to choose from…..

    The Mercedes straight 8 that powered the W196 F1 car and the 300 SLR
    <img src="http://photos.webridestv.com/datastore/images/user/1d138e2d6657250f90491b1014c8ef72/Mercedes_Benz_300_SLR_115414_20080806_l.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  • lilwillie says:
    March 31, 2010 at 4:39 pm

    Just give me a Small Block Chevy and I'll win just about everywhere. A Big Block if needed.

    Reply
  • thomasmac says:
    March 31, 2010 at 5:09 pm

    Super Corsair
    <img src="http://www.warbirddepot.com/dbimages/174/174-a-1280.jpg&quot; style="width: 1020px; height: 816px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />
    which has the 4360 cubic inch 4 row radial "corn cob", 28 cylinders FTW
    <img src="http://www.trentonrcflyers.com/r4360waspmajor.jpg&quot; style="width: 1088px; height: 816px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />

    Reply
  • Tomsk says:
    March 31, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    No Audi straight-five love? Really?
    <img src="http://homepage.virgin.net/shalco.com/images/audi_9.jpg&quot; width="400" height="300" />

    My other pick would be the Ilmor/Mercedes I500, the lump that helped Team Penske break everyone's back in '94 and the last real piece of "WTF?!" technology to run at the Speedway in the Month of May.
    <img src="http://forix.autosport.com/8w/pc23-500i/500i-cutaway.png&quot; width="500" height="375" />

    Reply
    • P161911 says:
      March 31, 2010 at 5:22 pm

      I came here to say the Ilmor/Mercedes I500. I heard that Ilmor built a bunch of motors for the 95 season for several other teams. Due to rules changes the motors were never used. I would love to get a hold of one for a project of some sort. I was at the Indy time trials in 94 when that came out NOBODY was expecting it. that was when Penske was at the top of their game, without question.

      Reply
      • BGW says:
        March 31, 2010 at 5:49 pm

        I don't believe they ever intended to run it in 1995. CART never approved it for use as Penske presented it, so it was only ever legal at Indy, since that was a USAC-sanctioned race. Even then, it was a only legal due to a loophole that was intended to help the aging Buick-based Menard V6 hand-grenades. As I recall, USAC dropped the boost levels for the Ilmor (and only the Ilmor) almost immediately after the race, rendering it uncompetitive.

        Reply
    • dr zero says:
      March 31, 2010 at 11:55 pm

      Looking at the stats, it doesn't seem that remarkable, 2 valves/cylinder, 10500 prm limit. And then you look at the outputs, and think, after all, that it's not bad.

      Reply
    • nofrillls says:
      April 2, 2010 at 5:25 am

      I'm with ya on the Audi I-5, primarily because of the otherworldly sound it made in Group B form. That and the radically different performance of it in Group B form when compared to the naturally-aspirated everyman slug it was in street form.

      Reply
  • rovingardener says:
    March 31, 2010 at 5:17 pm

    Baker Racing Engine SBC's, winning since the 70's and still reliable. I'll be having one of these with a street build.

    Also, there is this: http://www.bakerengineeringinc.com/PEDrag.html , with a white whale on the page.

    Reply
  • CptSevere says:
    March 31, 2010 at 5:31 pm

    How about a full-race Iron Duke? How many perverse sleeper ideas does this give you?
    http://www.kansasracingproducts.com/Kansas_Racing…

    Reply
  • Slow Joe Crow says:
    March 31, 2010 at 7:33 pm

    Coventry Climax FWA, the world's fastest fire pump, plus Lady Godiva on the cam cover
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Climax_FWA_1098…

    Reply
  • dustin_driver says:
    March 31, 2010 at 8:03 pm

    Some seriously good engine porn in this thread. Seriously good.

    Reply
  • dragon951 says:
    March 31, 2010 at 9:11 pm

    Oh come on. How impossible is that. I am going to go with every engine EVER! With special love for anything Horizontally opposed, or just anything from Stuttgart.

    Also not seeing a lot of love for the most ridiculously, unnecessarily complicated V8: the 928.
    <img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/jalopnik/2009/03/928_Relay_Panel.jpg"/&gt;
    With a pig-back EMS, people easily see 100+hp/L, which isn't bad for a 25 y.o. design.

    Reply
  • acarr260 says:
    March 31, 2010 at 3:16 pm

    I just saw this the last time I was in Germany – 2002 Mercedes Formula 1 motor. It's so pretty.
    <img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4479297824_9c873c23f9.jpg&quot; width="500" height="375" alt="P1010165" />

    Reply
  • rikadyn says:
    March 31, 2010 at 11:06 pm

    <img src="http://rx7.ifrance.com/images/R26Bphoto.jpg"&gt;

    RB26B from

    <img src="http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh146/hoops369/787B.jpg"&gt;

    and

    <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/VRH35Z.jpg"&gt;

    from

    <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Nissan_R390_%28cropped%29.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  • Texan_Idiot25 says:
    March 31, 2010 at 11:36 pm

    <img src="http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/texan_idiot25/1260764815579.jpg&quot; border="0" alt="Photobucket">

    Reply
  • Number_Six says:
    April 1, 2010 at 12:37 am

    I knew we were missing a hugely important one: the OHV 1600cc Ford Kent engine that basically democratized open wheel racing. Essentially built from 1959 to 2002, production has started up again, so good has it been. It may well be the most important race engine ever.

    Reply
  • smokyburnout says:
    April 1, 2010 at 2:01 am

    Nobody has mentioned the Pratt & Whitney ST6 from the Andy Granatelli Turbine Car yet?
    <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/smokyburnout/STP_Turbine-1.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  • BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ says:
    April 1, 2010 at 2:04 am

    Kreidler Van Veen, 50 cc two-stroke with 20.5 hp (410 hp per litre) <img src="http://www.kreidler.nl/artikelen/tuning/vanveenblok.jpg"&gt;
    <img src="http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/kreidler_van_veen.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  • nofrillls says:
    April 2, 2010 at 5:26 am

    Hahaha. Sweet.

    Reply

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