Detroit Autorama has a clear blue-collar vibe. Even the $500,000 cars "bought, not built" that participated in the Ridler Awards were paid by apparently wealthy couples, but they did not make money as doctors, lawyers, or financiers, but by operating Small businesses that make money in some way. Most owners participate in their construction in one way or another, and most people also have some experience working with hands. Last year, I had the opportunity to visit the factory where Chevrolet made COPO Camaros. I was there to watch two car owners receive a toy worth 100,000 US dollars. One of them, Dan Sayres from Waverley, West Virginia, now owns many automobile-related businesses, including a collision workshop and a recycling yard. He told me that he started with a trailer. It takes some ingenuity to go from a second-hand trailer to buying a specially made drag racing car. Of course, you don't need to be financially strong to come up with a good idea. From the middle six-figure Ridler competitors to unfinished projects in the basement, Autorama has many great ideas, but not all of them are successful. One of the biggest ideas, both metaphorically and literally, is a car built by Tom Carrigan because he thinks he can do it.
Tom Carrigan is a retired plumber with a familiar, almost "terrified" and somewhat self-deprecating mood. Don't let this fool you, Carrigan is a very smart person. How smart is it? He is finishing a project to build a 1,375-horsepower V12-powered mid-engine car in his garage. Well, you might say it’s impressive, but for cars with more than 1,000 horsepower, such as excellent vehicles from Bugatti Veyron or Koenigsegg, or over-tuned engines from Hennesy, Lingenfelter or Callaway, in this day and age , This is not completely outrageous. However, Carrigan’s approach was to install a 70-year-old Allison V-1710 aircraft engine in a car older than the engine, a 1939 Chevrolet two-door luxury engine, designed for the P-40 during World War II. Manufactured for warplanes.
The Allison engine is mounted on his own box-shaped steel frame, the front end of the full-size GMC van is converted to rack and pinion steering, and the 9-inch Ford rear end. Now most of us will be happy if we like to power old cars with huge airplane engines just to see it running. This is not enough for Tom because he has developed his own sequential multi-port fuel injection system, managed by the Megasquirt electronic fuel injection controller, and he is fine-tuning so that he can run Allison reliably on the street. As someone who wants to build a low-cost Lotus Se7en-inspired DIY sports car and only uses the V12 Jaguar as a donor of suspension and powertrain, instead of the four-cylinder Ford Ranger, you can understand why I like Mr. Carrigan and his car. . Some ideas are so stupid that they have to be done.
Carrying a 1,300-pound power unit with the wheelbase stretched 4 feet to accommodate it, one might think that what Carrigan calls an "Alison car" cannot handle well once it hits the road. With a wheelbase of 163.5 inches, it will certainly not win any off-road events, but all the weight is well distributed. The front part is actually the rear face of the engine (remember this is an aircraft engine with its propeller drive at its front) located behind the front axis, at least a foot and a half, so my mid-engine classification. In addition, the inline Chevrolet 6 it replaces is not lightweight in itself, and it weighs 630 pounds. I bet that the completed project will not be worse than the original 1939 Chevrolet. My guess is that it has a smaller body roll and may be able to pull a higher g force on the anti-skid pad than the ordinary 39 Chevy. Engine swaps have other advantages, including 1,375.
With the addition of a heavy-duty engine, a 6-inch frame section and a 4-foot metal plate (Carrigan said that the project used more than six 4'X 10' steel plates), the finished car weighs 6,300 pounds. This is a lot of weight, but last year I tested a Land Rover weighing 5,400 pounds and "only" 370 horsepower, which can move quite smartly. Even if it exceeds 3 tons, the power-to-weight ratio of an Allison car is still better than anything on the road.
In contrast, at 700 horsepower and 3,472 pounds, the power-to-weight ratio of the Lamborghini Aventador is 0.202. The production run of the Bugatti Veyron is coming to an end, and the current output of the engine is 1,200 horsepower. Veyron is not a light car, more than 2 tons, 4,162. This makes its power: weight ratio of 0.288 impressive, but significantly lower than the Swedish supercar Koenigsegg Agera R. With a power of 1,114 hp and a weight of only 2,844 lbs, the Agera R has a power:weight ratio of 0.392. Between the Aventador and the Veyron are the Porsche 918 and McLaren P1 hybrid supercars, which are 0.217 and 0.270 respectively. Even Ferrari La Ferrari's P:W of 0.320 is not as good as Koenigsegg.
At 0.218, Carrigan’s Allison-powered Chevrolet will not be able to keep up with today’s fastest-produced supercars, but it will roll off the assembly line in a shorter time than the most powerful sports cars of Lamborghini and Porsche. What it loses on the corners will definitely make up, and then it will make up for some on the straights. This is the tune that Carrigan thinks is suitable for his plan. He can indeed choose to adjust to gain greater strength.
The turbo compound version of the V-1710 engine can output more than 2,800 horsepower.
The late-production V-1710 engine used on the P-38L aircraft has a rated power of 1,600 horsepower. If this is not enough, it should be noted that Allison has developed a version called V-1710-127, which replaces Superchargers (and turbochargers in some models) have exhaust-driven turbines that return the recovered energy to the crankshaft. The "turbo compound" engine was statically tested at 2,800 horsepower. Installed in Carrigan's two-door Chevy Deluxe, with a power-to-weight ratio of 0.444, it can blow off the doors, gull wings, scissors, Lamborghini style or traditional hinges of any mass-produced car on the road today.
However, power is not everything. Since the weight in the chassis is so large and Alison produces more than 2,400 pound-feet of torque, my guess is that when Carrigan does bring it to the traction belt, he’d better install some wheel rods because there are so many The twisted, overwhelmed Chevrolet may drive all the way on a 1/4 mile track. I hope he can bring it to the resistance band, because the provenance of this car includes the famous exhibition drag racer EJ Potter, "Michigan Madman", notorious for his small Chevrolet V8 powered motorcycle. Porter was very interested in Alison V12 and used them in several crazy fast racing races. Porter also used Allison engines to power the generators of his "Super Slot Machine" electric racing car. From 1930 to the end of World War II, Allison produced more than 70,000 V-1710s, so they remained in surplus in the 1960s and were popular with extreme drag racing and unrestricted seaplane rowers before jet engines replaced them. .
The water-cooled 1710 cubic inch 60 degree V12 in the Carrigan car was one of several he bought from Porter. Like many aircraft piston engines during World War II, these specifications sound fairly modern even by today's standards.
The head, crankcase and water jacket are made of aluminum, while the oil pan is made of magnesium. The forged aluminum piston is located in the steel cylinder liner. Each cylinder has four valves and two spark plugs. The valve is operated by an overhead cam in each cylinder bank. It has a dry sump lubrication system. In order to perform well at heights that Chevrolet will never reach in 39 years, the 1710 has a two-stage supercharger with a boost of 7 pounds. .
As the kind of person who prefers 289 Windsors or 351 Clevelands to the little Chevrolet V8 in the Ford hot rod, I like the fact that Carrigan keeps it in the family-when the V-1710 was designed, it was like Chevrolet, Alison is part of General Motors.
To access the engine, the entire front end is hinged forward, and two hydraulic cylinders and a 12-volt hydraulic pump are taken from the marine application to open and close the engine compartment. He is still using the original dashboard, but he had to add multiple new gauges to monitor the new power unit.
Although Allison does have a radiator on the front, a larger main radiator is installed in the trunk and is cooled by a fan driven by a two-cylinder 16-horsepower gasoline engine. Through the Rube Goldberg combination of belts and pulleys, the same engine drives the 24 volt alternator of the engine's electrical system, the auxiliary water pump, the 12 volt alternator of the car electrical and the power steering pump. Carrigan currently has no plans to install air conditioning, but if he decides to do so, he will add another pulley and use an auxiliary engine to run the compressor. Since the car will be mainly used as a performance and parade car, Carrigan has a contingency plan to add an electric fan to the front radiator if it overheats at night during a parade or cruising.
No matter where you go, you will receive attention. Anytime you stretch four feet between the fairing and the front wheel of a car, the result will look cartoonish, and the Alison car does look like who framed Roger Rabbit? Or on the cover of the Little Feat album, but I mean cartoonish. It's exaggerated, but from the front, the widened front end looks good, and even strange proportions can work, at least for me. Some of the most classic car designs have shorter rear decks and extended front ends. Carrigan gave this car an excellent posture. From the rear 3/4 perspective, the long and continuous line from the hustle and bustle of the trunk to the front grille looks great. I think I have never seen a pair of side tubes that are more purposeful and ominous.
Bugatti Royal, Henry Ford Museum
Earlier, I compared Allison with a Bugatti Veyron. Although it belongs to the Veyron in terms of engine power, Carrigan's car actually reminds me of another Bugatti, Ettore, and the majestic Royal of the Bugatti. Royale is larger and heavier than Chevrolet with Allison power (the wheelbase increases by 6 inches, and the weight increases by about 600#), but because of its very long hood and passenger compartment set at a farther wheelbase, it is not too big The burden of saying that Allison Motors and Bugatti Royal Motors have at least a certain proportion.
After launching the video, click the settings icon to select 2D or 3D format of your choice.
Tom said it was very close on the road. It can run well and can move up and down the lane under its own power, but Carrigan is still trying to study what he calls the "tone" before driving the Allison Car seriously. Once it reaches his satisfaction, he says the first thing he needs to do is to see what kind of burnout V12 powered Chevrolet can do. He will then take it to the Onondaga Dragway near his home in Vermontville, Michigan, where it has been inspected and approved for security. He also plans to measure fuel economy, believing it should be better than Jay Leno's 5 mpg fuel economy in his fuel-injected M-47 Patton fuel tank engine-powered Blastolene Special, which weighs 9,500 pounds. Much heavier than Carrigan's Chevrolet. When I asked how many gallons per hour are converted into the specifications of Allison's aircraft, Carrigan said that the data does not correlate well with ground fuel consumption. He did calculate that at 60 mph, Allison would slowly spin at 1,000 rpm, partly because the half-speed gear reduction propeller drive had been flipped to obtain the output shaft speed suitable for the car. The peak power is when the engine speed is 3,000 rpm, so it shouldn't take long to get from the cruising speed to the highest end of the car. I did not ask Carrigan about the maximum speed, but the Chrysler 727 RWD gearbox he uses is usually not an overdrive, so you can calculate the theoretical maximum speed based on the final drive ratio and the circumference of the rear tires. With such a large amount of power and torque, I believe Allison will pull all the way to the red line, although I guess that Chevrolet's body needs some aerodynamic accessories to stay on the ground at full speed.
Tom invited me to see the completed project. He said that as long as everything is normal, he can't see any reason why I can't drive. Will you give up the opportunity to drive a 1,375 hp '39 Chevy? Will you give up the opportunity to drive anything with 1,375 horsepower?
At the same time, you can watch the video about the project released by Carrigan, and even hear the large-scale V12 startup and roar.
When I asked him if he thought the Chrysler Torqueflite automatic transmission he installed could withstand such a large amount of power, he said, "We will wait and see."
To get a taste of Carrigan’s views on car life, I’ve provided a gallery below, which contains photos of the build and his own Q&A on the project:
I started using GMC Van because I shared a car with an electrician for 10 years and it was a good time. The electrician is the brother of Max Simson, the famous tractor pulling. His whole family are geniuses, and every time I sit in my seat, I remember all our good times and technical discussions.
Why should I do this?
The next project will be the T-53 Lycoming turbo engine. I am considering using T-Bucket, but this may change. (Not much physical work). After that, I have 3 Allison engines and I am considering building a replica of the EJ Potter tow truck, but who knows. When I finish all this, I believe I will dream of doing other things. PS If you had the opportunity to drive [ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons] Caddzilla or my car witch, would you choose?
Ronnie Schreiber edited Cars In Depth, which is a realistic perspective on cars and car culture and original 3D car websites. If you find this article valuable, you can get a parallax view in Cars In Depth. If the 3D stuff scares you, don't worry, all photo and video players used on the website have a mono option. Thanks for reading – RJS
It looks like the car used for the "Ambiguous Gay Duo" sketch on Saturday night.
Driving like on a track is not the strong point of this machine.
I am surprised by what the American people have built on their budget. This guy doesn't look rich. At OZ, we are stifled by government regulations, which tell us what we can do with the car, not what we want to do.
I have to check carefully with Mr. Carrigan, but I think he said he has spent about $60,000 on this project so far. I'm not sure if this includes the price of all the Allison engines he bought from EJ Potter, or only the price of one of them.
I just read your article and this is a great review. I am very sad to inform you that Tom is dead. I am his brother-in-law. He likes that car, it brings him a lot of happiness. It is a bright spot in Autorama. The gentleman who helped him complete the car, I plan to bring it to the exhibition again this year.
I express my sincerest condolences for your loss.
@Ron.B, you haven’t been to too many custom shows in Australia... It’s eye-opening, V12 55 Chev was built here with a fairly small budget
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Dixie chicken is suitable. Lowell George would understand this man and his car. The Super Seven built by Jaguar? You two are brothers of another mother.
I'm thinking Feat's album and song (Post Lowell Georges) Let It Roll is suitable.
Even Roll'um Easy. Paul Barrell is a worthy striker, but lacks Lowell's dignity. For him. I am glad we are still talking about them all these years. I was fortunate enough to meet them backstage in 1979. It was a completely different world back then. Now, I'm just a fat guy who is melancholy in the bathtub...
I never saw them again that day, which makes me regretful.
Although you may be the fat guy in the bathtub, but after this winter, I will be cold, cold, cold...... :)
Royale's sheet metal is proportional to its length. '39 Some stretched front fenders and pedals could have been used.
This is my favorite list:
The aerodynamic sports coupe of 1930 – 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Coupe – 1937 Delahaye* 135 MS Competition Court Coupe – 1937 Peugeot 402 DS Darlmat Coupe – 1937 Bugatti* Type 57SC Atlantic Electron ( Magnesium 1793737373737373737 Coupine Competition Coupe Coupe Coupe) Romeo* 8C 2900 Touring Berlinetta – 1938 Delage D8 120 Aerodynamic Coupe – 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540 Stromlinien Coupe – 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6C DuBonnet Xenia Streamline Coupe – 1939 BMW 4 Mille – 1939 April 328 August 88, 1988 Messiah Coupe – 1938 Jaguar SS100 Coupe – 1938 Bentley* 4.5 Liter Coupe – 1938 Peugeot Darl'mat 402 Pourtout Coupe – 1939 Talbot-Lago* T150 SS Teardrop Coupe (* = company is Le Mans champion.)
French styling is second to none, but I like some of the large American cars of that era. I like Auburn 851 Speedster very much. I make me fascinated. :-)
A fabulous list. Any of these originals are more expensive than most manufacturing in a lifetime. In addition, these all have eternal appeal. When visiting Pebble, I am always dissatisfied with the cost, but when I leave it feels as if I have just enriched myself in an indefinable way. Elderly disease?
'39 Chevrolet was not good-looking at the beginning. The manufacturing here is amazing, but I think a longer ratio works better on earlier cars-maybe 36 years? Or something elsewhere in the general's portfolio-'38 Buick or LaSalle looks good.
Lassalle before World War II was very beautiful.
A guy in Australia made a compact version of the 55 Chevrolet using a former Rolls-Royce Spitfire engine. He brought it to the United States http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/ASuvSHiQinE/maxresdefault.jpg
Reminds me of the car Peter bought in "Family Guy", shaped like a huge penis, haha!
Complete the weight of the "road hug".
That's right... Isn't he wearing a red convertible version?
So... I guess there are about 20 cities/28 highways?
Wait, are you working in Hyundai?
Not sure which review here is more interesting...
As long as I don't step on the accelerator when reversing, I believe the 727 can hold it. If for some reason it cannot control the torque, the respectable Powerglide is waiting.
Thank you for letting us notice these wonderful vehicles; as a fan of fabulous manufacturing work (well, fab-fab? fab²?) I love seeing projects that are very careful with the finished product-and don't care about the thoughts of the finished world.
The sound of the engine is reminiscent of the childhood memories of Couer d'Alene in the early 1960s, when an unlimited seaplane would participate in the Diamond Cup competition. I'm not sure, but I would guess that the four hydraulic cars in a heat race — equipped with Alison — sounded as loud as the 33 at the beginning of the Indy race. We will hear their voices on the way to Lake Hayden. It was a terrible race, and the death rate was comparable to that of a Formula One car.
This is a great ride.
Well, even with the generous assumption of optimizing transmission and traction, it will not be as fast as Hyundai Rambo. In addition to the power/weight ratio, there are many things to do-a 29-liter engine will have a lot of inertia, which will significantly slow down the changes in RPM (= acceleration), which of course will damage the engine's accelerating vehicle.
That's right, but I bet you would want to see it run 1/4 mile.
I like those huge piston engines from World War II. Allison and Merlin/Packard V12 are definitely my favorites. Interesting tidbit... I inserted the price from the Hurwitz Bros. advertisement into an inflation calculator based on 1946. US$14,500 is equal to US$185,000 or around 2014 US dollars. They demanded a surplus of US$350 (again assuming 1946). Year) is about 4,500 USD today.
By the way, the Pratt & Whitney F119 turbofan used in our top fighter F22 Raptor today sells for up to 10 million U.S. dollars each. Uncle Sam got a bargain in the 1940s.
I remember that Top Gear is equipped with a Bentley with a fire-breathing engine and some German monsters. I think their engines are from Messerschmitt. This car is just right for these two cars.
That is the sweet voice of victory.
It's really cool and interesting, only car lovers can understand.
I was fortunate enough to live in Pinellas County in the 90s and 00s, especially in winter. A few times I was in the yard and heard unusual engine noises in the air.
Look around among the trees to take a glance and see the P51 or P40 Go flying by, and sometimes there will be b17 or b24 formations, which will make your neck chill.
This car is a tribute, but there is nothing in the world like hearing the sound of a World War II fighter or bomber engine lighting up.
I am not a particularly emotional person, but my eyes are a little wet, standing on the battle line, hearing these wonderful engines come alive.
Who cares how fast it is...sound and thunder are the most important!
I have a feeling that EJ Potter is smiling at this.
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