Short Block Weight

Jim Kilday
Jim Kilday Expert Adviser
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Any idea what a 1946 short block 8-cylinder engine weighs?



Thanks,



Jim Kilday

Comments

  • Clutchguy
    Clutchguy Senior Contributor
    Jim Kilday wrote:
    Any idea what a 1946 short block 8-cylinder engine weighs?



    Thanks,



    Jim Kilday



    Jim, it depends on your description of a short block straight eight Hudson is?.
  • Jim Kilday
    Jim Kilday Expert Adviser
    Block, cylinder head and all internal parts.



    Nothing external--no bellhousing, oil pan, starter, generator, etc. Completely stripped of external parts.
  • Jim Kilday
    Jim Kilday Expert Adviser
    Back to the top!
  • terraplane8
    terraplane8 Senior Contributor
    Jim Kilday wrote:
    Block, cylinder head and all internal parts.



    Nothing external--no bellhousing, oil pan, starter, generator, etc. Completely stripped of external parts.



    Reid Railton told the Rolls Royce Chief Engineer (who bought a Terraplane Eight engine to strip down and analyse) that the bare engine weighed only 400lbs and that the crankcase casting was only 1/8" thick. As James Fack said in his book "Land Flying - the Terraplane" as he has verified the latter there is no reason to doubt the former.



    The only question now is what does "bare" mean?



    Railton was also quoted as saying that he was "tremendously impressed by the qualities of the engine" and that in his opinion it was among the two or three best engines available in the world. Of course this was a long time ago circa 1933. But he was respected as a race car and land speed record designer and engineer so his opinion carries weight.
  • terraplane8
    terraplane8 Senior Contributor
    Correction to my last post, on re-reading James's book page 53 Railton was quoted by the Rolls-Royce Chief Engineer as saying "......the most important point is the extremely low weight obtained, the engine itself only scaling 400lbs, in spite of being a cast-iron job. He made a statement which is somewhat difficult to credit, that the crankcase is only 1/8" thick".
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    My understanding is that a Buick straight 8 weighs about 1,000 lbs. I'd be interested in how the Hudson compares.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    terraplane8 wrote:
    Correction to my last post, on re-reading James's book page 53 Railton was quoted by the Rolls-Royce Chief Engineer as saying "......the most important point is the extremely low weight obtained, the engine itself only scaling 400lbs, in spite of being a cast-iron job. He made a statement which is somewhat difficult to credit, that the crankcase is only 1/8" thick".



    If someone thinks that a Hudson 8 only weighs 400#, GOOD LUCK.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    terraplane8 wrote:
    Correction to my last post, on re-reading James's book page 53 Railton was quoted by the Rolls-Royce Chief Engineer as saying "......the most important point is the extremely low weight obtained, the engine itself only scaling 400lbs, in spite of being a cast-iron job. He made a statement which is somewhat difficult to credit, that the crankcase is only 1/8" thick".
    What he was referring too by 1/8 thick was that the oil pan was made of steel and not aluminum like all their cars oil pans. Walt.
  • terraplane8
    terraplane8 Senior Contributor
    walt's garage-53 wrote:
    What he was referring too by 1/8 thick was that the oil pan was made of steel and not aluminum like all their cars oil pans. Walt.



    I think he was referring to thin wall casting of the crankcases ie the engine block being 1/8" thick. That is why Rolls-Royce were agape at the very thought as to how it was possible.



    This site http://www.241computers.com/ford/ContentExpress20-30-38.html lists engine weights for many engines, eg Ford 170-250 straight 6 weight is listed at 385lbs and flathead V8 at 525lbs.
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