I have not read the article yet but you really have to wonder why anyone would want to do such a thing to a masterpiece, like a Chevrolet V-8. I suppose in certain types of racing with engine size restrictions, this would make some sense. Interesting.

I  think it was in the December 1970 Hot Rod that Bruce Crower had developed a 207 c.i.d version of the Chevy small block V8 that was turbocharged and made mega horsepower. It was on the cover.

As for rendering half the cylinders inoperable, back in 1974 people were desperate to stretch fuel economy, especially in a year that the emission controls had cars returning 8 mpg, or 18 with a Chevy six. Cylinder deactivation didn't come along in production until Cadillac released it on their V8-6-4 for 1981. We all know how that turned out. 

Sesco sectioned a Chevy small block V8 & used 1 bank to create a crossflow head inline 4 that could share all the latest head development with the V8. I guess it was done for Sprint cars.

Now 40+ years later, my Dodge Ram does the same thing- electronically, and with good results on the highway.

Believe it or not, that same article back in the day inspired me to built a similar engine.

I bought a Black, Red buckets, 1966 Grand Parisienne, 3 speed column shift with the 283 engine apart in the trunk.

The manual trans is what encouraged me use this car as 1/2 of a 283 would be so under powered.

I didn't go as far as the article and left the pistons complete as this was just to be an experiment.

In essence, I built it leaving the pushrods out of every 2nd cyl in the firing order and blocking half the 2bbl carb.

It actually ran O.K. and moved along reasonably well, took a while to get up to speed.

I didn't drive it enough to get a feel for fuel economy, but it was pretty good.

I had an opportunity to sell it soon after, so I installed the missing pushrods and brought back all 195 H.P.

I always wanted to try another, but in a very light vehicle, too many ideas, too little time.

Funny thing is, its since been proven that keeping the pistons intact, is more fuel efficient than "hole-ing" them.

About 5 yrs ago I saw what I thought was the very car, nicely restored, but no owner in sight. Might not have been the same car, but how many bolt action black/red G.P.s could there be??

I assumed the owner probably rebuilt the engine again, and wanted to ask if he found 8 little bands in the valley or pan when it was apart.!!

Appreciate the reminder!!

Thanks
Randy

Lots of innovative engineering was done by some of the big names of the aftermarket back then. Bruce Crower, Ed Iskendarian, Gale Banks, Smokey Yunick just to name a few.
I toured Isky's shop back in the mid 70's and saw some of the projects they were working on. Some never saw the light of day, but they were certainly trying new things.
Ak Miller was another innovator, working with turbocharging and propane. His shop was interesting as well.
Many of these guys were heavily involved in Bonneville and dry lakes racing, and the friend I was with on that trip has run at Bonneville ever since.

I had a Capri with the V4 way back, got it in Halifax, when V6's were an oddity!!

Akton Miller is one of my hero's!! even though he was a Ford man, as I love both propane and turbos.

I've had propane vehicles as long as I can remember, presently have two, factory K car wagon and 86 Chevy van, reliable junkers.

Also have about 5 Turbo vehicles, always wanted to combine the two!! Clean high octane fuel, with NO FUEL PUMP!!

A dearly departed friend Gus, was pals with Ak, he told stories of back in the day mobile smog checks got Hot Rodders big fines.

He told how Ak would peel out in his 2.3 Turbo propane Fairmont to bug the cops.

They would do a tail pipe check and got no reading from the Fairmont's exhaust.

After getting no reading, the cop blared out, you guys must think you're Rocket Scientists or something, tricking the machine.!!

Gus said, I'm not but he is!!

Thanks

Randy

 

 

-- Edited by GLHS60 on Saturday 28th of November 2015 02:32:28 PM