Interesting info, never saw this before

[njonkman]

Came across an interesting bit of info the other day.
As the US entered WWII it charged the GM plant at Tonawada, NY to gather and evaluate all manner of American made engines to ascertain their usefulness when put to use in a war. This included light truck and car engines.
A battery of tests was set up and interestingly, the last thing they did was open the throttle wide open to see what failure would happen and how long it would take. That would end the test, often VERY finally.
According to the engineer the only engine not to end the test this way was the Studebaker Champion engine for when they pegged the throttle it just kept on going and going and after a period they finally just had to shut the obviously well engineered engine down themselves.
Nick

[JoeHall]

Wonder if they tried that with a load on the motor?

[Buzzard]

That was why they chose the Champ 6 for the Weasel. Dealers had lots of replacement motors in stock and due to the durability, they were not being used. They recalled most of them for Weasel use and didn't have to source another power plant. They were very resourceful in those days.
Bill

[Chris Pile]

Wonder if they tried that with a load on the motor?

It's harder on the motor with no load to keep them from flying to pieces.

I read years ago that's how Enzo Ferrari would test a motor... hang a weight on the carb linkage at wide open throttle, then go to lunch. If it wasn't blown to bits or on fire upon their return - it was deemed a successful design.

[63 R2 Hawk]

When the "muscle car" era started, Studebaker didn't have to do a lot to stay in the game. Stude V8s already had steel cranks, strong blocks with bottom end strength and an extra head bolt on each cylinder. Toss on a couple of old truck heads, a blower, some stronger valve springs, a hotter cam and a few other goodies and you had a potential GTO eater-with 100 less cubes. Too bad they didn't stay in the game longer.

[Mike Van Veghten]

Back in the day, I recall a guy who did that (full throttle thing) with a Chevy 409. Put a brick on the pedal and walked away.
Long story, but he turned the ign. key off at almost 11 hours because the neighbors called the cops because of the racket and the engine running at full song all day and into the evening.

Mike

[Stu Chapman]

When the "muscle car" era started, Studebaker didn't have to do a lot to stay in the game. Stude V8s already had steel cranks, strong blocks with bottom end strength and an extra head bolt on each cylinder. Toss on a couple of old truck heads, a blower, some stronger valve springs, a hotter cam and a few other goodies and you had a potential GTO eater-with 100 less cubes. Too bad they didn't stay in the game longer.

Kind of substantiates Bob Palma's statement in the March Hemmings Classic Car. Too early to tell if this has offended any of the Big 3 aficionados?

Stu Chapman

[oldsalt]

Came across an interesting bit of info the other day.
As the US entered WWII it charged the GM plant at Tonawada, NY to gather and evaluate all manner of American made engines to ascertain their usefulness when put to use in a war. This included light truck and car engines.
A battery of tests was set up and interestingly, the last thing they did was open the throttle wide open to see what failure would happen and how long it would take. That would end the test, often VERY finally.
According to the engineer the only engine not to end the test this way was the Studebaker Champion engine for when they pegged the throttle it just kept on going and going and after a period they finally just had to shut the obviously well engineered engine down themselves.
Nick

Yes! I recall, in my youth, I read an artical regarding the testing. The procedure was [as I recall] "full rated load at red line RPM". By my memory each trial was to last 100 hours. The Studebaker motor would survive.

[showbizkid]

Nick, where did you find that info? Sounds like the rest of it might be interesting reading as well.

[spokejr]

I read years ago that's how Enzo Ferrari would test a motor... hang a weight on the carb linkage at wide open throttle, then go to lunch. If it wasn't blown to bits or on fire upon their return - it was deemed a successful design.

Victorio Jano taught Ferrari to do that. Legend has it that when Jano was first hired at Alfa Romeo, he was given a tour of the facilities he would be managing. The staff were very proud of the dynomometer as well as the new engine in it. They then ran a flash reading for horsepower and the numbers were very good. Jano agreed but asked for some wire. While the enhine was still runnning, he wired the throttle to open to hold red-line and then stated something to the effect that if the engine was still putting out something close to the same power reading after lunch, they might have a winner. Before him, Alfa always went off flash readings, never after his tenure. Ferrari deeply admired Jano's knowledge and natural talent.

[clonelark]

When i bought my 60 Lark 3 speed no OD in San Angelo Tx, i drove it back to Tulsa. when i left Okla. City i was on the Turner Turnpike and it has a speed limit of 75 MPH, i put the accelerator to the floor and didn't lift till i got to Tulsa. Top speed was 78 mph. Figured if it blew i was close enough to bring it home with a trailer. Ran fine all the way home. Guess you can't put enough fuel in a 6 to to make it let go.

[JoeHall]

When i bought my 60 Lark 3 speed no OD in San Angelo Tx, i drove it back to Tulsa. when i left Okla. City i was on the Turner Turnpike and it has a speed limit of 75 MPH, i put the accelerator to the floor and didn't lift till i got to Tulsa. Top speed was 78 mph. Figured if it blew i was close enough to bring it home with a trailer. Ran fine all the way home. Guess you can't put enough fuel in a 6 to to make it let go.

It probably has a 3.73 rear axle? Around 1990, I bought a 40,000 mile, 1960 Lark VI, 3 speed, no OD. I went through it, mechanically; new hoses, oil pan & head gaskets, re-cored radiator, etc.. I then tried to use it for commuting, about 160 round trip, mostly Interstate miles, 2-4 times per week.

It always started and ran smooth as silk, and with a light clutch pedal and 1-finger shifting, was a pleasure to drive anywhere but on the Interstate. If driven above 60, for more than a few minutes, the temp gauge would begin to climb and when it was about 3/4 over, the motor would begin to rattle. The only way to stop it from rattling was to slow down to 50-60. I installed a 3.31 rear end, and tried premium gas, but it still did the same thing. Even so, I still put around 5000 miles on that car, mostly limping around, off the Interstate. I unloaded it when it became obvious it was never gonna be up to the chore of commuting on the Interstate.

That is why my question earlier, about load. I cannot imagine a Stude flat six, under load and at full acceleration, surviving more than a couple of hours.

[njonkman]

Nick, where did you find that info? Sounds like the rest of it might be interesting reading as well.

The story came from a letter to the Canadian by-weekly "Old Autos". The story was told by an engineer who worked for GM at the time and was told to his neighbours who were Studebaker family. There was no more to the story. I was under the impression that the engine was run with no load but really have no way of proving it. Most engines under load would probably fare much better than a free running engine wide open.

[evilhawk]

Thanks for the info! This is just the type of information I like to rub into my GM loving buddies face lol!