Mechanical Works of Art

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 02:35 PM

Too hot out, was showing my boy monster trucks and tractor pulling as an educational thing and found some nice stuff.

I just love radial engines! Sounds rough as guts idling but wait until she gets the revs on. Purrs like a kitten.

**jandajoy** · 16-05-2010, 02:41 PM

Love this;

!

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 02:41 PM

I've seen these old boys wheel their monsters out of a weekend. Great idea for a party trick.

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 02:48 PM

^^ Ha ha! I was just about to post that! Unreal!

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 02:50 PM

For ant two smoke lovers out there:

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 02:54 PM

There was a guy in Oz years ago, Lucky Kaizer I think was his name, he lopped off two pistons of a Merlin aero engine and made a 5000cc v twin bike in the early '80's. That was sweet.

Probably mates with Nedwalk....

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 03:00 PM

Actually he could be a young Ned!

Seems he was selling the engine in 2006, over 20 years after this photo was taken....

This engine was built in 1982 and was adapted from a 27 liter V12 aero engine by Australian engineer Lucky Keizer. According to the listing it was used in a streamliner that holds the current Australian record for the 3001cc+ class. The particular V12 used as a source for this V-twin was originally at home on a Mosquito bomber.
The engine uses a handbuilt crankshaft, has 4 valves per cylinder, runs a Rochester carb on a GM 3/71 supercharger. It also includes nitrous with water and glycol cooling. Power output is in the 500 horsepower range though no torque figures are given, those are the numbers I'd like to see! It weighs 330 pounds.

Legend.

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/20...gine-for-sale/

**tsicar** · 16-05-2010, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Bung

There was a guy in Oz years ago, Lucky Kaizer I think was his name, he lopped off two pistons of a Merlin aero engine and made a 5000cc v twin bike in the early '80's. That was sweet.

Probably mates with Nedwalk....

love those big, inefficient smoky radials.
went for a flip in a friend's harvard the othr day:
..........took an hour to "top up" the oil (around seven litres), and work the prop to prevent hydraulic lock on the lower cylinders!

huge clouds of smoke on startup and then as you said, that raucous but clean roar as the plugs cleared.

totally 'kkin awesome!

**Norton** · 16-05-2010, 03:18 PM

Possibly the most awesome display of power and sound I annually had the privilege of watching.

Anyone who loves this sort of thing a once in a lifetime must see.

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 06:42 PM

Yeah, Reno would be a dream come true. They really push those old engines for max power.

It's a pity none of the videos can justify the sound....

I want one of these to play with on a Sunday morning:

**jandajoy** · 16-05-2010, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by Bung

I want one of these to play with on a Sunday morning:

No, you do not.

well, not if you're within a 1000 miles me.

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 06:56 PM

I have to say, a lot of the guys playing with these crazed up things are not young. Might be something in that....I guess they just haven't passed them on to their kids yet, as in their not finished playing with them yet

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 07:02 PM

Oh my, this is good. Check the unburnt fuel coming out of the stubs and then what happens when it fires.....

I thought searching for a Merlin would be good and I wasn't disappointed. Definitely in the upper echelons of mechanical works of art!

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 07:23 PM

Before the internet came along, I used to pour over bike classic car and aero magazines. I remember reading about this, the Napier Railton. Just the name is enough but it is an amazing car.

The thing that grabbed my attention all those years ago though is this picture of John Cobb at speed at Brooklands in 1934:

Yes, it is airborne at over 100mph. In 1934. On bricks.

**Marmite the Dog** · 16-05-2010, 07:33 PM

**Marmite the Dog** · 16-05-2010, 07:35 PM

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 09:28 PM

OK. More flames. Too good to pass up this.

**Norton** · 16-05-2010, 09:33 PM

**Bung** · 16-05-2010, 09:52 PM

Is that diesel electric pushing the steam loco or is the steam loco pulling the D/E?

I rode on one once in Zimbabwe, proper deal and had a great time trucking on through the night getting pissed with the locals in 3rd class and getting soot come in the windows on the corners.

**Norton** · 16-05-2010, 10:27 PM

Trains are one of my passions. My dad worked on the Canadian Pacific. As a young lad had the chance to go on many a trip. Rode up front with the Engineer so got plenty of soot in the face. Looked a bit like Al Jolson.

**Fondles** · 17-05-2010, 06:55 AM

[youtube]SIj2GVfua84[/youtube]

**Mr Earl** · 17-05-2010, 01:09 PM

Honda NR750

**S Landreth** · 17-05-2010, 01:13 PM

**Chairman Mao** · 28-06-2010, 09:52 PM

Thread: Mechanical Works of Art

Thread Tools

Display

Mechanical Works of Art

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

Posting Permissions