Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-02
Barney 0ld4f@e!d1 says:
MORE SPEED FROM STANDARD
MODELS

who are dissatisfied with the perform
ance of their cars, or who want tc
make speed cars out of standard MOD
els. This is especially true Of a large
class of owners of small, low-prlcec
vehicles. In some cases the owners
aspire to be racing car drivers ano
practice on the homemade racing cars
While it is good sport, 1t is neVettne.
less necessary before making cnanses
in the car to get speed, that you INC
out if there is a track IN the vlcinl.y
of your town where you can use tna'
speed. You cannot and shoulo not uS'
a speed car on Travelled a
One of the most important CONSIDER
ations in speed is not engine power
hut reduction of wind resistance. Inns
has been shown c~onclusively IN many
races and speed trials and more recent
" bv the performance of Sig Houg-
dahl at which he was supposed to Y
Travelled over $50 miles per hour.
don't suppose he travelled that fast as
the trials were not official. but ne
must have gone at a terrific rate OF
speed. His car was designed win Tue
fundamental thought in mind to keer
wind resistance dow to the very
minimum.
Powerful Engine Not Needed
The engine is not so powerful com,
pared with many others IN specia,
speed cars, but the car was SNAPPED
like a cigar with every external par.
streamlined. This includes the irony
axle. The rear of the car must also
he AIKEN care of SO as to avoid q
ysc,um of a sort, for f this exists
TO any extent there is a pull
All parts must come to a point d.
nearly as possible and sweeping curves
must he used, In the design one must
;magine the car to be runnlng through
water and every effort made to make
thar water flow with the least resist
ance around the vehicle.
THE mower requirements need not %
great. for we are told that beyond ~
miles per hour the WIND resistance
consumes so per cent of the power.
The car must be wen oalahc on +be
rroInd. If there is slippage OF the
Year wheels then the power IN tne
engine avails little and the streamlln,,
;ne is of no help beyond that speed
of slipping. ~.erta;n
amount of pulling power in the engine.
The less the car weighs the less power
Won viii need. This was shown at
one of the indianapolis races Wne en
q very small car weighing about I:-vo
rounds travelled as fast as cars "e1sn-
ing 900 to 1000 pounds more. Inns
car / mention was the Cornenan'
driven. / believe. by Louis Cne'fo
Larger Gas Openings
II is necessary, however, to get more
thar standard engine power ana speed.
Power increase comes from ournins
more gas in the same time. lou can
ret more gas only by getting larger
gasoline openings-arburetor, ln'ahe
valves. How large they are 70 De oe-
nends on the engine you are "orklns
With. hut they must not be SO large
as to be out Of proportion to the rest
of rhe engine. In some small cars ne
owner can install special cylinder neads
with 16 valves so as to obtain iarger
oneninrs. These heads are now MADE
for the Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge
cars. With the larger volume OF Tue
mixture one must provide a larger
snace for that mixture. Hence the dis
n~Iacerent can be increased By over
boring the cylinders and at the same
time new designs of pistons can De IN
stalled to get higher compressor. i ne
compression should not be owe -
pounds for the small engines 10
larger ones it can run up to ~
mounds. if a good grade of fuel IS USED.
Incidentally all racing cars should use
ire hest grade of gasoline obtalnaoie
and preferably a special gasollne OF
really high test.
The fuel feed must be by gravity or
nressure. A vacuum tank Will not 40
becanse il will empty itself quickly at
high speed. Ignition will call for e
magnetic timed so that the spark !.
early as much Of one and one:naiI
inches ahead of dead center: Inns IS
necessary at high speeds. The mag
neto should be preferably OF the douole
distributor type. feeding to two sets
of spark plugs to insure a not spark
Accurate Clearance Necessary
The engine oiling system may be OF
the ordinary splash type as many sue
cessful racing cars use this, Dut you
should allow a little clearance IN the
main and connecting rod bearings, ano
use larger oil holes in the bearing caps
The oil should be a heavy grade or Q
mixture of castor oil and heavy mineral
all You piston and ring clearances
should be great enough to take care of
th;s heavy oil. In all racing work the
c~lesrances must be worked out &C
curately. $500
The matter Of valve timing is not
so important. You must allow for the
Increased speed by opening the intake
= little earlier so the cylinder will fill
and YOU must also have a greater ex-
hanst dwell so that the exhaust will
have a chance to clear out. There ar l
M typical valve Things for racing
engines. Fred Dussenberg says that
valve timing is not nearly so import.
ant as carburetor size, valve size and
valve lift.
dispense with the fan and owing to
the increased volume Of gas burned,
the heat produced will be greater,
therefore the radiator should be larg-
er. Pump cooling is not imperative If
the radiator is large enough.
The gear ratio will depend on the
wheel size and the engine character
istic. The driver should change to a
different ratio and then try different
sizes of wheels and tires to affect the
hest combination for the particular
kind of track or road he intends to
drive on.
~