Big capacity cars

[Roscobbc]

I'm sure we've all been transfixed and amazed about Chuffers legendary exploits driving these huge charismatic steam engines - the sheer variety is fascinating. America is another world when it comes to steam engines......and also so it goes as we know with automobile engines. No doubt some of us have also read about or even seen some of the large capacity (usually ex-aero engined) race cars from the early part of the last century.
I picked up on these interesting cars (Christie 20 litre V4 GP racer) made from scratch in America by John Walter Christie . The first, second and third follow-up models make quite an interesting read about one person determination to follow his dream - if you like that sort of thing.

Christie V-4 Engine 1906 Racer

J. Walter Christie’s first V-4-powered, front-wheel drive racer was run in 1906. Powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) engine that displaced 1,260 cu in (20.7 L), the racer was destroyed while testing for th…

oldmachinepress.com

Christie V-4 Engine 1907 Racer

In 1907, J. Walter Christie took his latest V-4-powered, front-wheel drive racer to Europe and participated in the French Grand Prix. Upon his return, Christine and others continued to race the car…

oldmachinepress.com

Christie V-4 Engine 1909 Racer

J. Walter Christie’s final front-wheel drive racer was the most powerful. The V-4 engine displaced 1,237 cu in (20.3 L) and produced around 200 hp (149 kW). The car was run for several years by Bar…

oldmachinepress.com

 

[Chuffer]

Ye gods Ross ! Those cylinders look like they came off of a steam locomotive . I just love how back in those days they worked to a different mantra than Colin Chapman`s " add lightness" and just kept adding cubic inches .
As you say , they do things BIG in the States . I came across this monster on the Conway Valley Scenic Railroad in New Hampshire and got chatting with the crew . It dwarfed me and it was only a `small ` shunting loco ( Switcher in USA speak ) Only a few days before I flew out to the States I had been driving 34053 , one of British Railways largest steam locos . It was only about half the height of the switcher .!!

 

[teamzr1]

Great marketing logo

 

[Forrest Gump]

That's a fantastic old photo. Funny how there's only one person not wearing a cap, but hopefully he puts his cap on for extra protection while driving that really safe looking machine.

 

[Stingray]

John Cobb's 24 litre Napier Railton kept at Brooklands is quite a thing.
At Goodwood Revival 2009 they had it running on the circuit. Absolutely astounding to hear. Link below, but doesn't capture the insane racket!

Napier-Railton - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Chuffer]

I was at Brooklands a few years back when they fired it up . My ears are still ringing !!!

 

[Roscobbc]

Yes I've seen/heard that too. Interestingly the car does demonstrate the issues of using an engine designed for constant speed use in a road vehicle that by nature has to have a reasonable degree of flexibility and throttleability. Aircraft engines also need control over mixture etc to cover for wildly varying temperatures and altitudes. Still a great car though!