Restoring A "thirty-Banger"

[Mark D]

I've seen threads illustrating the mating of two engines, but how about five!

http://www.warhistoryonline.com/military-vehicle-news/sherman-m4a4-restoration-part-2.html

Follow the links to read the restoration story.

[Don Coatney]

This guy?

 

[TodFitch]

I've seen threads illustrating the mating of two engines, but how about five!

http://www.warhistoryonline.com/military-vehicle-news/sherman-m4a4-restoration-part-2.html

Follow the links to read the restoration story.

 

Amazing story.

 

The work on my puny little car was at the limit of my patience, skill and resources. The effort on that tank is orders of magnitude greater. I stand in awe of that restoration and, more to the point, the person who did it.

[Don Coatney]

Once that job is complete I wonder if he will attend any local cruise-ins? I also wonder what that engine sounds like at speed, torque, HP ratings, ETC.

[Mark D]

Fascinating to read about the firing order and the balance that must afford at speed. But I still wonder about the oil circulation.

[Don Coatney]

Fascinating to read about the firing order and the balance that must afford at speed. But I still wonder about the oil circulation.

I would guess a huge sump all with a gravity drain system and most likely multiple (5) oil pumps. The engineers would have had a field day with this.

[Daliant.]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

Created in 1941 as America entered World War II, the A57 Multibank engine was born out of the necessity for a rear-mount tank engine to be developed and produced, in the shortest time possible for use in M4A4 Medium tank.

In order to use existing tooling, five Chrysler 250.6 in³ (4.12 litre; 3.4375" {87.3 mm} bore and 4.50" {114.3 mm} stroke)^[1] L-head inline six cylinder engines were arranged around a central shaft, producing a unique 30 cylinder 21 litre (1253 in³)^[1] engine in a relatively compact but heavy package. The crankshafts were fitted with gears, which drove a sun gear arrangement.^[2] With iron block and head,^[1] it featured Carter TD-1 carburetors^[1] and 6.2:1 compression ratio,^[1] for an output of 470 hp (350 kW) at 2400 rpm.^[1] It necessitated a longer hull (same as the M4A6),^[3] becoming the M4A4;^[3] most of these were supplied to Allied countries under Lend-Lease.^[3]

In a February 1944 advertisement on the magazine Popular Science, Chrysler claimed the A57 could still move the tank it was fitted in even if 12 out of its 30 cylinders were knocked out.^[4]

The M4A4 was largely supplied to the British, the US preferring the M4A3 with a more conventional V8 engine, and restricting their M4A4s from overseas use.^[5]

[Daliant.]

Here's a video of one running. Kinda sounds like a bunch of flatheads running at the same time.

 

Edited May 2, 2013 by Daliant.

[Don Coatney]

Daliant;

Great information and great video. Thanks for posting!

[Mark D]

Very cool - thanks for that. I can imagine the reaction of the fellow chrysler engineers to the guy that came up with this as a response to "we need it quick".

Edited May 3, 2013 by Mark D