deathbound Posted March 3, 2015 Report Posted March 3, 2015 There's probably not much, if anything I can post here that someone on here hasn't seen already. New to me so here goes..... Thirty cylinders, five banks, five carburetors, five distributors, 1255 cubic inches. This is what happens when Detroit goes to war. Chrysler built the A57 as a way to satisfy a World War II tank-engine contract in a hurry, using as many off-the-shelf components as possible. It consisted of five 251-cube passenger-car inline-sixes arranged radially around a central output shaft. The resulting 425-hp pile of hairy freedom powered M3A4 Lee and M4A4 Sherman tanks. 2 Quote
greg g Posted March 3, 2015 Report Posted March 3, 2015 Saw that in person at the Chrysler museum back in 08. Quite an impressive bodge. My dad always said the most dangerous person in the world was a farmer with a welding torch. Possibly a source for Chrysler engineers was those guys sons....... 1 Quote
Don Coatney Posted March 3, 2015 Report Posted March 3, 2015 Same Detroit trip I had my hands on it. Greg and I also got close to a Hemi. Quote
pflaming Posted March 3, 2015 Report Posted March 3, 2015 Was in the Sherman tank, if one failed, no problem, just a little less high end. Those that failed went to DeGaulle's troups, from reports, they never arrived first anyway. Quote
48ply1stcar Posted March 4, 2015 Report Posted March 4, 2015 (edited) One of thes engines was re-built in the shop of a friend of mine a few years-ago. He only Dyno's engines, to include the tank engine, but had leased part of his shop to a rebuilder. randrperformance.com Edited March 4, 2015 by 48ply1stcar Quote
timkingsbury Posted March 4, 2015 Report Posted March 4, 2015 There's probably not much, if anything I can post here that someone on here hasn't seen already. New to me so here goes..... Thirty cylinders, five banks, five carburetors, five distributors, 1255 cubic inches. This is what happens when Detroit goes to war. Chrysler built the A57 as a way to satisfy a World War II tank-engine contract in a hurry, using as many off-the-shelf components as possible. It consisted of five 251-cube passenger-car inline-sixes arranged radially around a central output shaft. The resulting 425-hp pile of hairy freedom powered M3A4 Lee and M4A4 Sherman tanks. lol.. sorry guys.. I cant help myself... the caption should be. when Detroit goes to war... they call the Canadians, because these engines were built in Windsor Ontario Canada ! 1 Quote
55 Fargo Posted March 4, 2015 Report Posted March 4, 2015 (edited) Tim ,we were in that war first, from 1939 through 1945, so maybe we got the contract first being in the war already.. Edited March 4, 2015 by Fargos-Go-Far Quote
jcmiller Posted March 4, 2015 Report Posted March 4, 2015 For a rebuild of one of these, check out http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?10960-M4A4-restoration 3 Quote
BigDaddyO Posted March 4, 2015 Report Posted March 4, 2015 For a rebuild of one of these, check out http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?10960-M4A4-restoration Holy crap! Great thread. Thanks. Quote
jcmiller Posted March 5, 2015 Report Posted March 5, 2015 Holy crap! Great thread. Thanks. Yeah, I've been reading it in installments. I'm up to the sandblasting section now. It puts my little projects in perspective. Quote
deathbound Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Posted March 5, 2015 (edited) Same Detroit trip I had my hands on it. Greg and I also got close to a Hemi. Thanks for the pic, sure puts it into perspective. Edited March 5, 2015 by deathbound Quote
deathbound Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Posted March 5, 2015 So, if I found one of these.....took a weekend to rebuild it & wanted to install it in my '38 Plymouth Coupe, I guess there would be a little more than moving the radiator 2" forward, huh? 1 Quote
Niel Hoback Posted March 5, 2015 Report Posted March 5, 2015 Just a little. You might want to got to a 727 transmission too. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 5, 2015 Report Posted March 5, 2015 (edited) So, if I found one of these.....took a weekend to rebuild it & wanted to install it in my '38 Plymouth Coupe, I guess there would be a little more than moving the radiator 2" forward, huh? I am thinking your forward vision would be the second biggest challenge, or more like third..challenge one getting an engine, challenge two fitting the engine...challenge three..seeing forward of the engine Edited March 5, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams Quote
Niel Hoback Posted March 5, 2015 Report Posted March 5, 2015 Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,,,,,,,, rear mount? Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 5, 2015 Report Posted March 5, 2015 (edited) Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,,,,,,,, rear mount? be a wheelie wonder at the local drag strip for entertaining the spectators.. Edited March 5, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams Quote
jeffsunzeri Posted March 5, 2015 Report Posted March 5, 2015 Notice the use of the crankshaft nuts with engagement dogs to enable hand-cranking. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 5, 2015 Report Posted March 5, 2015 Notice the use of the crankshaft nuts with engagement dogs to enable hand-cranking. wots of wuck... Quote
RobertKB Posted March 6, 2015 Report Posted March 6, 2015 On holiday in the UK and just saw one of these at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. 1 Quote
RobertKB Posted March 22, 2015 Report Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) I just got back from the UK so thought I would update this thread with a picture of the engine I mentioned in the post above. Edited March 22, 2015 by RobertKB 1 Quote
Andydodge Posted March 22, 2015 Report Posted March 22, 2015 It would fit in our mopars...........just relocate the drivers seat to the engine bay and the engine to where the seats used to live.........easy.........lol...........you have to wonder at the thought processes that went on to develop this monster........."hey...we need to have a 450 horse engine to stick in a tank....why don't we......."...........and then to find it works......"see I told you so!!".............lol...........amazing engineering........andyd Quote
deathbound Posted March 23, 2015 Author Report Posted March 23, 2015 I just got back from the UK so thought I would update this thread with a picture of the engine I mentioned in the post above. Thanks for the pics. Quote
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