novaburst said:
Hello,
I'm writing a story about a 30s detective. He drives a 1937 Plymouth Business Coupe. His best friend in the story is a mechanic and soups up his car to be one of the fastest around.
From what I've been able to find, the 37' had a 6 cylinder. So here is my question. If you were a mechanic back in the 30s. What would you do to the engine in this car to soup it up?
I would like to write some details in the story about this. This is the reason I need the information.
Thank you!
The following link is to a forum that is primarily Mopar-related. Despite the title being "1946-'48", they cater to earlier models as well. To connect to the
P15-D24 forum,
CLICK HERE.
Stock, the flat head inline 6 cylinder engine made 87 HP. It used a 1 barrel carb and was just adequate for the application. But supercharged it could be expected to pick up 40% more power. Mods to that type engine would include:
• "Porting and relieving" (procedures used to enhance the airflow into and out of the engine, to make more power).
• Increasing the compression ratio. This gives a torque increase and allows a more radical cam to be used. However, the gasoline of the day was VERY poor quality, having a relatively low octane rating. Lead had been discovered to add to knock resistance, but the flathead design didn't allow for much compression, regardless. Another angle might involve "exotic" fuels like alcohol, benzene, possibly nitrous oxide was already in use for aircraft? But by seeing what was being used for aircraft will tell you also what the high performance car guys were also looking into.
• Multiple carbs.
• "Split" exhaust manifold to allow dual exhaust pipes to be used for less backpressure.
• "Boring and stroking" to increase the engine displacement, along w/the size increase comes a power increase as well.
• A somewhat common modification done back then was supercharging.
• Engine swap. There were Pontiac straight 8's, Ford had its flathead V* to name two.
•
A two speed rear end, like the Columbia for example (became available just before the '37 you want to use), could turn it into a runner- and could be made into a storyline angle of how "he upshifted at a hundred mph, to the amazement of his competition, bla, bla, bla"- type of deal. LOL
You'll find more "hop up" info available for the Fords of the day, especially the flathead V8 that came out in '32, but much of this info would also apply to a Mopar flathead straight 6 as well. Barring a swap to a Ford automobile, either a blower (supercharger) or an engine swap would be the best bet, IMO.