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| THIS WINS MORE THAN -->> |
This whole thing started when I discovered my young neighbor working on a 1964 Ford Falcon that he has bought so that he can have something to do on weekends. So I went over to his driveway and engaged him in a conversation about his "new" toy. Since the hood was open, I peeped into the engine compartment and remembered just how much empty space it actually has. Wow, there's nothing there except this small, six cylinder in-line engine.
Now, I knew that, but when I voiced my sense of appreciation for the memory that I was having about just how small some of the older engines were, the young man who was working at something inside the passenger compartment of the car said, "Yeah, it's a straight 6." Now, I am not a car "buff" or anything like that, but I do know that there were no mass production V6 engines in 1964. And, by 1964 the flat head 6's were no longer being produced. Even a bozo like I am knows that". The last flat head engine I remember seeing was the straight, flat-head 12 in an old Packard owned by the father of a friend of mine from down the street. I had to be about 10 or 12 years old. I didn't say all this to my young neighbor. All I said was that the V6 had not yet been perfected and had not been introduced to the public yet. I said that I thought that General Motors had introduced the V6 sometime around '67 or '68. So,anyway, I asked him if I could take a picture for the Internet and he quickly acquiesced. So here you have it.
The other things I have to say are these: The young neighbor hasn't yet turned 30, so he thinks that he is touching a pre-historic automotive dinosaur. Little did he realized that he was talking to a pre-historic human specimen about all this stuff. I refrained from pointing this put to him.
Finally, about 15 minutes before, I had just finished a conversation with my barely 30 year old son about the super-annuated technology that the internal combustion engine represents in a world that should be able to do better. My son was pointing out to me that the internal combustion engine is surrounded by technological advances that should make us shake our heads in deep wonderment about why the human brain has not moved on from the time since Mr. Renault harnessed the power of the internal combustion engine for transportation purposes. It seems to my son that the technology that permits a surgeon to perform heart surgery on him from Germany provides a hint as to the possibility of the demise of the internal combustion engine.
So there you have it. An old man like I am rubbing elbows with a couple of thinking young people. It was rather pleasant, I must admit. I mean, I've seen the introduction of spare parts for human beings. These young people don't have the pleasure of marveling about that bit of progress. They take it for granted. I wonder what is down the road for them to marvel over. The demise of the internal combustion engine?
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| 1964 STRAIGHT 6 & NOTHING ELSE! |
The other things I have to say are these: The young neighbor hasn't yet turned 30, so he thinks that he is touching a pre-historic automotive dinosaur. Little did he realized that he was talking to a pre-historic human specimen about all this stuff. I refrained from pointing this put to him.
Finally, about 15 minutes before, I had just finished a conversation with my barely 30 year old son about the super-annuated technology that the internal combustion engine represents in a world that should be able to do better. My son was pointing out to me that the internal combustion engine is surrounded by technological advances that should make us shake our heads in deep wonderment about why the human brain has not moved on from the time since Mr. Renault harnessed the power of the internal combustion engine for transportation purposes. It seems to my son that the technology that permits a surgeon to perform heart surgery on him from Germany provides a hint as to the possibility of the demise of the internal combustion engine.
So there you have it. An old man like I am rubbing elbows with a couple of thinking young people. It was rather pleasant, I must admit. I mean, I've seen the introduction of spare parts for human beings. These young people don't have the pleasure of marveling about that bit of progress. They take it for granted. I wonder what is down the road for them to marvel over. The demise of the internal combustion engine?
One of the motors most impressive motors out there is the BMW in line 6 turbo motor and the Nissans in line 6 motors. We just went to a "Z" Show in Orange County and saw the Dyno at 700 HP. The in line 6 is one of the most reliable motors in the world.
ReplyDelete...And, I suppose, a lot more fuel efficient than an in-line 8. I would never have guessed that a production car would be on the road with a straight 6. Thank you for the enlightening information.
ReplyDelete