Long live the Offenhauser engine!

Artist; Vic Berris

  The Offy 4 cylinder racing engine was designed in the twenties by Fred Offenhauser and Harry Miller of Miller Racing as a marine racing engine. During the 1930s, when Indianapolis racers favored 1.5 straight eights, it was adapted for car racing and started winning due to the displacement allowance of 3 litres for fours. During the 1950s, rules changes and the need for more power prompted a 4.1 litre supercharged version. Starting in the late sixties, turbocharging was being developed, With displacement back down to about 2.6 litres, and 25- 40lbs of boost the engine was again competitive.  In all, cars powered with various forms of the engine won Indianapolis 27 times between 1935 and 1976. 

We used to make things in this country #379 Bricks

 Domtar (Dominion Tar and Chemical Co.) is a large paper and forestry product company that was in the brick business through most of the 20th Century, selling it to Canada Brick in 1997.

 The company was known for the safety messages stamped in the bricks. These ones found on a lawn nearby say "Don't learn by accident". Other messages were "Drive Safely" and "Live Safely" as shown/sold at this site.

Tempo Hanseat

 

  I found reference to this oddball in an old book, the internet sent me to this blog, Project Tempo. It's a three wheel delivery truck made in postwar Germany that features whole driveline mounted on the front fork. That includes a watercooled 400cc 2 stroke engine complete with radiator and four speed transmission. Who thought that was a good idea? Not sure if there was a connection but it looks like a development of the Phänomen, previous post here.

Cunningham C-4R

  Briggs Cunningham in the C-4R at LeMans in 1954. The car was built in 1952 for use at LeMans and was retired in 1956, its best result was in the 1953 event when it finished 3rd. 

The engine was a Chrysler Firepower V8 coupled up to a Cadillac 3 speed manual in a tubular frame with torsion bar suspension. 

 Below, Briggs Cunningham behind the wheel, later on. 

 

Tooling display

  Cincinnati Universal cutter and tool grinder. Just the thing for a machine shop that needs a full time dedicated tool sharpener. Not sure exactly what all the accessories are that are casually displayed all over the floor but seeing all that precision tooling lying all over must have given any journeyman machinist fits.

Cincinnati Milling Machine company was founded in 1889 to produce machine tools, specializing in milling machines. By the mid twenties the company was the largest machine tool manufacturer in the US. in the early seventies the company was reorganized and became Milacron which pivoted to injection moulding machinery. A portion of the original Cincinnati company remains, now under the name Cincinnati Machines.   

Autos in war, 1904

Cyclopedia of Modern Shop Practice, American Technical Society Vol III, 1907

 But automobiles will never replace horses... right?

Monday Mystery, Commemorative knife

 Here's an interesting one.

 "Our man" Jay in New Jersey, found this somewhere in New Jersey and wondered what was being commemorated. 

   Starting at the beginning, it's a product of Utica Cutlery, (still in business). The bridge illustration figures prominently, but googling major bridge openings is inconclusive, in Vancouver the Cambie St. bridge was opened in 1985, it doesn't look like this one. In 1985 the Burlington Skyway was twinned, (if you squint hard, maybe?). It is near Toronto... and a local of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America is located in Toronto. Then we have the Great Seal of the United States.

The other side of the handle illustrates a number of non-related technical type activities. Whew.

 Any guesses?

Tire balance and equilibrium

More quirky (and dated) illustrations from Related Science for Automotive Trades by Louis Jensen and William Brazier,  Delmar Publishing, 1958

 

Sidecar Sunday

 Here's a sidecar from an older carousel, much too nicely shaped to be a simple merry go round object. The manufacturer is unknown but German.  A quick Google finds there are still manufacturers making things like this. Technical Park.

 

Dr. John's single

Dec 86, Classic Bike

  Anyone familiar with Moto Guzzi in the 1980s and 90s is aware of Dr. John Wittner, a Philadelphia dentist who modified Guzzi VTwins into racebikes that won championships including the 1987 BOTT (Battle of The Twins). Before he started playing with Guzzis he modified and raced Harley Davidsons. He was also a fan of British singles, owning Gold Stars and Velocettes. 

  This project was his take on a modern American single cylinder sport bike. Starting with a set of stock XLH crankcases, he converted the crankshaft for single cylinder use, blanking off the rear cylinder area. Various mods brought the displacement to 600cc. The transmission is a close ratio box from a KR racer. Using a Lucas headlight and styling licks from the British motorcycle industry giving it a "Clubman" look. The bike worked well, apparently it was faster than either his Velocette and Gold Star while confusing passing Harley and British fans.