Re: [FWDLK] First Hemi

[Bill Watson <wwatson@xxxxxxxxx>]

Even before Thomas Conoulty started modifying Austin engines, Harry Miller
was building 3-litre, double overhead camshaft, hemi-head, straight eight
engines for racing.  The engine, ready for production in late 1921,  first
competed in the 1922 Indianapolis 500.  In the late 1920's Miller would be
building front wheel drive racing cars powered by his hemi engines.  Miller
helped engineer the Cord L-29, whose front end would influence the 1931-33
Chryslers.   And the grille of the Miller FWD car influenced the grilles of
the 1932-33 and 1937-38 DeSotos.

But nine years before that, in 1913, a French-built Peugeot won the
Indianapolis 500 with a 5.6-litre four with double overhead camshafts and
hemispherical combustion chambers.

I suspect someone could find an example of a hemi in existence even before
that.  Also interesting that these pre-Chrysler hemis, including the
Duesenberg, had dual overhead camshafts.

Bill
Vancouver, BC


----- Original Message -----
From: brian
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, May 11, 2002 1:09 AM
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] First Hemi


Even before WWII an enterprising young man named Thomas William Conoulty in
Australia was building a little car called the Austin Seven Comet.  A
successful racer with cycles in the early 1900s he eventually moved to
building and racing cars. In the late 1920s he negotiated an agency for
selling Austin automobiles in South Wales and soon after designed a new
cylinder head for their engines to make them faster on the track. Conoulty
combined this new head with a supercharger which proved to be very popular -
and fast.
By 1933 he needed more power and changed the head design to an OHV with a
true hemispherical combustion chamber. It included a pressed steel rocker
cover with deep tubes for the enclosed plugs providing access.  He was
granted a patent for the design on August 26, 1935.
This is the earliest account of a true "hemi" engine that I am aware of,
perhaps others know of an earlier one?
(Conoulty's interesting story is told in AQ Vol. 42 #1)
Brian
D500s in MI
Joseph Bouboulis wrote:
Well the first hemi (not production!) was a prototype fighter engine built
during WWII. They built 3 2200 ci/2500 hp V16 hemi engines and tested them
but they never reached production. Wouldn't THAT be something in an FL car!
                    Garrett
                    <TheBulkster@COLUMB        To:
L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
                    US.RR.COM>                 cc:
                    Sent by: Forward           Subject:     [FWDLK] First
Hemi
                    Look Mopar
                    Discussion List
                    <L-FORWARDLOOK@list
                    s.psu.edu>
                    05/10/02 12:07 AM
                    Please respond to
                    Garrett
When was the Hemi first introduced?
I just saw this ad on eBay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1826565875&r=0
&t=0
Supposedly its a 1951 331 hemi...I didn't think the hemi was introduced
until a year or two later than that.
Is it the eBay listing, or am I mixin' up my facts?
Garrett in Central Ohio

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