As I type, I am staring at a Nov 57 Motor Trend. Inside, there is an article
entitled "Potent Plymouth Powerhouse: Economy in manufacture-but no loss in
performance-is the secret behind Chrysler's new Golden Commando engine".
Summarizing...
1. The Hemi heads "...weighed 60 pounds more than they should have (with
iron sellling for 10 cents a pound".
2. The Hemi took two rocker arm shafts instead of one.
3. Hemi head machine tools were complex.
4. The new "wedge" engine will use light, compact head castings, "...like
most of them have been using for nine years" (I assume a reference to '49 GM
and Olds OHV engines).
5. "Gimmicks" (MTs term) like stamped rocker arms, stamped timing chain
covers, sheet metal valve chamber covers, etc, will save more dollars.
6. Chrysler engineers "...frequently admit that they would have used the
unique ball-joint rocker-arm valve train. Unfortunately for the rest of the
industry, GM holds sufficient patents on the design to keep them from moving
in. So the Chrysler people just got down to work and took every cent of cost
they could out of their valve train without ingringing on the GM patents".
Of course, these comments re the Plymouth motor apply across all V-8 use
when the changeover occured, including Imperial.
Currell
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