THE BRUTAL AMERICAN 20-LITRE V-4 FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CHRISTIE RACING CAR OF 1907The most spectacular and brutal car Christie ever built was definitely the V-4 racer of 1907. It had an engine that housed an astonishing 20 liters (1,214 cubic inches), mounted transversely, the crankshaft taking the place of the front axle! It was a completely new design, specially built for the 1907 racing season and using no parts from previous racers. The immense engine had a bore and stroke of 184 x 184 mm (7 1/4 inch square) and 8 atmospheric inlet valves per cylinder and just one mechanically opened overhead exhaust valve. The transverse mounted engine employed crankshaft mounted spur gears and telescopic U-joints on each end to drive the front wheels, originally through a transmission arrangement that featured dangerously exposed gears. Later this was changed, to make it better suited for high-speed racing.
“Mercilessly mocked…until it started winning. The 1917 Golden Submarine was Harry Miller’s first enclosed race car and was made with a “safety” cage after the death of driver Bob Burman. It won 17 of the 35 races it ran and set every international dirt-track speed record.” Photos by Peter Harholdt Classic Rides
Steve says he is a Steampunk fan so he may like this.
We are so exposed to modern cars now we forget that as with most tech the evolution in the beginning often produces unexpected forms.