Engine builder's/hot rodder's bible?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
my very first two builds / overhauls happened same year I turned 11 years old. I had no instructions, manuals or personal guidance for either.
1. a *** 049 golden bee glow-plug 2-cycle motor for model airplane. About as simple internal combustion motor as exists. *** .049 was sort of the small block chevy of the model airplane hobby.
2. a junked rotary 4-cycle lawnmower I'd found tossed down a ditch embankment. Simplicity only second to 049. Dad wouldn't give me a raise because I was using his mower he'd paid for. Me getting my own pos running and working really changed our dynamic for the good of both.
Don't think I could overstate how much those early hands-on lessons helped me; both then and now.
In stark contrast, a bit older neighbor girl discovered me same year; they've been a freakin' mind-numbing puzzle ever since.
1. a *** 049 golden bee glow-plug 2-cycle motor for model airplane. About as simple internal combustion motor as exists. *** .049 was sort of the small block chevy of the model airplane hobby.
2. a junked rotary 4-cycle lawnmower I'd found tossed down a ditch embankment. Simplicity only second to 049. Dad wouldn't give me a raise because I was using his mower he'd paid for. Me getting my own pos running and working really changed our dynamic for the good of both.
Don't think I could overstate how much those early hands-on lessons helped me; both then and now.
In stark contrast, a bit older neighbor girl discovered me same year; they've been a freakin' mind-numbing puzzle ever since.
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,097
Likes: 4,027
From: New Braunfels Texas
Depends upon the person. Not everyone wants to slog through 800 pages to get "good enough" information to get the job done. 800 pages turns some people off.
For my other hobby, I enjoy reading 800 page Brewing text books; for my engine rebuild / C3 hobby I want to understand how it works and just know roughly how to do something "good enough" to get it done. With the car I'm focused on getting a reasonable end result within a reasonable timeline.
Adam
For my other hobby, I enjoy reading 800 page Brewing text books; for my engine rebuild / C3 hobby I want to understand how it works and just know roughly how to do something "good enough" to get it done. With the car I'm focused on getting a reasonable end result within a reasonable timeline.
Adam
And when it comes to engines....”good enough” is not good enough.
Jebby
Had a 1976 L-82, 4-sp
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,213
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
I think 'good enough' is good enough for a guy like myself who just used off the shelf bolt-on performance parts. No exotic machining, port matching, extensive carb work, etc. I'm pretty sure my engine is at least over 90% of it's performance potential. I guess I could spend lots more $$$ to get more hp but then it might not be streetable anymore. So, for the street, that's good enough for me. Obviously, for professional racers and ocd types, then good enough doesn't cut it. But most folks in here are street guys who don't need 100% power output from their engine which is darn hard to acieve and darn expensive even for the professional race teams.
