A Retired Book Keeper's Hobby - Amazing Craftsman

[TJC]

My father-in-Law is quite the machinist and builds all manner of engines from scratch - ALL the parts. He has a small foundry out back and casts, then machines the parts. He likes miniature best, but has a collection of steam engines, aircraft engines, and full size antique outboard motors from the 1890's to the 1950's up to about 30hp. 250 last count. All look new and all run. He also builds clocks and watches from scratch.

He travels a bit going to machinist gatherings and swaps, and meets a lot of interesting people. A friend introduced him to this retired bookkeeper who builds engines on the side. He also has built this automobile - by hand. Take a peek at his creation.

I asked more about this fellow... his reply

He is a car guy, he says he enjoys the challenges I bring him. ​

He actually built a V-12 with two v6 engines and then the entire car
Hand made except for certain components, brakes, steering and a specialty shop made the crankshaft ​

I asked him for another picture or two. He sent me this. Said he's been doing this for years.

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[Grumpaw]

DAMMMMMM....I can barely get two Lego Blocks to snap together !!!

 

[5thranger]

My father-in-Law is quite the machinist and builds all manner of engines from scratch - ALL the parts. He has a small foundry out back and casts, then machines the parts. He likes miniature best, but has a collection of steam engines, aircraft engines, and full size antique outboard motors from the 1890's to the 1950's up to about 30hp. 250 last count. All look new and all run. He also builds clocks and watches from scratch.

He travels a bit going to machinist gatherings and swaps, and meets a lot of interesting people. A friend introduced him to this retired bookkeeper who builds engines on the side. He also has built this automobile - by hand. Take a peek at his creation.

I asked more about this fellow... his reply

He is a car guy, he says he enjoys the challenges I bring him. ​

He actually built a V-12 with two v6 engines and then the entire car​

Hand made except for certain components, brakes, steering and a specialty shop made the crankshaft ​

I asked him for another picture or two. He sent me this. Said he's been doing this for years.

Looks like the retired bookkeeper retired from the wrong vocation. Anybody that talented should have been doing that for a profession.

 

[got3fords]

That reminds me of the Schubeck eagle engine, which was so powerful, it got banned from the NHRA.

 

[TJC]

Notice the twin turbos, Custom one off valve covers, fuel rails, intake manifolds and headers.

I'd love to get closeup and talk to the bookkeeper. I've got my father-in-law talking to his friend to get more info.

 

[Dereku]

If I could imagine that, there is no way I could draw it, let alone build it. Thats amazing

 

[TJC]

Also notice the heads are inverted, with intake manifold at the bottom and the headers rising from the typical "intake valley" between the heads of as V style engine! Such a tight fit for the headers. Some serious out of the box thinking going on. Also note the headers grouped in sets of 3. Two V6s back to back to make the V12.

After seeing this engine I did a little research to see if there were any examples of mix match technologies leveraging common parts that made inline and V engine configurations, Sure enough I found a nice example from Detroit Diesel Engines. Here's part of my correspondence to my father in law:

Thanks for the note and further explanation. I had missed the twin V6 engine angle. I was too distracted looking and analyzing the top of the engine turbo routing configuration.​

​

I know that Detroit Diesel built the Series 71, (a 2 stroke engine that came) in multiple configurations, both inline and V! Inlines were 1,2,3,4, and 6 cylinders. V configurations were 6, 8, 12, 16, and 24 cylinders. Heads were designed to be swapped among different configurations. for instance, the V-24 used 4 heads from the inline 6 engine. Doing so kept costs, and weight down. Detroit Diesel even made a few models in an opposing cylinder pancake configuration, ala Subaru or the Corvair engine designs. ​

​

The inlines were first produced in 1938 and were used in all manner of equipment, tanks, landing craft, and heavy equipment. The US Military used a ton of them. The bigger V configurations were also used in all manner of products, like buses. motor homes, trucks, fire engines, tractors and even small commercial fishing/shrimp boats, as well as yachts, and electric generators. ​

​

The V's came out in 1957. Production stopped in 1995 when the 4 stroke diesel replaced it. ​

​

I think it strange that the 71 series was considered normally aspirated, but it came with a turbo. It was also produced in left hand and right hand configurations, (clockwise and counter - clockwise rotations). Which was great for twin engine boat applications, and front engine vs rear engine applications (think Greyhound buses and Caterpillar road graders).​

​

The S-71 was a clever modular design that proved itself, staying in production for over 57 years! Engineering at its finest!​

 

[TJC]

And as I look at the header banks I can't tell if they are 1 piece / bank or two. The tubes are tightly fitted and weave like spaghetti. If two piece it was a bear to install. Either way, it took some serious design work to fab them up.

I'm leaning towards i piece.

And I haven't even talked about the twin intercooler / air scoop setup.

 

[RangerTX]

Dang man. Thats epic. I feel like a simple ameba next to skills like that.

 

[Friday yet?]

Just for the record, I change the oil in my truck. Skillz.

 

[Friday yet?]

My father-in-Law is quite the machinist and builds all manner of engines from scratch - ALL the parts. He has a small foundry out back and casts, then machines the parts. He likes miniature best, but has a collection of steam engines, aircraft engines, and full size antique outboard motors from the 1890's to the 1950's up to about 30hp. 250 last count. All look new and all run. He also builds clocks and watches from scratch.

He travels a bit going to machinist gatherings and swaps, and meets a lot of interesting people. A friend introduced him to this retired bookkeeper who builds engines on the side. He also has built this automobile - by hand. Take a peek at his creation.

I asked more about this fellow... his reply

He is a car guy, he says he enjoys the challenges I bring him. ​

He actually built a V-12 with two v6 engines and then the entire car​

Hand made except for certain components, brakes, steering and a specialty shop made the crankshaft ​

I asked him for another picture or two. He sent me this. Said he's been doing this for years.

Stunning.

 

[Blmpkn]

I've never been so attracted to a man before.

 

[philanderer]

Just for the record, I change the oil in my truck. Skillz.

i checked the oil in mine. winning!!!

 

[dtech]

yes but can he fab a better 10r80 ? wouldn't think it would be that much of a challenge. I'll be the 1st to place an order.

 

[Fawnbuster]

My father-in-Law is quite the machinist and builds all manner of engines from scratch - ALL the parts. He has a small foundry out back and casts, then machines the parts. He likes miniature best, but has a collection of steam engines, aircraft engines, and full size antique outboard motors from the 1890's to the 1950's up to about 30hp. 250 last count. All look new and all run. He also builds clocks and watches from scratch.

He travels a bit going to machinist gatherings and swaps, and meets a lot of interesting people. A friend introduced him to this retired bookkeeper who builds engines on the side. He also has built this automobile - by hand. Take a peek at his creation.

I asked more about this fellow... his reply

He is a car guy, he says he enjoys the challenges I bring him. ​

He actually built a V-12 with two v6 engines and then the entire car​

Hand made except for certain components, brakes, steering and a specialty shop made the crankshaft ​

I asked him for another picture or two. He sent me this. Said he's been doing this for years.

Wow...WOW!

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