Just one day past the deadline, Michiel van den Brink was finally able to get in touch with famed Zagato designer Ercole Spada. We added Spada’s two comments after mailout. To see his favorite Zagatos, see “My Favorite Zagato”, below.
Name This Engine!
What kind of engine is pictured above? It was removed from a damaged car in a U.S. junkyard about 25 years ago.
No one remembers the type of car or name. We can tell you it is post WWII and of Italian manufacter. We look forward to your opinions–just use the comments box below.
measure the bore diameter & see if it is a fiat 8v.
> jack
Fiat 8V
Pete: the 8V motors were installed in SIATA’s too.
fiat 8v
Urraco
My guess is ATS,the company formed in 1962 by Chiti,Bizzarini and other mutineers from Ferrari.
It may be the 2.6 alfa V8
My first guess was an Alfa Montreal V8. I’m sure it’s going to be some rediculously obscure rare vehicle.
Nope, not a Fiat. The 8V was a 70 degree “V” and this one looks to be a 90. Not a Ferrari 308, which was a DOHC. The Alfa and Maserati eights were also DOHC. The only Italian V8 SOHC I can think of was the old Lamborghini Uracco, and I can’t say for sure this is it. I’m baffled.
yes i remember the siata 2 litre spyder, nice setup with double wishbone rear suspension arrangement. one of my friends in baltimore had one, this was about 1958-59. he turned it upside down @ marlboro one time so i got a good look at the rear end parts.
doesn’t look like an alfa, they would have used a full circular oil seal on the crank nose.
> jack
Floyd…
It isn’t an 8V Fiat and it certainly isn’t an Alfa Montreal engine…
I’m still working on it.
Jack and Tom are correct, it’s not a montreal engine. Belt drive camms are a clue, which makes it not that old.
2010 Lamborghini Murcielago
;-))
GM is closer than he knows… Heron heads, 90 degree SOHC V-8 with belt driven cams and four twin choke down draft carbs, either Weber 40IDF or Solex C40P117. 86mm bore x 53mm stroke, actual capacity is 2463cc. Ironically, it displaces 308cc per cylinder and at 10.4:1 compression ratio it produces 220bhp (DIN) @ 7,500 rpm. L240 series Lamborghini V-8 in the 2.5 liter Urraco.
May be an Urraco ?
At first I thought Serrenissima,but this motor takes a one piece rocker/cam cover,so I think ATS.Could it be a wetsump with an external oil pump ? What about Ted Martin V8 ?
We need more pics and at least the bore size.If it is appx year 1963 then the belt drive could have been a later modification,in the 70’s perhaps.
Looks nice nonetheless.
All the clues led me to the Lamborghini Urraco. The same engine or variation for the Lamborghini Silhouette and Jalpa.
Could it be the Martin V8 removed from a french Monica?
ATS
The reason I suggested the Martin V8 is because the Martin has a belt drive and single piece camcovers.In fact the Martin was the first in the world to have toothed belt camshaft drive,anni 1966.
About 40 were made (?)
I read that only 20 ATS V8’s were made (?)
So many other companies have produced V8’s worlwide.
Ted Martin’s 3.4 liter V-8 was only in the earliest prototypes of the Monica. Later prototypes and the production cars had Chrysler 340cid V-8s. Anybody got a picture of a Monica?
Answered my own question. Looks like someone rearended a Lotus +2 with an Iso Fidia… In google type in Monica 560.
It’s a Lamborghini V-8. Probably out of an Uracco.
Sorry – that should have been spelled Urraco.
What do I win?
I am not sure what it is but I am sure what it is not. It is not a Lambo, alfa montreal, maserati or ferrari v8, as they all have hemi heads. This head is a wedge type.
I don’t think it is a fiat 8V either as the exhaust comes out vertical on the head, and the block is much narrower with a 70° V.
The block looks Italian and i think ATS is a possibility, but I have only ever seen one of them and never taken one apart