By Jeff Glucker
A sixteen cylinder engine is a beautiful thing. Typically they are found nestled into the most elegant of classic coach-built bodywork or the most exotic of supercars. Sometimes however they make their way into a vehicle that you might not expect. Read on to find out more…
Would you have guessed that this wonderful engine was shoved into a 1934 Ford Roadster? I didn’t think so! (If you answered correctly, ignore that last statement…also you are lying).
Set to cross the Mecum Auction block at Dana Mecum’s Spring Classic this May is a 1934 Ford Roadster that is powered by a 492 C.I. V16 engine originally attached to a Marmon. The engine is paired with the six-speed manual transmission from a Dodge Viper. Probably a good strong choice since the engine puts out 410 hp at 3500 RPM and 1,150 ft lbs of torque at the rear wheels. This is like the Bugatti Veyron of hot rods.
Here is the full list of highlights I found on the Mecum listing:
– 5 year project no expense was spared to create this one of a kind “crossover car”
– 1932 Marmon V-16 engine, 410 HP at 3500 RPM, 1150 ft lbs of torque at rear wheels
– World renowned McKee Engineering converted the engine to throttle body fuel injection
– Viper 6-speed transmission, Quartermaster clutch and drivetrain parts
– Ford 9″ rear, top speed over 200 MPH in sixth gear
– Two EMD pulse ignition systems, custom cam position sensor
– Third computer is used to control and monitor all engine functions
– Satellite navigation
– Audio and video accessories, all operate by the touch screen monitor in the center console
– Coachwork and upholstery was performed at Restorations Unlimited
– The final touch is the Bulova clock that is built into the steering wheel horn ring
I am not a big fan of hot rods but this secured a prime spot in my fantasy garage. Sure, I would swap in a new interior but that is a minor detail when you consider the nearly-nuclear powerplant under the hood.
For more information head over to Mecum.com (direct link to the listing page for this vehicle).
Kamil Kaluski 
Bradley Brownell
12 cylinders are coolest.
10 cylinders try to be as cool, but they aren't.
16 cylinders? Well, that's just garish.
What an incredible profile! Pure sculpture – I want to get lost in those exhaust pipes.
The only thing I don't like – and this is purely a minor subjective detail – is the headlights. I just can't help thinking this would be so much cooler with a set of tastefully updated dogdish lamps instead of those chrome bugeyes.
OTOH, what does it matter? They'll probably peel right off the first time you mash the funbar!
Sat Nav and touch screen?!?!? Not in this car. The computers can stay to keep things running, but all the other stuff can be beamed to the support vehical that follows on longer trips. 200 mph in sixth? Let's find out. Hold my beer.
Now that is a hood that deserves to have Dita Von Teese draped across it! Absolutely gorgeous.
I'm thinking Cruella DeVille, but when she was young and sexy.
…which is probably a fair description of Ms Von Teese, come to think of it.
Why are there only 10 header pipes? Do the other 6 just vent into the engine compartment?
Good question
That's the first thing I noticed. There should be a few more.
Maybe they have one of those rare height into five headers…
Yeah, me too. WTF?
My guess…..the outer cylinders have one each, the center six cylinders share the last three pipes. Looking at the first pic you can see the pipes heading in, maybe a tight exhaust system just pushing into 5 holes?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thu…
The middle ones are siamesed, just like an old smallblock.
You got it.
From the auction listing: "…the long V-16 Marmon engine that, due to the siamesed exhaust ports, provide the unusual sight of five header pipes emanating from the engine side covers. "
That car is absolutely delicious and the headlights look like encased diamonds. I am not a fan of roasters as a rule, but the external simplicity of this makes me want to take an up close and personal look. Great article.
O.k., this is a cool project, but man does the description read like a craigslist ad:
– 5 year project no expense was spared to create this one of a kind “crossover car”
REALLY? It's a crossover now? So I should shop this against an Equinox?
– 1932 Marmon V-16 engine, 410 HP at 3500 RPM, 1150 ft lbs of torque at rear wheels
1150 lbs-ft /4.10 rear end/2.6 first gear = 108 lb-ft at the crank… DETAILS PEOPLE!
– World renowned McKee Engineering converted the engine to throttle body fuel injection
You're world renowned, and the best you could do was stick a couple of injectors in where the carb went? What are you world renowned for? Halfassery?
– Viper 6-speed transmission, Quartermaster clutch and drivetrain parts
o.k., good for you
– Ford 9″ rear, top speed over 200 MPH in sixth gear
RPM x overdrive x rear end x tire diameter != top speed
– Two EMD pulse ignition systems, custom cam position sensor
A pair of MSD boxes, and a bracket.
– Third computer is used to control and monitor all engine functions
Now you are counting MSD boxes as computers? Did you know 1 megasquirt will handle ALL of those functions?
– Satellite navigation
A garmin in a custom enclosure
– Audio and video accessories, all operate by the touch screen monitor in the center console
Now we've crossed a line into tackiness
– Coachwork and upholstery was performed at Restorations Unlimited
Someone had to do it?
– The final touch is the Bulova clock that is built into the steering wheel horn ring
Because the garmin and the touch screen took up all the room in the dash?
Don't get me wrong, very neat project, but the devil is in the details, and this ain't got em.
All good points… I however just went goo goo bananas because of the V16
Probably just a combination of bad-day-at-work, and a little too jaded on the car scene lately…
V-16 in anything is good news, but the details are off just enough, that I would have a hard time deciding between this car, and one powered by a dressed-down* ecotec with all the other details perfect
* you know, where they take a new engine, and detail it to look super old school… The Googles are failing me right now…
The torque at rear wheel spec immediately jumped at me: without a complete drive train description, it is meaningless. However I do not doubt that this engine has a lot of low end torque!
I tend to agree with most of your other points, although I usually take any ad with a grain of salt…
I suspect they back-calculated the torque after measuring the HP at the wheels (which is really a measure of torque…).
Symantic meta-splosion aside, the point is, I'm betting it makes 1150 at the crank.
Going on the assumption that this is a former air craft motor, that torque number is not unbelievable. You have to wonder why these motors are even used in tractor pulls, ; )
Get off the coffee too.
Navigation. For when you lose your shit with all them torques. Seriously, this needs a wheelie bar. And maybe some wider tires. Maybe…
Doesn't need the one if it doesn't have the other!
I get the emails from Mecum (you can sign up on their website). So, I knew where this was going.
This is a pretty awesome project. I think we need more V-16s…and straight 8s.
What about U16s? That's two strait 8s side by side like in the Bugatti Royal.
Stop it. You're getting me all bothered.
and let us not be forgetting:
<img src="https://hooniverse.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/BRM-h16.jpg">
IIRC from an F1 book I read awhile ago – that engine never ran right, ever.
Mmymmmmymmmy God it has PAH! Wonderful looking car.
"The final touch is the Bulova clock that is built into the steering wheel horn ring"
The final touch is the Bulovan engine that thing was repowered with.
While it is an engineering marvel, I can't get my the body lines. It's just too long.
Typical consumer: Hello, I am looking for a nice crossover…
Hooniverse Motors: Well, have we got something special for you!
No fenders on the front = no fenders on the back. There are RULES, people!
/Even if I have to make them up.
Yeah, it kinda does look wierd like that. And for a car with that kind of power, why such tiny tires? I wouldn't want to take it to the supposed 200mph top speed on those pizza cutters!
Too clean and clinical. needs moar hoon. A real hooniversal v16 is much cheaper to build. The Pripism img src="http://image.hotrod.com/f/29418672/hrdp_0909_02_z+custom_speed_buggy+passenger_side_view.jpg">
<img src="http://image.hotrod.com/f/29418672/hrdp_0909_02_z+custom_speed_buggy+passenger_side_view.jpg">
Man, that is the scariest and most outrageous thing yet. Love it. What the hell is it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCucNnru54c
Shit-wow, that's mental. Love it.
1100+ lb/ft of torque and those skinny tires! I'm sure it could perform epic burnouts which might just alter the rotation of the earth. I want to see a video of it and hear the sound.
This is the second coolest Marmon V16 powered rod in the world. My friend's has a blower. A really big blower.
My friend's has hexadecagonal turbos. And a 500 shot.
My buddy's has a sequential hyper-drive.
All lashed together by a Turbo Encabulator, I hope.
I would have went with a Breitling in the wheel. That said, I like it. I would repaint it, but I like it.
[youtube 2Cz55QYSTg0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cz55QYSTg0&fe… youtube]
This is what it sounds like when it's running.
[youtube 2Cz55QYSTg0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cz55QYSTg0&fe… youtube]
Her's a youtube of the marmon 16 running while the car was being built. Sounds beautiful.
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