<VV> Off topic BO V-8's

[hallgrenn at aol.com]

James,

Though not a popular option you could get the BO aluminum V8 in the early Tempest.  The 326 was '63 on if memory serves.  A teacher had the 215 aluminum engine in his '61 or '62 Tempest that he bought new.

Bob Hall


-----Original Message-----
From: ricebugg <ricebugg at comcast.net>
To: virtualvairs <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Tue, Mar 25, 2014 1:10 pm
Subject: <VV> Off topic BO V-8's



All:  IIFC, Pontiac use a iron 326 V-8 in the Tempest, along with their slant 4 
cyl.  They never offered the 215 alloy V-8

 

Buick & Olds both offered an alloy 215 cid V-8 for a couple years.  The engines 
were not identical. The Olds had 5 head studs per cylinder vs 4 on the Buick.  I 
remember this from pro road racing in the early '60's when small English 
mid-engine racecars chassis, plus a few home grown cars, started being stuff 
with American V-8's.  The Buick was first use in a McKee and then a Scarab 
chassis, but the racers soon perfered the Olds engine because of the 5 stud 
arrangement.  The BO alloy engines were soon displaced with 289 Fords and 327 
Chevy's. All of which lead to the SCCA's Cam-Am series.  Small window of 
opportunity for the BO V-8's.  Only slightly bigger than for Corvair powered 
sports-racers. 

 

When the Olds and Bucik compacts were "up graded" to Intermediates in about '64. 
the BO alloy engines were sold to Rover.  Assume they used the 5 stud 
configuration.  This engine may still be in production.  It has powered all 
sorts on specialty English sports cars, and even went to LeMans in the back of a 
English GT prototype.

 
Buick also had a iron V-6, which they sold to Jeep.  It may also still be in 
production.
Historically Yours,
                       James Rice
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