I found an older email while looking for something else. Anyway heres a copy and paste of the email I got (It was copied and pasted from a web site then put into the email to me). Its pretty cool and I'm not sure if everyone here has seen or read about this so I thought I would post, enjoy
below here
Just thought I'd share some before and after pictures of my Ford GAA tank
engine. All aluminum 1100 cubic inch V8 used in WWII Sherman Tanks. These
were gas burners rated at 500 HP and 1050 Ft. Lbs. of torque for military
service, but are capable of much much more using mostly stock parts. They
feature a 60 degree vee, 5.4 bore x 6.0 stroke, 180 degree factory billet
cranks, pent roof combustion chambers, shaft driven DOHC's, 4 valves per
cylinder, and dual mags. They are pretty high tech. engines, especially
considering they were built in the early 40's.
I've been working on getting one of mine going for the last couple of
years, and should be cranking it within a week or so. (Embedded image
moved to file: It's setting in my 70 Mustang right now which
I plan on taking on short cruises when finished, 24 gallons of alcohol
wont go very far. It is bolted to a heavily modified Powerglide right now.
Wilcap ( Pat McGuire ) built the adapter and flexplate for me.
I drove to BFE Nebraska to get my first 2 engines. I ended up with 5 more
in a package deal just 50 miles from my house a year later.
Stock with all the tank accessories they weigh 1400 lbs. I've got it down
to 960 lbs. now which is liveable, not much more than a blown cast iron
Hemi or BBC.
They sound neat, not like a normal V8 due the 180 degree crank. More like
a Cosworth on serious steroids. I'll try to get some sort of video when I
crank it. I only have dail-up but I'll figure out something. The tractor
version has 2, 103mm turbos going on it which should be good for about
32-34 pounds of boost. I thought about trying to use one of them on the
Mustang, but I haven't decided where to mount it yet. I also have a dual
6-71 blower setup that came with the 5 engine package deal that really
looks awesome. The 2, 6-71's bolt end to end and use a coupler in between
them to drive the second blower similar to a 12-71 Detroit diesel. The
only problem is that is another 150 lbs. over the front axle. I may still
try it later though.
Here is another picture. The engine on top has the dual 6-71's that were
38% overdriven, those zoomies have 3'' primaries. The engine on the bottom
belongs to a tractor puller in Kansas. He used that one, twin turbo engine
to win the nationals back in the mid-eighties, beating numerous triple
Hemi and BBC powered tractors along the way. He claimed 3600HP with 34 psi
and alky. I imagine that # isn't far off because a 12'' 4 disc. Crower
clutch was having hell holding it. It used a stock crank, rods, cams, and
turned 5000+ rpm on a regular basis.
That's why the 2 blowers aren't sitting on it yet. The radiator will be in
back, along with the 2nd fuel cell, batteries, etc. I think its going to ok
though. I weigh 240, and I can't make it come close to bottoming out
jumping up and down on the front end. It really doesn't weigh much more
than a blown iron Hemi or BBC would. Enderle injected, 2 nozzles per cyl,
2 Impco 3.80'' throttle bodies. It is all aluminum, pan to valve covers,
no silver paint here. I probably have 80 to 100 hrs. of time invested in
polishing the pan, frt. cover, block, heads, and valve covers just to
bring them to a satin finish.
Supposedly this V-8 shares the same bore, stroke, and bore spacing as a RR
Merlin V-12. Ford took 4 of the cylinders off to help create the tank
engine.
I've read that the diesel Sherman's were actually used by the Canadians.
Death trap is a really good read. It will give you some insight as to how
these vehicles were kept in running condition out in the field. U.S. armor
had to be repaired in the field in make shift repair areas. The Germans
planned on returning their broken or damaged tanks by rail to the
factories for repairs. A certain percentage of factory floor space was
reserved for the repair of damaged vehicles. Because of extensive allied
bombing the return of damaged vehicles was never really possible in great
numbers. The Germans also hoped to transport their heavy armor as close as
possible to the battlefield. Once again, because of allied bombing this
was often difficult cult. T hey were forced to actually drive to the
battlefields and the increased wear and tear was a real problem for their
more complicated, more difficult to repair and maintain tanks.
Heres some images
Heres some videos
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ilyGlrM1Q6A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt5uSx3eFYU
