6 replies to this topic

[Terry Walker]

For years I have been wondering what became of the TNT engine, written up in possibly Hot Rod magazine, or Car and Driver or the like, in the 60s. This was a US concept using, as I understand it, steel pressings instead of castings for the block. Four pots, dohc. It was touted as an Offy-competitor, and the working example/s were very light indeed. I seem to remember that the name TNT was not hinting what might happen to the engine if it revved too hard, but came from the happy designers initials.

I assume it came to nothing, because I've never heard of it since. It obviously wasn't as successful as the Novi...I am not even absolutely sure about the name TNT. Is this just a memory of a weird dream I once had, or was there really such an engine?

[ray b]

During the war, Crosley developed the overhead cam four-cylinder Cobra engine for a U.S. Navy project, using a block of brazed copper and sheet steel. This engine was selected to power postwar cars. It displaced 44 cubic inches, developed 26.5 hp and weighed only about 60 pounds.

The copper-steel block was subject to electrolysis, which caused holes to develop in cylinders. Crosley changed to a cast-iron block in 1949. The original dimensions were retained.

Crosley being one of very few small engines built in the USA with a OHC was use in some racers
but smaller classes only

[JB Miltonian]

Terry: I think you may be referring to the "Tyce-Taylor Lightweight Engine", which was written up in a 3-page article in Sports Cars Illustrated, February 1960. I would be happy to scan and send a copy of the article to you via email if you send me a PM with your address.

[Ray Bell]

I'd be surprised if Terry's talking about that one, JB...

It would have been 1962 or 1963, and the story was written as if it was all very fresh. HRM would be my guess.

[275 GTB-4]

Terry...this one is perfect for another thread.....;)

http://forums.autosp...ht=crazy racing

and theres this just in!!

WINO 02-Jan-06 06:11 52

Member
Since: Apr 2004

Bill,

This is how Shelby describes where he got the name Cobra:

"While [the first car, CSX0001] was on its way from England a strange thing happened. One night I had a dream in which I saw the name 'Cobra' on the front of the new car. I woke up and jolted the name down on a pad which I kept by my bedside - a sort of ideas pad - and went back to sleep. Next morning when I looked at the name Cobra, I knew it was right. This had to be it. But when I decided to call my car the Cobra, we ran into an unexpected problem while getting the paperwork ready for a copyright. It suddenly turned out that years before Crosley had built an engine which they had called a Cobra, though for very different reasons.

The little Crosley overhead-camshaft mill had been COpper BRAzed - get the idea? Fortunately, however, it had passed through nine different companies with the engine, rights, and patents, etc. changing hands each time, and not one of those nine successive firms had ever used the name Cobra. Therefore it turned out that the name no longer could be considered as a valid trade name insofar as Crosley was concerned and we were able to copyright it."


Coming in a dream. Another piece of Shelby folklore?


WINO

http://forums.autosp...241#post2236241

[Terry Walker]

I didn't know about the Crosley, so the idea wasn't new. But the article I dimly remember was talking about a new engine, and a further shuffle of the little grey cells brings up the recollection that they fitted it in a Falcon car which went around with a pronounced rake to the rear. I think Ray's right about Hot Rod Magazine being the scource. I used to read it in those days, but then again I read anything with print in those days.

I'm reasonably confident that TNT is the name. That's probably why I remember the thing at all.

No doubt, like the Crosley, the idea was fine but there were insuperable problems in service. I can't help thinking that all the very strong welding needed might have put the costs through the roof.

[Terry Walker]

JB-miltonian - you're a magician. That's the engine. It might even be the same article I saw, although I can't be sure. I bet most US sports car and rod magazines carried features on it. And the TNT comes from Tyce 'n' Taylor. The engine was brazed in a furnace.

The article says a 2-litre version was going into Gordon and James Boxberger's Lotus XI. If the power outputs quoted were dinkum, that Lotus should have cleaned up. But did it?