anyone know anything or any sites about the old buick fireball straight 8 engines?
i found one I could probabbly have for free, and would like to know more about it

why they were never any good for anything?

uhm, I think that info was helpful, but I'm not sure
maybe you could elaborate a bit and tell me why
no power?
no torque?
weak design?
what was wrong with them?
my first guess was that it would be a tourque monster, but please enlighten me

I thought they stopped using those in the 50's??? or I guess maybe early 60's. Hmm yeah I bet that would compete with modern technology well :rolleyes: might be cool in a old buick :p or throw that bitch in an old ass boat that would be nostalgic and fun

yeah it's way old
i found it on the family farm where it was used to run an irrigation pump
dad said he remembered seeing it at night out by the pond with the exhaust glowing red
grampa says it has lots of power, but I guess that's all relitive
I know it's not practical, but I figured this was the tech area, so maybe someone might know something about it

Looks to be Typical 40's engine. Low comperssion low, horse power. Here are some specs:
(Series 60, 70, 90) 165hp/3800rpm, Straight 8 - cyl, 320,2 cid
Bore/Stroke: 3,44/4,31 inches. Compression ratio 6.70 : 1

At 6.7:1 you could run it on NAPTHA!

6.71 compression says one thing to me.......... TURBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

crank it up to 12-15 psi of boost and stand back! ( for fear of a con rod beaning you :D )

at least you can get parts

http://www.greenbaypartsworld.com/g248a.htm

just old school, bad flowing head, no after market support and longer than hell. i think it weighs as much as cummings 6bt. with 1/4 the torque.

I saw one in an old Buick on TV and the owners said it made 400-500 hp. Dunno what the torque was.

327 CID after 1950 thru 53 - Massive, no, monstrous low end torque - 5 main block - Last used in the '53 Special - had an optional factory 3 carb setup in 1939, 40, 41 and 47 thru 50. It was actually used in a few highly competitive dragsters up to the early 60's.

Downside: this motor is at least as long as your whole Jeep.

Of course, you could bronze it and put it on your mantle!!

Oh, yeah, about the torque . . . Straight 8's with standard transmissions ate clutches. That's why most of them had Dynasaur autos.

Originally posted by AIRZUKI
6.71 compression says one thing to me.......... TURBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

crank it up to 12-15 psi of boost and stand back! ( for fear of a con rod beaning you :D )


BOOST GOOD!!!!



Me and a buddy hada '53 Roadmaster- took the engine out and was gonna swap it to a '64 chevy truck - never did it though
Later traded it for '68 4wd Crew Cab dodge with a slant 6
From what i have heard the inline 8's are torquey as hell

I've seen many Mailbox post made out of The crank shafts of those motors.

As many of them that I have seen I figured that must be all they are good for :D

What about the weight? I'll take the safe guess that these things aren't light.

I used the crank for a boat anchor.....but that probably doesn't help you any!