289 members DNA

[peterc]

Looking at both Migge's and Roger's build pictures has got me wondering.
Just what is the common DNA that draws us all to drool over the detail of a V8 and enjoy the associated noises.

Personally I do not turn round in the street to react to the sound of a high revving Ferrari but the thob of a V8 just sets the pulse going and I turn round to see what it's attached to.

I was at the end of my holiday recently doing the boring bit on the beach when my ears picked up to the throb of a big engine nearby. A small speed boat was the only thing in sight at the time and initially did not seem to be appropriate to be providing this lovely burble. That is until it decided to leave in suitably impressive manner. It was the boating equivalent of a Cobra.
Yes, this tiny wooden launch had a V8 under the rear deck. Mega.

Back in the late 60's / early 70's it was the Lola T70 that had that deeper rumble which made watching the GT racing at Brands so enjoyable. We can't all afford to have a 427 lump under the bonnet but there's definitely no substitute for cubic inches when it comes to the depth of the sound.

Now I'm not really into V12's ( not just Ferrari) except for one. That large supercharged RR attached to the front of a Spitfire or Hurricane is the exception. It's guaranteed to get the hairs on one neck to bristle.

What gets you fired up?
Peter C

[Karl]

After the Mille Miglia we stayed at the Lake Garda for two days. V8 noise attracted us to the shore and we found a boat house storing Riva boats, all equipped with V8`s. They could do an engine change in under one hour. Test run on the trailer with external cooling water supply was fantastic.
We stood there and watched and forgot the time!

[peterc]

Not wishing to prolong the nautical element of our V8 discussions but you have just reminded me of the time I had an outing aboard a offshore power boat racer. It had twin V8's both with 440 bhp. The twin burble as we went slowly away from the jetty was fanstatic. Once out into the main channel and throttles opened up Wow!
They even allowed me to operate the helm albeit at only 60- 65 mph! Top speed was apparently 75-80 mph. You soon realised how quickly you approached other boats which had to be avoided with a good sized gap.
Of course they remainded in control of the power and the trim tabs.
The were the best customers for the local refuelling barge !!
Peter C

[Roger King]

If you look at the American engine forums (Windsor forum, sbf forum etc.) probably half of their threads relate to marinized engines. The 351W is a popular sport boat engine in the US and loads of guys seem to have them. The guy who runs my local motor factors single-handed has a waterski boat with a 351W on one of the local lakes in the fens. Ideal application, really - relatively low state of tune and running at constant rpm most of the time, with no shortage of coolant.
The T70 MkIIIB is probably just about my favourite sports/racing car of all time, yes, more than the GT40 (even though the GT40 was developed out of a Lola). Probably because they were (and still are) built 5 miles away in Huntingdon. Eric Broadley was a lovely guy, albeit a little... odd, latterly. Lola had a parade around the Huntingdon ring road a couple of years ago which was spectacular. The T70s were nearly all equipped with the Chevy 350 in various guises, apart from the infamous Lola-Aston which ran something else, not sure what.
My real favourite was Mark Donohue's Sunoco Special, run by Penske. Midnight blue with gold pinstripes, mmmmmmm....

Roger

[Maxakarudy]

Others know a lot more than me, but I believe the firing order of the yank V8 is different to a euro v8 and reosnates a more earthy pleasing growl, the same feeling and sound you get when a Harley passes you by, you just gotta stop and look

I'll get my coat
Martin

[Roger King]

Others know a lot more than me, but I believe the firing order of the yank V8 is different to a euro v8 and reosnates a more earthy pleasing growl, the same feeling and sound you get when a Harley passes you by, you just gotta stop and look

I'll get my coat
Martin

It's more to do with the crank design than the firing order - flat plane cranks make a completely different sound. I would have to admit that I do stop and look at Harleys in surprise... although that's usually because I'm thinking, what made them buy that when they could have had one of the wilder Ducatis.

[Roger King]

Others know a lot more than me, but I believe the firing order of the yank V8 is different to a euro v8 and reosnates a more earthy pleasing growl, the same feeling and sound you get when a Harley passes you by, you just gotta stop and look

I'll get my coat
Martin

It's more to do with the crank design than the firing order - flat plane cranks make a completely different sound. I would have to admit that I do stop and look at Harleys in surprise... although that's usually because I'm thinking, what made them buy that when they could have had one of the wilder Ducatis (sorry Paul!).

[Migge]

RV8 in an MGB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gVC2X-F88U

[Paul Blore]

Others know a lot more than me, but I believe the firing order of the yank V8 is different to a euro v8 and reosnates a more earthy pleasing growl, the same feeling and sound you get when a Harley passes you by, you just gotta stop and look

I'll get my coat
Martin

It's more to do with the crank design than the firing order - flat plane cranks make a completely different sound. I would have to admit that I do stop and look at Harleys in surprise... although that's usually because I'm thinking, what made them buy that when they could have had one of the wilder Ducatis (sorry Paul!).

Precisely because the Ducatis are "wilder".

I've had Ducati sports bike sin the past and they're lovely. As it happens, the two that I had are now worth rather a lot of money, so I should have kept them. However, modern roads are too dangerous and too full of idiots on mobile phones to be riding a sports bike in my view. Ducatis really don't make any sense unless you're really pressing on, by which point you're taking your life in your hands. The Harley is nice to ride at pretty much any speed and there's no temptation to go silly.

[Roger King]

Others know a lot more than me, but I believe the firing order of the yank V8 is different to a euro v8 and reosnates a more earthy pleasing growl, the same feeling and sound you get when a Harley passes you by, you just gotta stop and look

I'll get my coat
Martin

It's more to do with the crank design than the firing order - flat plane cranks make a completely different sound. I would have to admit that I do stop and look at Harleys in surprise... although that's usually because I'm thinking, what made them buy that when they could have had one of the wilder Ducatis (sorry Paul!).

Precisely because the Ducatis are "wilder".

I've had Ducati sports bike sin the past and they're lovely. As it happens, the two that I had are now worth rather a lot of money, so I should have kept them. However, modern roads are too dangerous and too full of idiots on mobile phones to be riding a sports bike in my view. Ducatis really don't make any sense unless you're really pressing on, by which point you're taking your life in your hands. The Harley is nice to ride at pretty much any speed and there's no temptation to go silly.

You're absolutely right Paul, modern roads don't favour decent sports bikes, which is why I no longer ride. My brother was a proficient clubbie racer (TZ Yams, Classic series etc.) who also had a few Dukes, and his considered opinion was that they were bloody hard to ride until well past the legal limit at which point the air pressure kept your upper body comfortable. At 70 you had to hold yourself up off the handlebars which was hard work. I guess the Harley solves that problem as you just lie back and think of Milwaukee.