Fulvia

H

HenrysDad

Member
Messages
446
Explain to me why Italian engines just love to be revved? It defines the love that we have for them surely. Other cars may be faster but it doesn't matter, ultimately they have no soul.
 
zagatoes30

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
21,046
Italian engines generally are low capacity and light weight due to tax regulations so the art of getting the most out of the least was well honed over the years. So things we take for granted today the Italians were using 50 plus years ago, twin cams, twin carbs, fancy metals etc all lead to low inertia and power at higher revs. A 1.3 Lancia or Alfa from the 60s spins up the rev range in a way a British engine could only dream of.

There is an exception the climax fire pump based engines of the 50s / 60s and even the Hillman Imp based version of the same were well capable of hitting astonishing RPM, race Imp engines of today can hit nearly 11,000 rpm
 
Erlingtheyounger

Erlingtheyounger

Member
Messages
87
zagatoes30 said:
Italian engines generally are low capacity and light weight due to tax regulations so the art of getting the most out of the least was well honed over the years. So things we take for granted today the Italians were using 50 plus years ago, twin cams, twin carbs, fancy metals etc all lead to low inertia and power at higher revs. A 1.3 Lancia or Alfa from the 60s spins up the rev range in a way a British engine could only dream of.

There is an exception the climax fire pump based engines of the 50s / 60s and even the Hillman Imp based version of the same were well capable of hitting astonishing RPM, race Imp engines of today can hit nearly 11,000 rpm
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Spot on. A climax engine is a wonderful thing. My father rebuilt his FWA in 1975 and it’s still giving me excellent service in Ella, our 1959 Lotus 7, nearly 50 years later.
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It’s a wonderful thing and just loves to be revved up to 8k (when warm!)

Dad and I have recently been dismantling this fire pump engine which is going to be fuel injected and fitted to the Type 14 Elite he’s restoring. Its original FWB is still present and will be kept with the car.
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I cannot wait for the Elite to be ready but Ella will always have my heart ❤️
 
philw696

philw696

Member
Messages
25,651
Erlingtheyounger said:
Spot on. A climax engine is a wonderful thing. My father rebuilt his FWA in 1975 and it’s still giving me excellent service in Ella, our 1959 Lotus 7, nearly 50 years later.
View attachment 126961
View attachment 126962
It’s a wonderful thing and just loves to be revved up to 8k (when warm!)

Dad and I have recently been dismantling this fire pump engine which is going to be fuel injected and fitted to the Type 14 Elite he’s restoring. Its original FWB is still present and will be kept with the car.
View attachment 126963
View attachment 126964
View attachment 126965
I cannot wait for the Elite to be ready but Ella will always have my heart ❤️
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing as I wish my Dad was still around as a good part of my life was spent doing just that.
 
zagatoes30

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
21,046
Erlingtheyounger said:
Spot on. A climax engine is a wonderful thing. My father rebuilt his FWA in 1975 and it’s still giving me excellent service in Ella, our 1959 Lotus 7, nearly 50 years later.
View attachment 126961
View attachment 126962
It’s a wonderful thing and just loves to be revved up to 8k (when warm!)

Dad and I have recently been dismantling this fire pump engine which is going to be fuel injected and fitted to the Type 14 Elite he’s restoring. Its original FWB is still present and will be kept with the car.
View attachment 126963
View attachment 126964
View attachment 126965
I cannot wait for the Elite to be ready but Ella will always have my heart ❤️
Click to expand...
Both lovely but the Elite is something special
 
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