Who sez Lycomings are expensive?

[Rich S.[_1_]]

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/08/01/blazing-into-history-at-muroc/

Rich S.

[Rich S.[_1_]]

Aw c'mon Unc' BOb. Can't I get you to bite on this one? Maybe I should've
made the subject line read something like, "A Lycoming is just a converted
auto engine!" ?????

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/08/01/blazing-into-history-at-muroc/

Rich S.

[Bret Ludwig]

On Aug 6, 6:30 pm, "Rich S." > wrote:
> Aw c'mon Unc' BOb. Can't I get you to bite on this one? Maybe I should've
> made the subject line read something like, "A Lycoming is just a converted
> auto engine!" ?????
>
> http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/08/01/blazing-into-history-at...



Both Lycoming and Continental made engines for all sorts of merchant
purposes, cars, trucks, boats, industrial, tractors, gensets, you name
it. As did many others, Wisconsin, Waukesha, Buda, there were several.
There were dozens of car makes in the US alone before WWII-imports
were rare-and many were "assembled cars". The makers bought engines
and everything else from vendors and simply assembled them. They
usually had sheetmetal made to their specs. The assembled cars were in
total a small percent of the market, and were run out eventually as
cars became commoditized.

Trucks were made on this model and still are in the case of heavy
duty trucks. Peterbilt and Kenworth do not make their own engines.
International does for its smaller lines but they buy Cummins, Cat or
Detroit engines as do all the other truck makes. The only maker of
Class 8 trucks that made its own engines, transmissions and rear ends
was mack and they were bought out a short time ago, because emissions
regulations finally made it impractical to continue.

Lycoming was bought by E.L.Cord and part of the Auburn/Cord/
Duesenberg empire until it collapsed. Most Lycoming non-aircraft
engines were not terribly well thought of with the exception of the
Lyc-built straight 8 J /SJ Duesenberg engine. Continental engines were
made in flathead four and six cylinder inline form in smaller sizes
and powered many cars as well as Lincoln welders for decades. Kaiser
Frazer cars, some Willys and Jeep products, and Checker cars used
their engines.

Continental also made the Hercules multifuel diesel truck engines for
military trucks for a long time.

The reason they succeeded so well in aircraft was that government
certification created an isolated pocket free of disruptive innovation
that kept them in sustaining mode for fifty years. That's why there
has never been a SERIOUS effort to come up with an improved product.
Such failed efforts as the Continental Tiara were allowed to progress
simply to give the illusion they were "doing something" although it's
obvious to any distant observer the idea was half-baked to begin with.