Formula Holden: The ultimate 90* V6

[[ChaosweaveR]]

This stuff is old school, and it's awesome.

From the paper on the early development version (285hp@6500rpm, 340Nm/250ftlb@5000rpm):

10:1 via pistons

Inlet valves: 43.4mm => 44.7mm.

Standard inlet manifold and throttle body, the manifold only ported to match the (ported) heads.

Heads: + 66% flow on inlet ports.

Cam:

Inlet: open @ 44BTDC, close @ 76 ABDC, 13.7mm lift

Exhaust: open @ 76 BBDC, close @ 44 ATDC, 13.7mm lift

Figures @ 0.5mm lift. It's unclear whether the lift figure is at the valve or cam.

Solid cam followers, non-roller type to avoid uncovering the oil galleries for the standard roller type. I recall another mag. article somewhere where it said the block had to be machined to allow the cam to fit through the bearing holes (also = larger cam bearings).

Leaded Falcon 6 injectors @ standard fuel pressure.

Exhaust: 510mm primaries and secondaries ~ 600mm, kept separate.

Stuff to help it live:

Uprated (Carillo) con rods.

Balance shaft deleted and flywheel and balancer altered to suit that and the heavier pistons and 'rods.

Standard crank.

Here's the rest of that mag article and yes, it is very impressive what they did with this engine:

And a video of the Holden starting up:

This was from 1988-1989.

[WarShrike]

Heh, thanks for bringing my post over to this site lol!

Cars were very impressive.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Heh, thanks for bringing my post over to this site lol!

Cars were very impressive.

Indeed they were.

It's funny, seeing your build thread reminded me of your find of these engines, I posted it on my old local club's site too, so I brought it here.

Now, if I could built my LA1 like that...

[markpetersonii]

Oh. My. God. I want that in my G6! lol

[danmccormick87]

Oh. My. God. I want that in my G6! lol

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Bump. Because this thread is just that awesome.

[Sam]

Damn....But I still love the feel of an LS1

[[ChaosweaveR]]

One of these would give your LS1 a run for it's money.

[Sam]

' date='Mar 21 2010, 07:22 PM' post='18147']

One of these would give your LS1 a run for it's money.

Honestly yes it would, hence its badassness. But that is basically a very well built motor, and I'm stock. But anyways, Chris needs one for his car lol

[[ChaosweaveR]]

That exhaust note coming from my GA? I'd need new pants.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Bump for great justice. JUSTA6, read this, foo!

[JUSTA6]

Justa's all over it!!!! Old news to me, where ya guys been? Injection is nice, but I'd rather be BLOWN. LMAO

Did ya know the V6 was originally a JEEP motor. GM bought it, minor casting changes to accept GM tranney and used til 1978. But it was in the ODD fire confiuration. Re-engineered to even fire in 1979, and they created a potential monster. Smokey Yunik and Jim Ruggles quickly worked their magic, showing us all how to make huge power. MacClaren took it to new heights and went INDY racing and was a force to be reconed with. I couldn't believe the 6 in my testdrive and ordered my Sunbird. Been LOVE ever since.

[95naSTA]

Sick article.

Those numbers are definitely impressive especilly at the rpm they occur. Any n/a LG3/LN3 that can breathe past 4500 is crazy.

And that exhaust note...

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Dude, I'd love it if any factory pushrod GM V6 sounded like that!

[JUSTA6]

After a weekend of high rev motors here in Detroit for the Gran Prix. You can never get enought.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Guessing you watched the Grand Am Rolex race, huh?

[JUSTA6]

' timestamp='1338858850' post='72862'] Guessing you watched the Grand Am Rolex race, huh?

Couldn't/wouldn't miss it. Tons of TV coverage in the mancave as I'm gettin all 3 cars ready for this weekends all Pontiac show.

[Frosty]

Justa's all over it!!!! Old news to me, where ya guys been? Injection is nice, but I'd rather be BLOWN. LMAO

Did ya know the V6 was originally a JEEP motor. GM bought it, minor casting changes to accept GM tranney and used til 1978. But it was in the ODD fire confiuration. Re-engineered to even fire in 1979, and they created a potential monster. Smokey Yunik and Jim Ruggles quickly worked their magic, showing us all how to make huge power. MacClaren took it to new heights and went INDY racing and was a force to be reconed with. I couldn't believe the 6 in my testdrive and ordered my Sunbird. Been LOVE ever since.

Dude (yes, you and I are both old enough for that word), the Buick V6 actually started as ....ta da....a Buick V6 in '61-'62 as the Fireball V6! It was derived originally from the 215 Buick aluminium V8, It started out as a 198 cubic inch motor. It got pushed to 225 starting in 1964. Buick sold these motors to Kaiser-Jeep to put into the CJs in 1965 - which became known as the Dauntless 225.

In 1967, Buick sold the tooling to Kaiser-Jeep since GM was pushing the Chevy and Pontiac inline sixes of the day. After the Arab oil embargo, Buick tried to buy these engines from AMC, but the cost per unit was too high. So Buick purchased the tooling back and began producing the engines again in 1975. The bore and stroke were punched out to 231 cubic inches too. The reason Buick could do this is because most of the old V6 machinery and floor space was still in Flint's Buick City complex to produce these engines again quickly.

As we all know, the Buick 231 V6 went from it's original "odd fire" configuration to the "even fire" configuration and morphed into the 3.8L or 3800 engine over the next several decades. I was at the plant the day the last 3800 was produced. Sadly, the entire Buick City complex - including the engine plant - is completely torn down. Not a single building, except for the union hall (which the UAW owns) remains standing.