A POWERFUL MOTOR

NZ Truth, Issue 1206, 10 January 1929, Page 15

A POWERFUL MOTOR

The New Whippet "Six"

With a 23 h,p; six cylinder motor, carrying; a seven bearing crankshaft; full pressure oiling system, and other modern refinements, 'the newjy announced Whippet Six will make its. mark.-

* *THE car- has beett; m preparation for 1 thevpast f %2; inpnths, and m that period ; has undergone : the most strenuous tqsts "ever carried, > out. by the big Willys Overland company. : The car is low hung, and is stated to have a high factor; of safety on corners. The engine is a very fine piece of work. . It develops 43 ' h.p. on bench tests, and is evidently a high efficiency unit incorporating all modern knowledge of cylinder head design and ! manifolding. Connecting rods 9 3/8 inches long add to the smoothness of operation by reducing the side thrust on the Walls. . The effect of long rods is most Noticeable at high speeds, and the Whippet six is . stated to be a. very Bmooth-running unit even after the Bpeedo 1 1b past the 50 mark. ' / The outstanding feature of the.engine, naturally, is "the seven-bearing crankshaft, v. It is only: m. the last' two or three years that the seven-bearing ■haft has come into . p'r ominencer and

for a long time it was only found m high-priced machines. 'It is predicted that most other light sixes will adopt this style of crankshaft within the next two years; but it is to' be doubted, unless entirely new models are produced. The camshaft on the Whippet six is larger m diameter than usual, and is carried m four bearing's. It is operated by a silent timing chain, . this again adding to the quiet running. Another interesting feature of the engine is that the spark is ; automatically . controlled. It !is retarded for starting by means of a control on the dash. • . Once the engine is turning over, a centrifugal governor located, m the distributor does all the work of advancing and retarding according to the speed. - There are two universal joints m the drive line, and the back axle is a very rugged affair, semi-floating type, and housed m a banjo-type pressing. Timken bearings Are used at all important points, including the steering gear and back axle.