John,
Is there any truth to the ceramic pump seal story that we heard back then? |
Originally Posted by jim lockwood
(Post 1579244916)
Hmmmmm..... my telling of history may have been wrong then.
Is this patent suit the reason Corvette News published a plea for owners of '60s with top tank radiators to get in touch with GM? Jim |
Originally Posted by JohnZ
(Post 1579245972)
I remember all that stuff like it was yesterday - I was the Vega Launch Manager at Lordstown. :thumbs:
:cheers: Bill |
1 Attachment(s)
Originally Posted by IGO200
(Post 1579245082)
John,
Is there any truth to the ceramic pump seal story that we heard back then? The engine design problem was Ed Cole's insistence on an iron ("Heron" head, with intake and exhaust valves in-line and intake and exhaust ports on the same side of the head) head on an aluminum open-deck block (Chevrolet didn't design the engine - Corporate Engineering Staff did, under Cole's direct supervision, and punted it to Chevrolet before any durability development was done). Chevrolet HATED that engine - we called it "The world's tallest, smallest engine". The first thing Chevrolet did after having the engine dumped on them was to design a SOHC crossflow Hemi aluminum head, which was 26# lighter, made 40 more horsepower, and had the same coefficient of expansion as the block; it was called the "L-10", and 12 were made (see photo below). Ed Cole (then President of GM) refused to approve the funds to produce it, as "You already have a cylinder head" (the iron one, which he designed). Had the L-10 head gone to production, there wouldn't have been any "Vega engine stories". :thumbs: |
Originally Posted by JohnZ
(Post 1579245972)
I don't know, Jim - I hadn't heard of that one. I do remember clearly that all '73 Chevrolets got the coolant recovery system (which was an absolute necessity on the Vega), and it went into production with full knowlege that it infringed on the existing patent; that's how important it was.
http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/s.../misc/4799.jpg This plea went out in the Feb/Mar 1975 issue of Corvette News. Does that fit the timeline of the lawsuit and/or was the listed GM contact an attorney? Expiring minds want to know....:thumbs: Jim |
Wow John, THAT'S a rare picture! Thanks.
|
Originally Posted by Dr L-88
(Post 1579142769)
Does anyone here know anything about those old Can Am aluminum big block engines? I'm referring to the ones that were 390 alloy and ran without liners..................aluminum piston against 390 alloy cylinders.
Thanks in advance, Rex |
Originally Posted by jim lockwood
(Post 1579246932)
This plea went out in the Feb/Mar 1975 issue of Corvette News. Does that fit the timeline of the lawsuit and/or was the listed GM contact an attorney?
Expiring minds want to know....:thumbs: Jim |
Originally Posted by IGO200
(Post 1579247380)
Wow John, THAT'S a rare picture! Thanks.
|
Originally Posted by JohnZ
(Post 1579253436)
The suit was filed in the Fall of '72, right after the 73's were announced, and was settled about six months later. :thumbs:
I was told by someone long forgotten now that the reason for the request in Corvette News was that GM owned the patent on the idea of a coolant recovery system and needed some examples to prove that GM was the first to reduce the idea to practice. Now I don't know what to make of the CN request. Jim |
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