Posted on 05/30/2014 4:57:26 PM PDT by smokingfrog
When it comes to horsepower, is there ever such a thing as too much? When Gary Weckesser was building an exhibition funny car in 1969, he likely asked himself that same question, arriving at an answer of “no.” Not content to power his tube-frame, fiberglass-bodied Mustang with a single 351-cu.in. Windsor V-8, Weckesser opted to stuff four of them in front of the windshield, creating the appropriately named, four-wheel drive Mustang Mach IV. In honor of the Mustang’s 50th anniversary, this car highlights a new Petersen Museum exhibit entitled Mustangs Forever: 50 Years of a Legend.
In fairness, Weckesser wasn’t the first chef to test this particular recipe for speed. In 1961, “TV” Tommy Ivo created a dragster powered by four Buick nailhead V-8s, following his success with a twin engine dragster campaigned in 1960. Showboat, as Ivo’s four-engine dragster was known, powered the rear differential via the right side engines (mounted in a conventional orientation) and powered the front differential via reverse-mounted engines on the left side. Later, under Tom McCourry’s ownership, Showboat would wear a Buick station wagon body, running exhibition races as the WagonMaster. Mickey Thompson also famously experimented with a four-engine setup in his Challenger I land-speed racing streamliner, as did Jim Lytle in his Quad Al.
- See more at: http://blog.hemmings.com/#sthash.x9X5YWRi.dpuf
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.hemmings.com ...
I wanted to see it go.
Me too, but could not find any video.
Here’s a video of the Tommy Ivo Showboat, which is similar.
http://youtu.be/WrprqWvk42U
For an encore in 1988, Engler disassemble his trusted steed, and debuted yet another “Mission Impossible” capable of harnessing the power of seven engines - but this time, the power came from Chevrolet. The change was three-fold: economics, maintenance, and challenge. Once again, Engler debuted the machine on the NTPA GN circuit in Elkhorn, and won both weight categories entered. It was off to the races after that, as Engler never looked back winning three out of four titles. That’s ten titles in three years; a legendary performance!
That’s silly.
how so?
I’ll guarantee that that thing has an over heating problem.
Not much chance of that if you’re only driving it 1/4 mile in a few seconds.
Perfect to go pick up some cornflakes and the morning newspaper in
I’ll pass...no curb feelers, or spotlights.
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