[DeTomaso] Several comments & questions

Charles McCall charlesmccall at gmail.com
Thu Oct 2 18:07:13 EDT 2008


  180 Headers?  After hours (actually minutes) of research if found that
more of the 70s era prototypes an road racers didnot actually use 180s,
seemed to be a Ford GT thing.  I've seem many T-70s, Chapparals, McClarens
etc. which just used longtube headers and a cross over behind the
collectors.  Since I've heard so many comments about the 180s on Panteras
beingmore visual than functional I started wondering about this.  I know the
advantages of longer smooth flowing tubes, but you'dget the fancy schmancy
looks and not have the suspension interference issues...easier to build and
less connections too.

***I'm guessing that this is because 180 degree headers are typically only
used on a particular type of crank design... Basically connecting a
Ford-style crank to 180 degree headers connects the cylinders to the same
header pipe as a flat-plane crank with "normal" headers. Hence the sound of
a 180-degree system on a Pantera engine converts the sound to a more
Ferrari-like one because the engine pulses are evened out on a flat plane.
The uneven firing of the Cleveland that gives the lumpiness is eliminated by
filling in the "gap" of firing by bringing an exhaust pipe over from the
other side of the engine - one that *is* firing. 

Wow, what a lousy job of trying to explain that, but my point was that I
wonder if the Chapparals, McClarens, etc use a flat-plane crank? The
McClaren may, being Mercedes?






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