917 engine pics, been looking for a 908...but its cool Options

[r_towle]

what an amazing piece of mechanical enginering...

http://www.pbase.com/917carl/917_12_cyl_engine

[andys]

QUOTE (BigD9146gt @ Feb 8 2005, 08:31 AM)

Sammy, now that makes sence to pressurize the tubes and have a gauge like Andy just mentioned. If a crack developed, then the pressure would leak out and the gauge would reviel that problem. But just pressurizing a chassis isnn't going to make it lighter. They used helium because it was lighter than air, not because it made the chassis lighter. Thanks for the input Andy (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wavey.gif) , I wish i was alive when all this racing went down... truly and era of fast Gods and the ability to stand 5 ft from them while doing 200+mph.

I didn't want to mention something based on vague recollection (the 30+ y/o memories), but it was said, at the time, it revealed cracks in the chassis'. That would be a pretty important bit of info in a 200+ MPH car! Perhaps it did serve a secondary purpose, like back filling with helium/argon for welding during the fabrication process.

Camping out at RIR was great fun, in those years. Did it many times; watched many races there. I really enjoyed the freedom of walking the pits, and literally rubbing elbows with some of the great's. Shelby, Donohue, Penske, Hunt (James), Mario, Unser, Fittipaldi, Foyt, Parnelli, etc; very casual atmosphere. Lot's of celeb's too. I ran many laps there in a Shifter Kart; great fun!

Andy