First aluminum engine block. Running night and day, week after week, ten Ramblers powered by the new aluminium block engine piled up a total of 1,000,000 miles of gruelling, high speed driving to prove beyond any question the superb durability, economy and performance of the most advanced engine on the American road. While iron was the standard for over a century, aluminum has gained dominance in modern engines. D onovan Engineering has been making aluminum racing engine blocks for over 40 years. This transition is not just limited to high-performance sports cars but extends to a variety of vehicles on the road. Apr 25, 2025 · Aluminum engine blocks have revolutionized the automotive industry with their blend of lightness and strength. These V-8 engines are pieces of small-block history, cast in 1959 for the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle (CERV) project that became the first seed of the mid-engine Corvette. This engine reduced the vehicle's overall weight and enhanced performance and fuel efficiency, setting a new standard for future engine designs. Aluminum’s appeal is a density, or weight per volume, that is 60 percent lower than that of cast iron or “gray iron,” until then the traditional engine-block material. Apr 5, 2025 · The result was the creation of an all-aluminum 215 cubic-inch V8 engine, a groundbreaking achievement in American automotive engineering. Sponsored by the First To Fly Foundation, Inc. The total engine weighed just 930 pound and generated 200 HP - not bad for sixteen cylinders. Our BBM Aluminum FE engine blocks offer the additional weight savings of modern aluminum Shop / Blocks Blocks Dart Machinery’s high-performance engine blocks are designed to deliver unparalleled strength and durability for your racing or extreme street engine builds. From manufacturers of automobiles to professional drivers and regular owners of cars, engine blocks material is the concern of anyone. One of the first (and worst) examples was the Chevy Vega engine back in the 1970s. Four- and five-axis machining centers assure the tightest tolerances and latest machined surfaces. Future engines may use plasma spray coatings to eliminate the need for iron liners. Apr 22, 2016 · This Direct Gasoline Injection engine has a lightweight aluminum block and cast-in-place iron liners. 1903 Wright Engine. Jul 27, 2017 · Machining aluminum engine blocks: learn about the advantages, differences, alloys, and tips for honing and sizing in this detailed guide. 01 inch) silicon particles to increase hardness. Jan 12, 2010 · The new Vega engine was the first aluminum block to be made without cylinder linings. In the quest for better fuel efficiency and overall performance, we’ve seen a significant shift from the traditional iron blocks to aluminum ones. Apr 17, 2019 · In 1960, the Chevrolet Corvair began the move to aluminum engines, followed by Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Plymouth, and Rambler in ’61. May 29, 2023 · During an era when a cast iron block was the main ingredient for building mass-produced internal combustion engines, General Motors' Buick division unleased an all-aluminum V8 that Mar 8, 2002 · His crowning glory was the 1931-1933 sixteen cylinder engines with steel cylinders pressed in the aluminum block. Apr 2, 2025 · For decades, automakers have debated the best material for engine blocks— aluminium or cast iron. Each Donovan block is cast from strontium-modified B356 alloy with special heat treat. Jan 31, 2024 · While Benz is best known for his invention of the first practical automobile powered by an internal combustion engine, his role in the early adoption of aluminum in car manufacturing also deserves recognition. Jun 1, 2021 · + When Formula 1 adopted a 3-liter racing formula for 1966, owner-driver Jack Brabham and Repco of Australia joined forces to produce a single-overhead cam racing engine, the Repco-Brabham 620 V8, using the block from the Olds 215 V8. The engine used a new alloy called A-390 that contained fine (0. The first airplane engine to fly, in the Wright Flyer of 1903, had an aluminum cylinder block. Aluminum blocks with unlined cylinders have been around a long time. . Dart offers a wide selection of meticulously engineered engine blocks, including cast iron and aluminum options, crafted to handle maximum power reliably. It has a larger bore capacity, allowing for much larger displacement engines without the cylinder wall weakness issues that have plagued the stock OEM blocks. Nov 21, 2024 · An aluminum engine block is a critical component of an internal combustion engine, made from aluminum alloy, which houses the engine’s cylinders and other internal components. Part of the Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company, a virtual museum of pioneer aviation, the invention of the airplane, and man's first flights. Nov 14, 2019 · The small-block Chevrolet was still in its infancy when Zora Arkus-Duntov thought to ditch the iron casting and go to a more weight-conscious aluminum construction. The new BBM FE engine block is significantly stronger than the stock block and is ideally suited for both restoration and high performance purposes. ️ Take a look at the expert comparison of cast iron and aluminum engine blocks. [1] All-aluminum engines are rare, as the material is difficult to use in more highly stressed components such as connecting rods and crankshafts. For leading race engine builders who win by design, Donovan gives you the finest materials and latest engineering. ayyjrxf aah dsxuv adkf rkjwwdv flrol ghlofafd kpo aoxa vpuktl