The straight eight had perfect balance with a 2-4-2 two-plane crankshaft. The V-8 took over when high-compression engines with shorter, stiffer crankshafts were needed, and the development of tuned, flexible engine mounts absorbed the slight imbalance of V-8s. The perfect balance of the straight eight was no longer needed. Still, straight eights are easier on their engine mounts, and are kinder to their drivetrains, making old ones easier to restore and keep alive. The development of the V-8 was in stages--first, it needed a two-plane crank itself, then, unit-cast blocks became possible, then, two-level intake manifolds eased feeding them with single carburetors. Finally, the development of modern fuels necessitated high-compression engines, and the change in style preferences made long hoods no longer desirable, killing off the long straight eights with their whippy crankshafts. Still, their demise means that they represent a lost era--there is nothing like the nasal sound of a Buick OHV straight eight, particularly coupled to Hydramatic, to evoke memories of a distant time.
@@jimgarofalo5479 Thanks. You're right--I had the wrong name. And I knew better--no excuse. Corrected now. Buick's torque tube drive would transmit Hydramatic's shift shocks to the rest of the car, so Buick needed a smoother transmission than Hydramatic. Good catch. Thanks again.
@@CrazyPetez I think you mean the end of the straight eight. That Ford was the first production unit-block V8, but it didn't have the whole kit--it wasn't OHV, high compression, with two-kevel intake manifold, and tuned flexible engine mounts (I think), which all doomed the straight eight when the fad for long hoods waned. There were plenty of straight eights introduced after the Ford V8 (for example, the small Buick), even after WWII, when Packard intro'd a new L-head straight eight, of all things. I think the key to the V8's takeover was the introduction of new fuels which allowed higher compressions to be used. There was a lot of customer attachment to straight eights; Buick sold plenty of them right up to the end.
The long hood on the early straight-8 engined cars was a style leader! Also, newer cars’ designs have very little body overhang ahead of the front wheels. My mom knew a girl when they were in high school together in the 30’s who was “stuck up” because she drove her big car with her nose in the air. Mom became her friend later, and rode with her once. Mom found out that you had to drive the car that way to see over the long hood! LOL
My great uncle took off to ride the rails during the Depression but eventually became quite successful. My grandmother remembered him coming home in a Buick so long he’d have to back up to navigate the curves in their driveway.
Those were in the upper end cars, so luxury and near luxury. But Pontiac used them, too, all the way until 1954, and even top model Pontiacs were strictly mid price. Hudson was another that offered a Straight 8 until their inline 6 became so huge that the 8 was superfluous.
Waukesha H 24 and Jenbacher type 2 are both inline 8 gaseous fueled engines and are currently in production . The inline 8 works well when you have the room to put them in gas compression and power generation applications. Both engines are extremely durable, efficient, and can meet stringent air emissions standards.
I had a 51 and 53 Pontiacs with straight eight. Really powerful and smooth. I had a 2004 Z4 with an inline 6 that I though was as long as the straight 8s and took 8 qts of oil
I had a 1951 Pontiac sedan coup with the straight 8, and a 1949 Pontiac with the emblem that said "Pontiac 8" but it came from the factory with the 6 cylinder. Both were classy
I had a '51 Buick Special with a straight 8. You couldn't hear it running if you were standing by the engine bay. Leaning against the driver side door while it was running and there was no vibration. Smoothest acceleration ever with the "gearless" automatic transmission. I drove it as my daily drive '98-'99 and it was a great car.
I'm wanting 1, to use, but in a wrecker, i have driven some, worked restoring cars in my past, but now wanting a wrecker, but wanted a vintage engine, a straight 8 is my top choice, but Olds V8 would be close second.
Studebaker also produced straight eight engines. I own a 1941 Studebaker President with a straight eight. After 83 years, it's smoothness is really something to be appreciated. I had heard, but cannot verify, that an inherent problem with straight eights was that the necessarily long crankshaft was subject to excessive torque stress. This defect limited the amount of power that could be obtained.
Every comment here missed the primary reason for no inline 8 cylinder engines being built. Yes the length and esp for front wheel drive. But emissions are driving all of it. A turbo boosted 4 cylinder now will do what a v-8 used to with much less greenhouse gas emissions. Even though i personally despise forced induction small cubic inch engines
You can do a video about rare luxury cars of the 70-80s like the Aston Martin Lagonda and the Maserati kyalami, Lamborghini Jarama. There are more and add some rare sports cars like the Lamborghini Jalpa.
One of the other reasons you did not mention why the straight A went away was because of fuel distribution issues. Of course, back then most all engines were running carburetors and if you had one carburetor you would normally put it about right in the middle of the intake manifold. And it would be between ideally between cylinders, four and five. But that would cause those two cylinders to run. Rich and then the very outboard cylinders was one two seven and eight would run Lean
Maybe the same reason in-line 6 cylinder car engines are less common. Hard to find space under the hood unless the engine bay is quite long. More so obviously with a straight 8. Obviously a transverse layout isn’t going to work with a 8. The Suzuki Verona made in the early 2000s, was a transverse in-line 6. But only made for about 3 years.
Australian Austin Kimberley was also a transverse inline 6. Gave good frontal intrusion protection in a collision like a big bulldozer blade. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Austin_Kimberley_Mk_II_%2815472707343%29.jpg/1024px-Austin_Kimberley_Mk_II_%2815472707343%29.jpg
Mostly good information, but you need to dump that generated voice! Use your own voice. I will never subscribe to a channel with an AI voice. Comment that you won't use it again. I'll come back and you'll get my sub.
Chrysler threw away a perfect opportunity to bring back the inline-8 engine. Not for practical reasons but, as a show-off engine for the Plymouth Prowler. A long narrow front clip with two 2.5 inline fours tied together and phased to create the V8 engine sound would've really made the Prowler a unique showcar for everyday driving. Plus, an inline 8 would've allowed for 8 chrome exhaust pipes to exit out one side. The Prowler's stubby front clip housing a V6 just fell short of what it could've been.
Straight 8 engines produce tons of torque. The long hood looks tough!. Larger straight 8's in diamond T's, reo's and western star would pull serious loads. Add a 3'rd gear box to the transmission and they'll pull anything
V-8 engines were nothing new in the 1950's; Cadillac had been making them since before WW1, GM made a V8 for the Viking and Marquette marques in 1929, Ford offered it's famous Flathead V8 from 1932 onward, Oldsmobile's Rocket V8 was available from 1949 onward When Chevy made their first V8 in 1955, all other remaining brands quicky followed. As far as inline-8 engines engines today, I believe there may be large stationary diesels still offered in this configuration. I know that there is a manufacturer of large marine diesels which makes modular inline engines in any configuration from inline-6 to inline-14.
Some 50 years ago injlherited 1951 Pontiac eith straight 8. Real smoothie and with Hydramatic go all day quite nicely st 70. Not easy to do with 1940 technology. Very flexible. Which didn't a whole og good coupled to a hydramatic with 4 soeefs the extra one beliw 1 of ac3:sowed transmission. But horsepower was stinkeroo for its size and performance while ik wasn't what it should have been by 1955 to 1972 standard. Gas consumption quite awful by thevstandards of later better design 6's. V8;gas consumption 6 cylinder performance.
My favorite engine configurations. 1 ltr to 2.6. in line 4 3 ltr ot so to 300 cubic inches.4.9 ltr. In line ,6 if you can do it. If need compact engine V6. Do note that classis 6 and V6 in the ,3 ltr range have proved to be disappointing gas hogs. If you think tou need such an engine you might want to consider 2.5 or 2.6 ltr in line ,,4:instead. V8. Don't even considervone beliwv300 cubic inches. Up to 500. But if you need an engine that big you may want to consider something like Ford Eco boast turbo harging . Fir honest to god trucks need a diesel. And pick up truck owners would like diesel if legal but donnote diesel very pollution.
Inline 8 cyl Requires that Power takeoff be from the CENTRE of the crank to prevent the crankshaft from twisting under loads. Sitty designs (american) took power from one end .
0:36: Ummm.....I doubt that the GAZ Volga ever had an inline-8. In fact, almost NONE of the cars you show ever used an inline-8. In the US, it was an engine used by Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, and I think LaSalle. Also, outside of GM, Hudson also used inline-8 motors. ALL of these were discontinued after WW2. Ford never made an inline-8, and I believe Chrysler never did either.
Worthless Video. In-Line 8's cost more to produce and would be useless on Front-Wheel Drive garbage design junks. They also require a longer vehicle to house it. The only design comparable to an In-Line 8 is an In-Line 12 Cyl.
The straight eight had perfect balance with a 2-4-2 two-plane crankshaft. The V-8 took over when high-compression engines with shorter, stiffer crankshafts were needed, and the development of tuned, flexible engine mounts absorbed the slight imbalance of V-8s. The perfect balance of the straight eight was no longer needed. Still, straight eights are easier on their engine mounts, and are kinder to their drivetrains, making old ones easier to restore and keep alive. The development of the V-8 was in stages--first, it needed a two-plane crank itself, then, unit-cast blocks became possible, then, two-level intake manifolds eased feeding them with single carburetors. Finally, the development of modern fuels necessitated high-compression engines, and the change in style preferences made long hoods no longer desirable, killing off the long straight eights with their whippy crankshafts. Still, their demise means that they represent a lost era--there is nothing like the nasal sound of a Buick OHV straight eight, particularly coupled to Hydramatic, to evoke memories of a distant time.
Buick OHV straight eight was never coupled to a HydraMatic. Buick used DynaFlow exclusively. Never HydraMatic.
@@jimgarofalo5479 Thanks. You're right--I had the wrong name. And I knew better--no excuse. Corrected now. Buick's torque tube drive would transmit Hydramatic's shift shocks to the rest of the car, so Buick needed a smoother transmission than Hydramatic. Good catch. Thanks again.
@@phantomforester9337 Henry Ford started the end of the V8 in 1932 with the Flathead V8.
@@CrazyPetez the other way around lol :)
@@CrazyPetez I think you mean the end of the straight eight. That Ford was the first production unit-block V8, but it didn't have the whole kit--it wasn't OHV, high compression, with two-kevel intake manifold, and tuned flexible engine mounts (I think), which all doomed the straight eight when the fad for long hoods waned. There were plenty of straight eights introduced after the Ford V8 (for example, the small Buick), even after WWII, when Packard intro'd a new L-head straight eight, of all things. I think the key to the V8's takeover was the introduction of new fuels which allowed higher compressions to be used. There was a lot of customer attachment to straight eights; Buick sold plenty of them right up to the end.
The long hood on the early straight-8 engined cars was a style leader! Also, newer cars’ designs have very little body overhang ahead of the front wheels. My mom knew a girl when they were in high school together in the 30’s who was “stuck up” because she drove her big car with her nose in the air. Mom became her friend later, and rode with her once. Mom found out that you had to drive the car that way to see over the long hood! LOL
My great uncle took off to ride the rails during the Depression but eventually became quite successful. My grandmother remembered him coming home in a Buick so long he’d have to back up to navigate the curves in their driveway.
Look straight ahead. Lean your head back. Your eyes gain maybe 2" of elevation. Sounds like nonsense.
At the time when straight eights and V eights were fighting it out there was the urine eight . It was in a very small car for piddling around town in.
Core shift. Eccentricity. Torsional stresses. Casting costs. Casting rigidity.
You seem to have completely overlooked the Chrysler straight 8 cars .
Those were in the upper end cars, so luxury and near luxury. But Pontiac used them, too, all the way until 1954, and even top model Pontiacs were strictly mid price. Hudson was another that offered a Straight 8 until their inline 6 became so huge that the 8 was superfluous.
I had a inline six with a one barrel carburetor in a Dodge van it got great gas mileage with good power loved it
Waukesha H 24 and Jenbacher type 2 are both inline 8 gaseous fueled engines and are currently in production . The inline 8 works well when you have the room to put them in gas compression and power generation applications. Both engines are extremely durable, efficient, and can meet stringent air emissions standards.
I had a 51 and 53 Pontiacs with straight eight. Really powerful and smooth. I had a 2004 Z4 with an inline 6 that I though was as long as the straight 8s and took 8 qts of oil
They had a tendency to break or bend crankshafts because of the length. A problem that some inline 6s still suffer from.
I had a 1951 Pontiac sedan coup with the straight 8, and a 1949 Pontiac with the emblem that said "Pontiac 8" but it came from the factory with the 6 cylinder. Both were classy
I had a '51 Buick Special with a straight 8. You couldn't hear it running if you were standing by the engine bay. Leaning against the driver side door while it was running and there was no vibration. Smoothest acceleration ever with the "gearless" automatic transmission. I drove it as my daily drive '98-'99 and it was a great car.
Packards. Super smooth engines.
I'm wanting 1, to use, but in a wrecker, i have driven some, worked restoring cars in my past, but now wanting a wrecker, but wanted a vintage engine, a straight 8 is my top choice, but Olds V8 would be close second.
Studebaker also produced straight eight engines. I own a 1941 Studebaker President with a straight eight. After 83 years, it's smoothness is really something to be appreciated. I had heard, but cannot verify, that an inherent problem with straight eights was that the necessarily long crankshaft was subject to excessive torque stress. This defect limited the amount of power that could be obtained.
It's 8, inefficient cylinders. A classic case of where more isn't better.
My father's '53 Pontiac Chieftain had a straight-8 w/Hydramatic
Because we don't need it. In line 6 is the perfect combo
Every comment here missed the primary reason for no inline 8 cylinder engines being built. Yes the length and esp for front wheel drive. But emissions are driving all of it. A turbo boosted 4 cylinder now will do what a v-8 used to with much less greenhouse gas emissions. Even though i personally despise forced induction small cubic inch engines
Nice video
Thank you!
I am a big fan of the straight 6. Hoods should be long.
You can do a video about rare luxury cars of the 70-80s like the Aston Martin Lagonda and the Maserati kyalami, Lamborghini Jarama. There are more and add some rare sports cars like the Lamborghini Jalpa.
Good idea!
Faul intake over that long manifold was less effective.
One of the other reasons you did not mention why the straight A went away was because of fuel distribution issues. Of course, back then most all engines were running carburetors and if you had one carburetor you would normally put it about right in the middle of the intake manifold. And it would be between ideally between cylinders, four and five. But that would cause those two cylinders to run. Rich and then the very outboard cylinders was one two seven and eight would run Lean
The V8 is a much better design than an Inline 8
Maybe the same reason in-line 6 cylinder car engines are less common. Hard to find space under the hood unless the engine bay is quite long. More so obviously with a straight 8. Obviously a transverse layout isn’t going to work with a 8. The Suzuki Verona made in the early 2000s, was a transverse in-line 6. But only made for about 3 years.
Australian Austin Kimberley was also a transverse inline 6. Gave good frontal intrusion protection in a collision like a big bulldozer blade. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Austin_Kimberley_Mk_II_%2815472707343%29.jpg/1024px-Austin_Kimberley_Mk_II_%2815472707343%29.jpg
Mostly good information, but you need to dump that generated voice! Use your own voice. I will never subscribe to a channel with an AI voice. Comment that you won't use it again. I'll come back and you'll get my sub.
slanted & V engineered engines are favored .
Chrysler threw away a perfect opportunity to bring back the inline-8 engine. Not for practical reasons but, as a show-off engine for the Plymouth Prowler. A long narrow front clip with two 2.5 inline fours tied together and phased to create the V8 engine sound would've really made the Prowler a unique showcar for everyday driving. Plus, an inline 8 would've allowed for 8 chrome exhaust pipes to exit out one side.
The Prowler's stubby front clip housing a V6 just fell short of what it could've been.
Straight 8 engines produce tons of torque. The long hood looks tough!. Larger straight 8's in diamond T's, reo's and western star would pull serious loads. Add a 3'rd gear box to the transmission and they'll pull anything
The V8 is fast following the in-line 8 into obscurity😢.
Not in my garage! Everything I own has a V8. 76 F150, 02 Silverado and an 08 Grand Marquis. LONG LIVE THE V8!
Because for front wheel drive car they'd be to long
V-8 engines were nothing new in the 1950's; Cadillac had been making them since before WW1, GM made a V8 for the Viking and Marquette marques in 1929, Ford offered it's famous Flathead V8 from 1932 onward, Oldsmobile's Rocket V8 was available from 1949 onward When Chevy made their first V8 in 1955, all other remaining brands quicky followed.
As far as inline-8 engines engines today, I believe there may be large stationary diesels still offered in this configuration. I know that there is a manufacturer of large marine diesels which makes modular inline engines in any configuration from inline-6 to inline-14.
Some 50 years ago injlherited 1951 Pontiac eith straight 8. Real smoothie and with Hydramatic go all day quite nicely st 70. Not easy to do with 1940 technology. Very flexible. Which didn't a whole og good coupled to a hydramatic with 4 soeefs the extra one beliw 1 of ac3:sowed transmission. But horsepower was stinkeroo for its size and performance while ik wasn't what it should have been by 1955 to 1972 standard. Gas consumption quite awful by thevstandards of later better design 6's. V8;gas consumption 6 cylinder performance.
V8 does the same thing in half the space and has a shorter crank.
But much less torque
How come so many pics of cars that never had inline 8? Xke, mga, vette etc
My favorite engine configurations.
1 ltr to 2.6. in line 4
3 ltr ot so to 300 cubic inches.4.9 ltr. In line ,6 if you can do it. If need compact engine V6. Do note that classis 6 and V6 in the ,3 ltr range have proved to be disappointing gas hogs. If you think tou need such an engine you might want to consider 2.5 or 2.6 ltr in line ,,4:instead.
V8. Don't even considervone beliwv300 cubic inches. Up to 500. But if you need an engine that big you may want to consider something like Ford Eco boast turbo harging . Fir honest to god trucks need a diesel. And pick up truck owners would like diesel if legal but donnote diesel very pollution.
Inline 8 cyl Requires that Power takeoff be from the CENTRE of the crank to prevent the crankshaft from twisting under loads. Sitty designs (american) took power from one end .
Weight and packaging.
What about horsepower and torque on these engines?
0:36: Ummm.....I doubt that the GAZ Volga ever had an inline-8. In fact, almost NONE of the cars you show ever used an inline-8. In the US, it was an engine used by Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, and I think LaSalle. Also, outside of GM, Hudson also used inline-8 motors. ALL of these were discontinued after WW2. Ford never made an inline-8, and I believe Chrysler never did either.
Chevy should have designed a Corvette only exclusive straight 8 engine considering the Corvette already has a long hood .
Because it is so looooooooooooong.
!
🔥🔥🔥
🔥🔥🔥
Good grief! Can't anyone make a video without splatting 'music' over the narration?
You don't need eight cylinders today.
Lots of repetition and useless words. This should have been half as long.
Worthless Video. In-Line 8's cost more to produce and would be useless on Front-Wheel Drive garbage design junks. They also require a longer vehicle to house it. The only design comparable to an In-Line 8 is an In-Line 12 Cyl.