torsdag 16 september 2010

Liberace's Feet

Wladziu Valentino Liberace was the worlds most famous pianist, people from around the globe admired and followed his fingers. But it was his feet that brought him to the piano.
Before serial production of stroker flywheels got started, the early drag racing and hill climber heroes sometimes ran UL flywheels in their 61" & 74" OHVs’ for more cubic inches and higher compression. The stock 61" OHV stroke = 3.1/2", 74” OHV stroke = 3.31/32” and the stock 74" & 80" UL/ULH stroke = 4.9/32”, so the UL’s quite a bit longer.

UL/ULH 80 inch and a pinch / offset-drilled crankpin hole...

At times when even this new longer stroke wasn’t enough, the crankpin holes were re-drilled to fit FL pins (=1.250”)* and the crankpin was mounted offset, so the stroke now became a massive 4.13/32” sometimes two right-side flywheels were used to get a lighter and quicker revving flywheel. The very forefather of todays stroker flywheels; Liberace's feet.

Modern Truett & Osborne 4.1/2" stroker flywheels (lightened)

Liberace's feet!

It’s the combination of all these little tricks put together that makes the magic happen. I’ve dreamt of running a dual right-side offset-drilled UL flywheel setup ever since the first day I heard of how they did it. And now, I finally will. These flywheels are like Liberace’s feet, and without his feet there would be no music.
*I googled the diameter of the FL crankpin to seem cooler than I really am.

3 kommentarer:

  1. Love your page, little correction though.

  2. Thanx man glad you like it!

    Ok, UL & ULH had the same flywheels.
    UL 74" & ULH 80" = same stroke / different bore.

  3. But you're right it's a bit confusing so I put in UL/ULH to avoid futher confusion, hey you want a job a proof reader..?