Off Topic: Ridiculous Horesepower

[doctorgonzo]

OK, Don't know if they are popular on the west coast (and pretty sure unknown in Oz, New Zealand, Britain, etc...), but in the south and midwest we have "Tractor Pulls" which involve various classes of "tractors" and trucks pulling a heavy sled down a track for distance. The weight moves forward on the sled as you go down the track so the further you go the heavier it gets. I went to one last night, and in the "unlimited" class the two most popular configuration was either FIVE 526cc Dodge Hemi engines with super chargers, OR 3 Allison aircraft engines. They were saying these guys were pushing anywhere between 9000 and 12,000 horsepower. IF you've never been to one, all I can say is the sound of 5 supercharged hemis all redlined at the same time is pretty amazing. I still can't figure out how they sync all those engines perfectly and transfer the energy from all those things through one transfer case to the wheels, but quite a spectacle.

[dpep]

What kind of mileage do you suppose they get with one of those?

[doctorgonzo]

What kind of mileage do you suppose they get with one of those?

I was joking about 3 seconds per gallon.

[makenzie71]

I want one of those 1800+ hp 526cc engines!

[doctorgonzo]

I want one of those 1800+ hp 526cc engines!

Can you imagine sticking one of those in a Dodge Charger or a GTO. guessing street driveability would be a little compromised (heh), and you'd probably go through tires pretty quick. I guess if you spent 25 or 30 grand on an engine tires are the least of your concerns tough.

[makenzie71]

yeah and imagine losing that 350~ish pounds from not having the typical 526ci engines they run!

[doctorgonzo]

yeah and imagine losing that 350~ish pounds from not having the typical 526ci engines they run!

Apparently a couple of big name builders on the west cost. Couple guys running "sassy" Hemis, some others "Black" Hemis. These might be the arena version of "internet stats", but they were talking about some of those single hemis being in the 2200 or 2300 HP range. There was a guy in the single engine class with Cadillac engine, like a 540 I think with twin turbo on it, but he couldn't pull with the Hemis.

[terbang]

Sounds like fun, 20 years ago we had tractor pulling competitions in New Zealand when I was a kid at the local A&P (agricultural and pastoral) shows. Here is the novel bit, they used tractors, as in the ones that farmers use with real farmers driving them. Clever buggers those farmers I reckon...

[doctorgonzo]

Sounds like fun, 20 years ago we had tractor pulling competitions in New Zealand when I was a kid at the local A&P (agricultural and pastoral) shows. Here is the novel bit, they used tractors, as in the ones that farmers use with real farmers driving them. Clever buggers those farmers I reckon...

They do those too. It's like drag racing, go from stock to modified to super stock. The stock tractors are fun to watch as well.

[WesV]

The multi engine pulling tractors usually use overrun clutches, but once the load is put on the tractor all the motors get pulled down from their max RPM and there fore all 5 are applying power to the transmission.

I personally prefer classic stock or mild modified pulls. I have 2 tractors that I pull with in the classic stock classes.

[hampshirehog]

My grandfather borrowed a Merlin engine from the RAF at the end of the war, for no reason other than it was waiting to be borrowed. And when I was a kid my dad stuffed it in to the back of an old Bedford van. Clever engineering looking back at it now but I didn't appreciate it at the time.

He used to wheel it out some weekends and would blast down the straight concrete pad left by the Canadians at the tank assembly area they built for D day (it's still there and solid as 'ell).

I must get more detail off my dad but I know it was the 2 stage supercharged Merlin and pumped out around 1500 bhp. It's still probably the quickest / scariest thing I've ever been in.

Ended it's days with the engine being stripped and sold to be put in a boat. That would have been some boat.

[Steve]

Apparently a couple of big name builders on the west cost. Couple guys running "sassy" Hemis, some others "Black" Hemis. ...

Not sure about the "Sassy" Hemis, but the "Black" Hemis are blocks made or prepared by Hemi legend Keith Black.

OK, I Googled "sassy hemi" for you. Here's the result.

.

[rapidray]

Some of the BEST hemis used in tractor pulling are Brad Anderson engines. They run on alcohol (methanol or ethanol) & cost $45,000.00 EACH from oil pan to injector hat. They make almost 3,000 horsepower when set on kill. My favorite pullers are the diesel Super Stocks. Ray.

[gk75a]

check this out, http://www.conleyprecision.com/online_videos.htm

[Zooks]

OOh Yeah baby - it's big here too. - http://www.austractorpulls.org/start.htm