> I'm sure there are other examples but if the average guy
like me can't
> think of them, they can't be much.
1.) The method of splaying main bearing bolts for improved
crankshaft main bearing life. The factories used to just add
additional bolts or cross-bolt and make the bearing caps and
bolts bigger. Lucky for them racers started modifying
production blocks by adding angled bolts.
2.) The method of using a bathtub recess (dish) in the
piston instead of a combustion chamber to improve burn
efficiency by adding turbulence. The factories never thought
it would work. Hell, they though a Hemi or open chamber
heads made more power when in fact they produce poorer
efficiency and less power for a given airflow.
3.) Improved port angles and runner designs in cylinder
heads that increase power and efficiency. The factory
engineers kept using canted valves and large port volume
until NASCAR and Robert Yates came along and reduced valve
cant and port volume and made more power while using less
fuel.
4.) The method of casting and machining a connecting rod in
one piece and then cracking the big end off at a scribed
line to make a play-free mating surface (the two rough
surfaces meet perfectly where broken) to hold rod bearings
5.) Improved driveline components including bearings and
lubrication
6.) Plastic intake manifolds and valve covers
7.) Tire designs
8.) Roller tappet camshafts in production cars with push-rod
V-8's
9.) Flat mating surfaces on intake manifolds instead of
angled surfaces
10.) Ignition systems now duplicate the one coil per
cylinder (or per two cylinder) designs used in racing.
11.) Oiling and lubrication in driveline components.
In the 80's, I sent broken parts back to Ford so they could
evaluate failures. They sent modified pieces back, many of
which became production revisions.
You'd be surprised what you can learn about shortfalls when
you dump an honest 700HP into a production chassis and
driveline.
73 Tom
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