Chevrolet four-cylinder, copper-cooled engine 1923

[kach22i]

Trivia fans a treat for you........................

Chevrolet with a four-cylinder, copper-cooled engine of 1923
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/bv/copper.htm

Charles Kettering, the brilliant head of the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company (Delco), GM's research wing in Dayton, Ohio, was also captivated by air cooling. He started developing an air-cooled automobile engine in 1918.

Rather than traditional cast iron fins, Kettering used vertical copper fins welded to the iron cylinders. Despite some problems associated with using dissimilar metals, he wanted copper because its heat conductivity was 10 times better than iron. A big fan cooled the engine by drawing air up and over the cylinders. The copper fins prompted the corporation to officially change the name to the copper-cooled engine, although Kettering continued to call it air cooled.

........................The air cooled Chevrolet was a dismal failure, its problems so extensive that the only option was to discontinue it. In June, 1923, an embarrassed Chevrolet recalled all of the air-cooled cars and destroyed them. Kettering was so upset he threatened to leave GM.

1923 Chevrolet "Copper Cooled"
Photo: Bill Vance

[kach22i]

Bump..............it was air cooled!

No interest?

No comments?

[Tobra]

Interesting, but not that interesting. The benefit of copper cooling fins would not outweigh the disadvantage of the two dissimilar metals being married together it seems. No pics of motor, which is disappointing, I have seen 1920's Chevys before. Ironic it is in the Ford museum though

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Tobra

The benefit of copper cooling fins would not outweigh the disadvantage of the two dissimilar metals being married together it seems.

Copper pans are coated copper pans, right?

Has anyone ever coated the cooling fins of a Porsche/VW/Corvair before?

Someone must have at least experimented with it at some moment in time.

[TerryBPP]

Don't you already own a oil dripping, stud pulling oreo motor (2.7)?