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Recreational Mechanic
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Northern Colorado, USA
Posts: 3,326
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From what I can surmise Tatra, VW, and Porsche seemed to be simultaneously building the first "mainstream" rear engine cars in the early 1930s. I think they influenced each other. Preston Tucker and Corvair (Ed Cole) came later and took those designs to the next level in the mid-40's and late 50's respectively with 6-cylinders (both), water cooling (Tucker) and turbocharging (Corvair). Then Porsche followed in the early 60's with the 901/911 project which brought better 6-cylinder engineering and performance than those who had come before.
Ed Cole was actually building rear engine air-cooled Cadillac prototypes in the 40's dubbed "Caddibacks" before he started the Corvair project. Also one cannot ignore the influence of the aircraft industry on air cooled cars.
The cooling fan system on the Tatra V8 is fascinating.
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P Cars: 2022 Macan GTS / One empty garage space ---- Other cars: 2019 Golf R 6MT / 2021 F-250 Diesel / 2024 Toyota GR86 6MT ---- Gone: 1997 Spec Boxster Race Car, 2020 GT4, 2004 GT3, 2003 Carrera, 1982 911SC, 2005 Lotus Elise and lots of other non-Porsches
PCA National DE Instructor #202106053 / PCA Club Racing / WRL Endurance Racing
Last edited by Nickshu; 09-19-2016 at 08:16 AM..
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