All,
The recent thread on triple-Strombergs promted me
to do some research, and I did find a very successful
application of triple-Strombergs in a (non-lbc) production car.
Australian "touring car" motor-racing in the 1960's
and early 1970's was very much a "race on Sunday, drive on
Monday" approach, and was heavily underwritten by the then
big-3 manufaturers; Ford, Holden (aka General Motors) and
Chrysler. All three offered high-performance versions of
their family cars that were homologated to race in the
long-distance (ie more than 300 mile) touring car races, the
most famous being the "Bathurst 500".
These cars were identical to the cars raced on the track
other than a roll-cage, racing livery and sponsorship stickers.
Road-tires were used. These were cars that the public could
directly relate to, because they were available on the show-room
floor.
The GM's mainstay was the 350 cubic inch (ci) Chevy V8,
which was upstaged in 1969 by the Ford "Windsor" and in 1970 the
"Clevelend" 351 ci V8's. GM changed their approach to "smaller
is lighter", and soon released the "Torana XU-1" (body based
upon the English Vauxall), using a home-grown 186 ci (3.0 litre)
push-rod straight-6 with 3x1.5 inch side-draft 150 cfm Strombergs, and
producing about 180 hp. The motor grew to 202 ci (3.3 litre)
in 1972 and 212 hp.
Chrysler developed their home-grown "hemi" 265 ci (4.3 litres)
push-rod straight-6 with 3x45mm DCOE Webers and 302 hp for the Aussie "Charger".
This was in the days before pollution control, a "concerned
public" at having these 140-150 mph cars on the road, and the fuel
crisis of the mid-1970's. This wonderful period of Australian automotive
history ended in 1974, when the bureacrats and race-sponsors changed forever
Aussie car-building; road cars became saner, race cars no-longer resembled
road cars.
Reading owners response to the GM Torana and its triple-Strombergs
indicates that this a a very workable combination; all owners indicate
a smooth running car that produces its best above 3000 rpm (probably
the cam). The little car would not win any drag-races against the bigger
V8's, but could stay with their top speeds! The car was very successful
on the road, track and showroom floor. It was a winner for GM.
I'd say this validates the concept of using triple-Strombergs,
however I've not seen reports on its implementation on lbc's.
Shane Ingate, twin-Strombergs in San Diego
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