Since I am a trained car mechanic, I
love anything mechanical. Eurpoean manufacturers seem to take the lead when it
comes to super cool stuff. Take for example, this engine:
The only V-12 engine Maserati ever made, a Prototype Formula One 250F
with 3.0 liter displacement, 4 overhead cams, 10.5:1 compression,
6 dual-throat Weber carbs, 2 sparkplugs per cylinder, dual distributors
(with 24 coils and 24 sets of points!) and dual oil and dual water pumps.
The aluminum engine block is wet-sleeved and the seal between the heads
and the sleeves is via the torque on the head bolts only. The
crankshaft turned a series of 23 gears that, in turn, runs all 4 cams,
the fuel, water and oil pumps, and also turns the distributors.
