How come so little development of 4V heads for existing V8's

[Torquemonster]

This is a really interesting thread

That 904 c.i. Schubeck quad cam engine looks sensational - but was designed for boats. There'd only be so many cars you could fit that monster into.

Anyone here remember the awesome Batten V12 quad cam by Cyril Batten? That made 1250hp on 91 pump gas with no power adders... nice! Pity he went bankrupt I hear. That motor was available from 700 to 1000 cubes, the long block weighed well under 600lb - Cyril could lift it (He was a power lifter), and it fitted under most hoods that could take a straight 6.

re Arao - communication was a problem although I found phoning was effective. They used Porsche rockers - or at least it was a Porsche design. Not sure how they made money as the shop is full of castings but not a lot of action. It is a father and son team.

re power per weight... Ken, that is an excellent suggestion. I get pissed off at the snoby UK and European journalists that continually slag US engines because they are "old tech" and write from the premise that life begins with 4V and 2 cams per bank. They fail to understand a basic fact -size and weight are ignored in favor of cubic inches - which hides the penalty of high tech re power per physical weight.

what would you rather have?

1 - a 5.4 liter V8 with 32V and quad cams making 550hp and weighing 700lb with blower, plus having high CG and is externally huge.... or

2 - a 9.38 liter (572c.i.) wedge motor that is physically smaller, weighs 460lb (all Aluminum), has a low CG and makes 800hp as a very streetable motor with no power adder?

The 572 is SMALLER AND LIGHTER than the blown 4.6/5.4... crazy isn't it?

On a less extreme comparison - compare the physical size and weight of the 5.7 Chev or 6.1 Hemi to a 5 liter BMW or Merc V8. The euro engines are sweet, they rpm, they make more power, but they are bigger and heavier physically. IF you built a 2V American V8 to the weight and external bulk and CG of the Euro engines (using alumimum where the euros do) - I think you'd be able to make a lot of power too - without the rpms of course.

The torque per liter comparison is also interesting.

[SchmidtMotorWorks]

Anyone here remember the awesome Batten V12 quad cam by Cyril Batten?

yes i do, I almost went to work for him when that engine was new. I had the truck loaded and Honda called just minutes before I was going to disconnect the phone. Amazing, the turns in life.

I heard that he was involved in a motorcycle project maybe Indian and haven't heard of anything after that.

The images I had of the head made me think it was a billet with one big cooling hole down the center.

I do like the sound of a V12 though, I wish I had heard it.