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- Cosworth DFX V-8 Engine, 1975-1985 - The Cosworth DFX engine won its first race in 1976. The turbocharged V-8, based on an earlier Formula One engine designed by British firm Cosworth and funded by Ford Motor Company, dominated Indy car racing well into the 1980s. Cosworth DFX engines powered all ten Indianapolis 500 winners between 1978 and 1987.
- 1975-1985
- Collections - Artifact
Cosworth DFX V-8 Engine, 1975-1985
The Cosworth DFX engine won its first race in 1976. The turbocharged V-8, based on an earlier Formula One engine designed by British firm Cosworth and funded by Ford Motor Company, dominated Indy car racing well into the 1980s. Cosworth DFX engines powered all ten Indianapolis 500 winners between 1978 and 1987.
- Ford "Calliope" V-8 Automobile Engine, 1968 - Ford engineers developed the aluminum-block 427-cubic-inch "calliope" engine for the 1968 Le Mans 24-hour race. Three valves per cylinder were connected to pushrods driven by twin camshafts in the block. The distinctive fuel injector stacks above each cylinder, resembling whistles on a musical calliope, gave the engine its nickname. Rules changes at Le Mans prevented the engine from ever racing.
- 1968
- Collections - Artifact
Ford "Calliope" V-8 Automobile Engine, 1968
Ford engineers developed the aluminum-block 427-cubic-inch "calliope" engine for the 1968 Le Mans 24-hour race. Three valves per cylinder were connected to pushrods driven by twin camshafts in the block. The distinctive fuel injector stacks above each cylinder, resembling whistles on a musical calliope, gave the engine its nickname. Rules changes at Le Mans prevented the engine from ever racing.
- Cutaway Engine from a Ford Model T, circa 1927 - Mechanical simplicity was one of the secrets behind the Model T's success. The engine had no fuel pump, relying on gravity to feed the carburetor. There was no water pump either, as a thermosiphon effect was used to circulate cooling water. The cylinder head removed in one piece for easier servicing. The engine and transmission shared the same lubricating oil.
- circa 1927
- Collections - Artifact
Cutaway Engine from a Ford Model T, circa 1927
Mechanical simplicity was one of the secrets behind the Model T's success. The engine had no fuel pump, relying on gravity to feed the carburetor. There was no water pump either, as a thermosiphon effect was used to circulate cooling water. The cylinder head removed in one piece for easier servicing. The engine and transmission shared the same lubricating oil.
- Sales Brochure, "The Daimler Petroleum Motor," circa 1895 - German engineer Gottlieb Daimler developed small, high-speed engines in the 1880s. Daimler built the world's first internal combustion motorcycle in 1885, and he built an automobile the following year. With Wilhelm Maybach, Daimler formed Daimler Motors Corporation in 1890 to manufacture engines. The company began producing automobiles in 1892. Daimler Motors merged with Benz & Company in 1926.
- circa 1895
- Collections - Artifact
Sales Brochure, "The Daimler Petroleum Motor," circa 1895
German engineer Gottlieb Daimler developed small, high-speed engines in the 1880s. Daimler built the world's first internal combustion motorcycle in 1885, and he built an automobile the following year. With Wilhelm Maybach, Daimler formed Daimler Motors Corporation in 1890 to manufacture engines. The company began producing automobiles in 1892. Daimler Motors merged with Benz & Company in 1926.
- Saxon Motor Car Company Automobile Engine, 1916 - Detroit's Saxon Motor Car Company introduced its two-passenger Model A roadster in 1913. At $395 it was priced like an inexpensive cyclecar, but with a build quality closer to that of a full-sized automobile. Most cyclecars relied on one- or two-cylinder, air-cooled motorcycle engines, but the Saxon used a four-cylinder, water-cooled engine producing 12 horsepower.
- 1916
- Collections - Artifact
Saxon Motor Car Company Automobile Engine, 1916
Detroit's Saxon Motor Car Company introduced its two-passenger Model A roadster in 1913. At $395 it was priced like an inexpensive cyclecar, but with a build quality closer to that of a full-sized automobile. Most cyclecars relied on one- or two-cylinder, air-cooled motorcycle engines, but the Saxon used a four-cylinder, water-cooled engine producing 12 horsepower.
- Maxwell-Briscoe Motor Co. Automobile Engine, 1911 - Formed in 1904, Maxwell-Briscoe of Tarrytown, New York, earned a reputation for solidly built, low-priced automobiles. Many early Maxwell cars relied on two-cylinder engines like this one from 1911, with a displacement of 127 cubic inches and rated at 16 horsepower. Maxwell also offered four- and, briefly, six-cylinder models. The company was absorbed by Chrysler Corporation in 1924.
- 1911
- Collections - Artifact
Maxwell-Briscoe Motor Co. Automobile Engine, 1911
Formed in 1904, Maxwell-Briscoe of Tarrytown, New York, earned a reputation for solidly built, low-priced automobiles. Many early Maxwell cars relied on two-cylinder engines like this one from 1911, with a displacement of 127 cubic inches and rated at 16 horsepower. Maxwell also offered four- and, briefly, six-cylinder models. The company was absorbed by Chrysler Corporation in 1924.
- View of the Irving Bacon Painting "Young Henry and Clara Ford with Gasoline Engine at Kitchen Sink," 1893 - This painting shows Clara Ford acting as her husband's assistant during an early experiment with Henry's first gasoline engine. It happened at the kitchen sink of their home on Bagley Avenue in Detroit, on Christmas Eve 1893. The artist, Irving Bacon, made this painting in 1938 based on Henry Ford's verbal reminiscence about this pivotal career event.
- 1893
- Collections - Artifact
View of the Irving Bacon Painting "Young Henry and Clara Ford with Gasoline Engine at Kitchen Sink," 1893
This painting shows Clara Ford acting as her husband's assistant during an early experiment with Henry's first gasoline engine. It happened at the kitchen sink of their home on Bagley Avenue in Detroit, on Christmas Eve 1893. The artist, Irving Bacon, made this painting in 1938 based on Henry Ford's verbal reminiscence about this pivotal career event.
- 1932 Ford V-8 Engine, No. 1 - Henry Ford and Ford Motor Company revolutionized the auto industry once again in 1932 with the introduction of a low-priced V-8 engine. By casting the crankcase and cylinder banks as a single unit, Ford cut manufacturing costs and could offer its V-8 in a car starting under $500. Ford's original V-8 design remained in production, with modifications, until 1953.
- 1932
- Collections - Artifact
1932 Ford V-8 Engine, No. 1
Henry Ford and Ford Motor Company revolutionized the auto industry once again in 1932 with the introduction of a low-priced V-8 engine. By casting the crankcase and cylinder banks as a single unit, Ford cut manufacturing costs and could offer its V-8 in a car starting under $500. Ford's original V-8 design remained in production, with modifications, until 1953.
- Ford Model T 4-cylinder Automobile Engine, 1924 - This is the first Model T engine built at Ford's Rouge factory. The Rouge never built complete Model Ts, but it did make nearly every part that went into them. The parts were shipped back to Ford's Highland Park plant for assembly into finished cars. Not until the Model A, introduced in 1927, were cars fully built at the Rouge.
- September 30, 1924
- Collections - Artifact
Ford Model T 4-cylinder Automobile Engine, 1924
This is the first Model T engine built at Ford's Rouge factory. The Rouge never built complete Model Ts, but it did make nearly every part that went into them. The parts were shipped back to Ford's Highland Park plant for assembly into finished cars. Not until the Model A, introduced in 1927, were cars fully built at the Rouge.
- De Dion-Bouton Engine, circa 1900 - Jules-Albert de Dion and George Bouton initially set out to build steam-powered automobiles, but they were soon convinced that gasoline was the future. Their company's one-cylinder gasoline engine, introduced in 1895, was perhaps the first high-speed, lightweight internal combustion engine -- operating at around 2,000 rpm and weighing 40 pounds. De Dion-Bouton supplied engines to other automakers throughout the world.
- circa 1900
- Collections - Artifact
De Dion-Bouton Engine, circa 1900
Jules-Albert de Dion and George Bouton initially set out to build steam-powered automobiles, but they were soon convinced that gasoline was the future. Their company's one-cylinder gasoline engine, introduced in 1895, was perhaps the first high-speed, lightweight internal combustion engine -- operating at around 2,000 rpm and weighing 40 pounds. De Dion-Bouton supplied engines to other automakers throughout the world.