Joe and Debra Schafer on a BritishV8 Outing (photo by Katie Ermakovich)
British V8 2008 - Group Outings and Parties
as published in BritishV8 Magazine, Volume XVI Issue 2, October 2008by: Curtis Jacobson
We Toured the Experimental Aircraft Association Museum (at Oshkosh, WI)
The EAA Museum in Oshkosh Wisconsin exhibits a huge and spectacular collection of aircraft, with special emphasis on small, lightweight, pioneering, and homebuilt models. It's a fascinating place to spend a couple days and to learn a lot about aviation. The museum's engine collection is particularly interesting; it features many cut-away engines that facilitate comparison of technical and construction details. You can see how the state of the art in aviation engines progressed throughout the twentieth century.
To get all you can from a visit to the EAA Museum, keep looking up!
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Larry Shimp and Bill Dudley inspect "Air Racing" airplanes (e.g. Bonzo and the Laird Super Solution)
Overweight lumps like the small block Chevy and the BMC B-Series need not apply.
(Larry Shimp, Tony Andrews, and Bill Dudley discover an Olds 215 aluminum V8.)
Few automobile engines have been successfully converted for aviation use. The GM aluminum V8 is one.
A dry-sump lubrication system is employed. The reservoir is mounted just behind the carburetor.
A special carburetor was required to facilitate the inverted mounting configuration.
A Stromberg NA-S3A carburetor was selected for the application.
Using an adapter plate, the Stromberg carburetor mounts to a standard Buick/Olds 215 intake manifold.
An engine from a previous era, this "Church Model V-8 248" utilized Ford automobile engine components.
The Church V-8 248 was an air-cooled, low compression engine design.
The Church V-8 never saw high-volume production, but it didn't lack for style!
At the EAA Musuem, you'll find cut-away engine displays around every bend.
(Some of the displays are as ingenious as the items displayed within them.)
Rotary and radial engines feature interesting cam and counterweight details. Incidentally, what's the
difference between a "rotary" and a "radial" engine? Rotary designs were popular earlier in aviation
history. In a rotary engine the crankshaft stays fixed and the rest of the engine (and the propeller)
rotates around the crankshaft. At first glance, a radial engine looks similar - but in a radial engine the
crankshaft and propeller rotate while the cylinders maintain a fixed position relative to the fuselage!
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We Toured the Road America Race Track (at Elkhart Lake, WI)
Katie Ermakovich, enjoying the sunshine in Ken Hiebert's TR6
BritishV8 2008 participants enjoy a high speed tour of Road America
We toured Road America's off-track facilities at lower speed...
... and we stopped for lunch at Road America's "Gear Box" restaurant.
(Did you notice the new wheels on Larry Shimp's GT?)
Siebkens Stop-Inn is the real landmark in downtown Elkhart Lake. (Is there an equally famous "racer's bar"?)
Scenes from the 1969 movie "Winning", with racer and sometimes-actor Paul Newman, were filmed here.
The "Spurious" crew obviously had a great time, and enjoyed a few refreshing beverages.
Let's see here... Back row, left-to-right: Carl Floyd, Graham Creswick, Pete Mantell, Max Fulton.
Center: Mike Maloney, Rick Ingram, Richard Moor. Front: Dave Kirkman, Ted Lathrop, Steve Carrick.
We Envied Mary's Beautiful Garden & had a Delightful "Badgerland Bash"
No really... the pictures don't do Mary's gardens justice. Just beautiful!
We had nice live music too, but not so loud as to inhibit conversation.
The food was magnificent, servings were generous, and by this time we were entering a blissful "food coma"!
Some of us couldn't help taking a few sneak peaks at Paul's latest project...
Paul Schils' Ford-V8 powered MGB tourer will complement his Buick-V8 powered GT.
(An "MG family", the Schils also have a lovely stock MGB and a handsome MGA.)
Custom through-the-fender headers...
...into an x-pipe exhaust crossover.
We Enjoyed a Banquet and Auction (at our host hotel in Port Washington, WI)
While we enjoyed our annual banquet and fundraising auction, a tornado passed nearby outside!
(left to right) Joe & Debra Schafer, Kelly Stevenson, Richard Woodley, Terry & David Tetlow, and Carl Floyd.
Our lovely hostess, Mary Schils, gets a squeeze from hot-shoe driver Carl Floyd.
Auctioneer Pete Mantell (left) of "Mantell Motorsports" orchestrated the kick-off fundraiser for next year's meet.
Rick Ingram of "Pieces of Eight" gives him a hand at displaying the many auctioned items.
Rick Ingram helps Bill Guzman and Mike Maloney increase their auction bids!
(That's not a bottle of wine. It's the pressure-bottle for an engine pre-lube system.)
Disclaimer: This page was researched and written by Curtis Jacobson. Views expressed are those of the author, and are provided without warrantee or guarantee. Apply at your own risk.
Photo by Curtis Jacobson, Katie Ermakovich, Ken Hiebert, and Martyn Harvey (see above for specific credits).
All rights reserved by BritishV8 Magazine.
