engine appearance
Minor swap progress, since my hands were absolutely trashed Monday night from bolting the turbos back on the 1JZ. Looking at it sitting on the garage floor got me thinking about engine appearance and attractiveness, specifically, which engines I found most appealing just by looking at them in their cars’ bays. I narrowed it down to a top four, in no particular order:
1. Series 1 Jaguar E-Type 4.2L inline six, with the polished cam covers
2. Skyline R34 RB26DETT (gives the impression of a great deal of sophisticated mechanism crammed into a very tight space)
3. Second generation 1JZ-GTE
4. BMW 850CSi S70
I think the common link between all these, besides that they’re all multiples of six cylinders, is the look they have of pure mechanical efficiency, rather than raw, brute power. Granted, some of that feel is necessary too, but the primary link between the top four is one of effective engineering.
For me a lot of it has to do with how much of the engine I can actually see. I mean, does it look like an engine? This is why rotaries will never make it on the list–while I have nothing but affection for those engines, they’re so compact and buried under their assorted vacuum hoses and manifolds that the actual substance is hard to find. Not just rotaries, though, as other engines like the ’70s-’80s Jag V12, while impressive technically, just don’t look the part. There’s also a trend nowadays, and rightly so, of incorporating more plastic into engine design, what with the development of plastics that can withstand the heat cycles and chemicals present under the hood. They’re used more often for manifolds and intake piping and especially engine covers, and while practical, from a design standpoint this just doesn’t do it for me like being able to actually see the cam covers or a few cast aluminum intake pipes. There’s nothing like metal to give the impression of substance.
If there’s one constant I’ve noticed among particular brand nationalities, it’s German engines, VWs, Audis, but especially MBs and BMWs, and the absolutely rigorous organization of the accessories and mechanical bits under the hood. I get the impression that each peripheral and accessory could go no where else in the engine than where it is–there’s a definite purpose to every placement.
Side note: Interesting how our affinity for a particular engine’s appearance stems in large part from the power output we know it can conjure on any casual foray with the right foot. At least, that’s how it is for me. I tend to feel better about an engine I’m examining if I can stand over it and make revving noises. I suppose I’ll get a life one of these days…