wspohn
SuperDork
7/6/21 1:24 p.m.
For whatever reason (maybe it is the combustion chamber geometry or something) an in line straight six engine has always been second only to a V12 for me, sonically.
The pushrod sixes just don't seem to have the same attraction. The Austin 6 in tuned form in a Healey sound nice (in a sort of rustic lorry-like way) but the DOHC sixes have an other-worldly scream at full cry.
When I was going to Laguna regularly to race, I got to listen to cars like Peter Giddings' Maserati 250F, one of the prettiest race cars as well as one of the best sounding. The Mercedes 300 SL wasn't as nice sounding as that but was still pretty good (we had one racing at Westwood, my home track).
Another one I had the opportunity to appreciate close up was the Alfa 2600. A local chap had one in his Alfa (the car was actually originally a 2000 but it had received an engine swap). He drove it on the street as well as in vintage racing and you could hear it all the way around the track.
A coupe of friends ran Jaguars, both early XKs and XKEs (Mark Adams had a state of the art engine in his 140 and used to regularly drive by XKEs) and they sound superb. Rather aptly like large angry cats.
On the modern (well, back when I was still running SCCA style racing) the Datsun 240Z was a real nice screamer.
On the modern scene, IMHO the BMW straight 6 engines sound wonderful when driven in anger (I own one - an S54 engined example with a red line of 7900 rpm and a free flow exhaust and expect that the neighbours hate me).
Don't know why, but V6 engines (I've owned some) just don't sound as good.
Any other nominations for great sounding straight 6 engines (whether pushrod or OHC) ? I'm told that the Toyota 2000 was very good (but haven't heard one) and ditto for the TVR Speed-Six.
https://youtu.be/vVWaJxxslP0
skip to :38 for the I-6 orgasm of a lifetime.
wspohn
SuperDork
7/6/21 2:27 p.m.
Wow!
Now I want two banks of that as a 2 liter V12, and something to put it in!
And it is true - very, very similar to an F1 car (although not as high revving).
CLH
Reader
7/6/21 2:44 p.m.
Call them rustic if you must, but I'm fond of the I6 sounds of the big Healys and 2.0 and 2.5 Triumphs. The SOHC Datsun sixes are ok, but don't sound as good to me. The DOHC Jags are about perfect.
RB26 gets my vote for the best sounding engine ever made.
Big Turbo + RB + sequential transmission is hard to beat.
This is the TR6 I use to autocross. At this point, it was running EFI with the Borla throttles. I think it sounded even more wicked with Weber DCOE 40s.
I have a Jag 3.8S. With dual exhausts, it sounds mean, especially at full wind.
The flat 6 Corvair engine has the distinction of sounding awesome with a dual exhaust, or like a vacuum cleaner throttled down to a single.
If we're going to go full-on rustic, the happy burble of a sidevalve 6 Chrysler has always sounded great to my ear.
Surely the BMW M20 deserves some consideration here?
In reply to wspohn :
I agree with your statement about Jaguar straight sixes. Those early ones designed during WW2 fire watch at the Jaguar factory. Are true Hemi engines. Like all true Hemi engine with a little overlaps some intake charge will escape out the exhaust valve on overlap before closing. That will add just a bit of bark to the exhaust note.
On my BLACK JACK I used megaphone picking up the ground effects swirl causing a loud bark you could often follow completely around the race track.
I am VERY biased - best sounding I6 is my TR250.
I grew up on the american V8 growl, and the only I 6's I've personally owned were 170/200 fords and early carb'd 240/300 fords, (all stock) that left me with a meh feeling.
Now the sounds y'all are into are FANTASTIC, but its hard to overcome the exposure during the formulative times.
I want one of those CBX's. Man those are awesome.
sergio
HalfDork
7/6/21 7:05 p.m.
https://youtu.be/dwC1naWYg9w
Six cylinder KZ1300 with Mr. Turbo kit.
Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) said:
Surely the BMW M20 deserves some consideration here?
I've always been a fan of this sound clip
"Woodfield Run" in my 1989 BMW 325is - YouTube
03Panther said:
Now the sounds y'all are into are FANTASTIC, but its hard to overcome the exposure during the formulative times.
Funny how that works isn't it? The first real performance machines I was around for any amount of time were 3 cylinder two strokes. To this day when I hear one I just love them. I'm not even old enough to really consider it nostalgia.
I have a couple Mercedes C36 cars so will throw in a vote for the M104 engine
The sound that made me want a European car (that wasn't a VW)
There's something about the way a lot of era Euro cars sounded, the exhaust was muted, the intake let it self discreetly be heard, but you mainly heard a gentle mechanical noise from the engine, but not thrashy, just.... GOOD sounding.
The bigger german sixes do it for me. BMW S38 or Mercedes M104. Throaty screamers!
Secondary shout(yell) out to the Jaguar 4.2
In reply to Datsun310Guy :
That and the Z432 are why I keep thinking of an RB20DE swap into... something. It's technically even the same engine family!(ish)
In reply to 1SlowVW :
Snowmobiles, I assume. Back in 99 I was working in MA, and went to the Laconia rally. found a little snowmobile shop that let me sleep in my van on his lot. He had a 900cc machine that was brand new, badest available at the time. Punched and stroked to (a lot; don't remember) for his race team. He fired that up for me - made me have impure thoughts!
Couple threads on here of folks with Kawi triples. Street bikes from anothe era!
mtn
MegaDork
7/6/21 11:15 p.m.
buzzboy said:
The bigger german sixes do it for me. BMW S38 or Mercedes M104. Throaty screamers!
Secondary shout(yell) out to the Jaguar 4.2
I came in here to mention the M104.
But I think that the win goes to the Big Healeys, though some of that is because you know it's a Big Healey.
