Talk:Novi engine
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Some references I found
editHere is every mention of "Lou Welch" and "Novi" I could scrape up on Newspapers.com. Note that lots of these are probably not relevant, but here they are formatted as citations: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] [54] [55] [56] [57] [58] [59] [60] [61] [62] [63] [64] [65] [66] [67] [68] [69] [70] [71] [72] [73] [74] [75] [76] [77] [78] [79] [80] [81] [82] [83] [84] [85] [86] [87] [88] [89] [90] [91] [92] [93] [94] jp×g 22:19, 20 September 2021 (UTC)
References
- ^ "Page 13". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1947-05-13. p. 13.
- ^ "Page 11". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1947-05-13. p. 11.
- ^ "Page 6". The News-Palladium. Benton Harbor, Michigan. 1947-05-13. p. 6.
- ^ "Page 8". The Herald-Press. Saint Joseph, Michigan. 1947-05-13. p. 8.
- ^ "Page 17". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1947-05-14. p. 17.
- ^ "Page 10". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1947-05-17. p. 10.
- ^ "Page 37". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1947-05-18. p. 37.
- ^ "Page 15". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1947-05-19. p. 15.
- ^ "Page 13". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1947-05-20. p. 13.
- ^ "Page 21". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1947-05-26. p. 21.
- ^ "Page 12". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1947-05-30. p. 12.
- ^ "Page 1". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1947-05-31. p. 1.
- ^ "Page 14". The News-Palladium. Benton Harbor, Michigan. 1948-05-14. p. 14.
- ^ "Page 33". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1948-05-14. p. 33.
- ^ "Page 12". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1948-05-15. p. 12.
- ^ "Page 10". The Ludington Daily News. Ludington, Michigan. 1948-05-15. p. 10.
- ^ "Page 15". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1948-05-15. p. 15.
- ^ "Page 9". The News-Palladium. Benton Harbor, Michigan. 1948-05-15. p. 9.
- ^ "Page 22". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1948-05-16. p. 22.
- ^ "Page 14". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, Michigan. 1948-05-16. p. 14.
- ^ "Page 22". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1948-05-17. p. 22.
- ^ "Page 6". The News-Palladium. Benton Harbor, Michigan. 1948-05-17. p. 6.
- ^ "Page 13". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, Michigan. 1948-05-17. p. 13.
- ^ "Page 6". Ironwood Daily Globe. Ironwood, Michigan. 1948-05-17. p. 6.
- ^ "Page 8". The Times Herald. Port Huron, Michigan. 1948-05-17. p. 8.
- ^ "Page 11". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1948-05-17. p. 11.
- ^ "Page 14". The Escanaba Daily Press. Escanaba, Michigan. 1948-05-17. p. 14.
- ^ "Page 9". Traverse City Record-Eagle. Traverse City, Michigan. 1948-05-17. p. 9.
- ^ "Page 14". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1948-05-18. p. 14.
- ^ "Page 22". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1948-06-01. p. 22.
- ^ "Page 15". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, Michigan. 1949-02-03. p. 15.
- ^ "Page 35". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1949-02-03. p. 35.
- ^ "Page 16". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1949-02-05. p. 16.
- ^ "Page 46". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1949-05-12. p. 46.
- ^ "Page 28". The Times Herald. Port Huron, Michigan. 1949-05-12. p. 28.
- ^ "Page 30". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, Michigan. 1949-05-12. p. 30.
- ^ "Page 14". The Escanaba Daily Press. Escanaba, Michigan. 1949-05-12. p. 14.
- ^ "Page 23". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1949-05-13. p. 23.
- ^ "Page 16". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1949-05-14. p. 16.
- ^ "Page 16". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1949-05-17. p. 16.
- ^ "Page 11". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1949-05-30. p. 11.
- ^ "Page 21". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1949-06-30. p. 21.
- ^ "Page 1". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1949-11-07. p. 1.
- ^ "Page 15". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1950-04-08. p. 15.
- ^ "Page 33". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1950-04-18. p. 33.
- ^ "Page 38". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1950-05-04. p. 38.
- ^ "Page 31". The Times Herald. Port Huron, Michigan. 1950-05-04. p. 31.
- ^ "Page 16". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1950-05-27. p. 16.
- ^ "Page 14". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1950-05-27. p. 14.
- ^ "Page 16". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1951-04-24. p. 16.
- ^ "Page 23". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, Michigan. 1951-04-27. p. 23.
- ^ "Page 23". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1951-05-23. p. 23.
- ^ "Page 25". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1951-05-28. p. 25.
- ^ "Page 10". The Times Herald. Port Huron, Michigan. 1951-05-29. p. 10.
- ^ "Page 11". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, Michigan. 1951-05-29. p. 11.
- ^ "Page 11". The News-Palladium. Benton Harbor, Michigan. 1951-05-29. p. 11.
- ^ "Page 9". The Herald-Press. Saint Joseph, Michigan. 1951-05-29. p. 9.
- ^ "Page 12". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1951-05-30. p. 12.
- ^ "Page 15". The Times Herald. Port Huron, Michigan. 1952-02-20. p. 15.
- ^ "Page 19". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, Michigan. 1952-02-20. p. 19.
- ^ "Page 48". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1952-02-20. p. 48.
- ^ "Page 13". Traverse City Record-Eagle. Traverse City, Michigan. 1952-02-20. p. 13.
- ^ "Page 24". The Times Herald. Port Huron, Michigan. 1952-02-28. p. 24.
- ^ "Page 19". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1952-04-09. p. 19.
- ^ "Page 15". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1952-05-27. p. 15.
- ^ "Page 15". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, Michigan. 1952-05-27. p. 15.
- ^ "Page 16". Traverse City Record-Eagle. Traverse City, Michigan. 1952-05-27. p. 16.
- ^ "Page 59". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1953-05-17. p. 59.
- ^ "Page 65". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1953-05-17. p. 65.
- ^ "Page 22". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1953-05-24. p. 22.
- ^ "Page 11". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1953-05-30. p. 11.
- ^ "Page 28". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1954-06-17. p. 28.
- ^ "Page 11". Traverse City Record-Eagle. Traverse City, Michigan. 1955-04-16. p. 11.
- ^ "Page 29". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1955-04-21. p. 29.
- ^ "Page 13". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1955-05-14. p. 13.
- ^ "Page 26". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1956-05-09. p. 26.
- ^ "Page 63". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1956-05-13. p. 63.
- ^ "Page 15". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. 1956-05-29. p. 15.
- ^ "Page 14". The Times Herald. Port Huron, Michigan. 1956-05-29. p. 14.
- ^ "Page 36". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1957-04-11. p. 36.
- ^ "Page 17". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1957-05-26. p. 17.
- ^ "Page 13". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1957-06-01. p. 13.
- ^ "Page 32". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1958-04-10. p. 32.
- ^ "Page 22". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1958-05-13. p. 22.
- ^ "Page 25". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1958-05-20. p. 25.
- ^ "Page 3". Ironwood Daily Globe. Ironwood, Michigan. 1962-04-19. p. 3.
- ^ "Page 34". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1965-02-16. p. 34.
- ^ "Page 25". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1967-05-27. p. 25.
- ^ "Page 115". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1984-05-10. p. 115.
- ^ "Page 68". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1984-05-10. p. 68.
- ^ "Page 12". The Herald-Palladium. Saint Joseph, Michigan. 1987-02-02. p. 12.
- ^ "Page 28". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 1990-11-01. p. 28.
- ^ "Page 70". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 2003-12-17. p. 70.
- ^ "Page 80". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. 2003-12-17. p. 80.
- A vast amount of utterly pointless effort, why? Incidently, Lew Welch's name isn't spelt "Lou". — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:589:300:CA70:65ED:5265:FAE:E264 (talk) 23:35, 16 June 2022 (UTC)
various thoughts on the Novi
editHere is some background on the Novi, which someone might work into the article:
Lew Welch ran his operation on a shoe-string, and since he was only interested in the 500, every June the cars would be put in storage until the following May. Consequently there was no development or debugging during the year, and every May was a panic to resolve various issues before qualifying.
Another side effect of Welch's low budget was that the team never had any engine spares on hand. If something broke, a replacement had to be ordered from Offenhauser in California (Offenhauser never had a shop in Michigan, don't know how that falsehood crept into the article), and shipped express to Indianapolis, while the team sat idly by.
The article notes that Welch stayed with the Kurtis front-drive chassis long after other teams had changed to rear-drive. This was a large part of why the Novi cars weren't competitive; while a front-drive chassis was the way to go on bricks, as the Speedway steadily gained asphalt the front-drive cars became increasingly hard to drive. (Unlike a front-wheel-drive car, which has a differential and CV joints, a front-drive car had a spool and rigid axle, meaning both front wheels always turned the same speed. A great thing on the straights, especially when they were brick, but it required the inside tire to slip in the corners - no big deal on the bricks, but a huge handling problem on asphalt).
When Welch bought a rear-drive chassis, the engine had to be turned around 180 degrees so the drive shaft went to the back. As originally designed, the carb sat right by the firewall, with a very short throttle linkage. Turned around, a long linkage with several bell-cranks was needed to reach the carb mounted at the very front of the car. It took a couple of years to get that to work right, altho thankfully it was more prone to fail by not opening the throttle fully rather than sticking wide open.
Another problem with the new chassis was the engine was mounted too far forward. In the front-drive, weight on the front wheels was good. In the rear-drive chassis, too much front weight hurt traction on the drive wheels, while wearing out the front tires. This again likely would have been solved if the cars weren't on blocks for 10 months of the year.
The one big thing Andy Granatelli did, after buying the Novi's, was to buy some track time and do testing. After a year or so, he had a decently reliable race engine and car. Unfortunately by then the Novi's time was past, with the arrival of the Foyt-Ford (so called to distinquish it from the Cosworth-Ford of later years) and the turbo Offy being the future. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:589:300:CA70:65ED:5265:FAE:E264 (talk) 00:06, 17 June 2022 (UTC)