What's not to like?

Not mine. Could be yours...

http://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/cto/1773858913.html

Won't be challenge friendly for another 67990 years. I'll wait.

Ever worked on one?

My dad had one with the same engine, and it was a biotch to keep tuned, until I learned how to deal with Lucas electrics.

Shotgun.

They sure do sound good. Found that out browsing the Leno site one afternoon.

Interesting: the engine has a harmonic balancer. I thought straight-6 engines had excellent inherent balance characteristics (perfect first- and second- order balance?)? Can anyone educate me?

David

DWNSHFT wrote: Interesting: the engine has a harmonic balancer. I thought straight-6 engines had excellent inherent balance characteristics (perfect first- and second- order balance?)? Can anyone educate me? David

A harmonic balancer (actually known as a damper) has nothing to do with the "balance" of the engine. Its purpose is to absorb the vibrations caused when an explosion forcefully twists the throw of the crank (and the resulting rebound against the throw). Imagine banging a tuning fork against a table--if you do this thousands of times a minute, the metal will eventually come apart.