Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines Staghound GMCs

Hi guys. I've been lurking here a long time so I thought it was time I posted something up. We have a fantastic historic race meeting here this weekend, a bunch of Formula 5000, F1, and CanAm cars, a tribute to Bruce McLaren. NZ Festival of Motor Racing Amoungst the other vintage and classic racers is a 270 GMC powered car from Perth, Australia. I spent some time talking with the owner and he mentioned that the engine was from a Staghound amoured car. He said the block was different to a regular GMC, and that the rear bearing had a 4 bolt cap. I just googled it and found this:Staghound power plant What would the chance be that someone on this board would have a pic of one of these blocks? All engine numbers on these begin with either ACL or ACR (Amoured Car Left/Right). It was great to hear this old racer at full throttle on the main straight. In one race he had a great battle with a 1935 Alfa Romeo Tipo C, that was supercharged and on methanol. The GMC easily kept up.

You can check me out on my website: Mike's Auto Body

Hi, Mike. I've not heard of the Staghound power plant but when I was a teenager, a group of friends and I dropped a GMC 270 into my 1936 Chevy 2-door sedan. I removed the 270 from a rolled over 1951 Jimmy pickup truck which I bought at a salvage yard for thirty five dollars Nobody, and I mean nobody, could overtake me in a street race from a standing start until four city blocks later. That's when drivers in the V-8's took over.

Presently, my parts chaser is a 1957 GMC 100 with its original 270 inline six under the hood. It is such a torky and dependable engine, that I wouldn't replace it with a V-8, no matter what.

Thanks, Mike, for the memories.

If that thing was in New Zealand where was the engine built? Did you get any pictures of it?

According to the link above the Staghound blocks were cast in the Saginaw foundry. The two 270 blocks I have were cast in the Pontiac, Michigan plant. Did GMC have a foundry in Canada? My 235 and 261 Chevys are Canadian. This car is visiting from Perth, Australia. I had to go back to the track again today just to see it run again. He did quite well, I'm sure he was 3rd in one race. He was racing against flathead and Cadillac powered cars, Coopers and all sorts of other stuff from the 30's, 40's and 50's. "Old Yalla" was also racing, out here specifically for this meet. The engine looked like any other GMC to me. It had a 270H head which wouldn't be original so I assume everything else except the block (and crank???) will interchange with a regular 270. My camera broke so I had to use my phone, I haven't checked the pics yet.

[img]http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz99/Gofannon_album/Hampton%20Downs%202010/CopyofPhoto0026.jpg?t=1264239968[/img]

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The TS Special. You can see Old Yalla in the background.