Liberty V-12 & Packard
I was thinking of doing Miss America and some other early step-bottoms in 1/4 scale but there aren't any 1/4 scale Liberty V-12's. Till now that is. I have built 4 different engines.

The first one is over 17" long and 10" high.
They are out of resin castings from molds of my masters. 
They should look good with two of them side by side with straight pipes.

 
 


 


 


 


 


Including the flywheel and transmission, it's over 20" long now


 


 


 


The Gar Wood water pump master is done and the first casting is on the prototype. It was a complicated mold, due to the shape it was darn near impossible to get the thing out of the rubber once it cured. The white area on the side is where the water outlet will be attached. The next step is the removal of the aircraft centrifugal water pump and the making of the oil scavenging pump that mounts there. When I first started the project I was going to do the aircraft version of the engine. After visiting the Garwood conversion at the Antique Boat Museum that changed. The aircraft oil pump on the low point of the pan will have to come off as well and will be replaced with the pick up plate for the other oil pump. An interesting note, the domed cover that was ground off to install the marine water pump was where the gun synchronizer was mounted when the Liberty was installed in fighter aircraft.


I have finished up the front accessories. The water pump is done with its output manifold and valves, the oil pump and plumbing is complete, the oil pickup on the bottom of the pan is installed and lastly the mushroom shaped crankcase vent by the left cam tower is on. At the other end, I've completed the output flange for the transmission. It should be on and painted by tomorrow evening and I will send another photo. The next big push will be the molding of the exhaust headers.
 


 


After a almost a year of work my 1/4 scale Garwood Liberty V-12 marine conversion is nearing completion. The left exhaust header mold is complete and the first casting is on the model. The right hand header master is in the casting chamber and will be ready to come out later this afternoon. Each mold is a two part casting and I hope to have enough steam to cast the second half this evening. If I do I can cast right-hand manifolds in the morning.
 


I've been running all the simulated water hoses and plumbing. 
The next thing to tackle will be the spark plug wires. I'm still looking for something that will look scale and not toy-ish.
The model is 20.5" long, 8" wide and about 10" high. Weight is about eight pounds.


On the left is engine #1 of a run of four, on the right is the prototype. The cam tower and tubes are just sitting there for now. 
The Olive Drab Green is based on an original Liberty in the Smithsonian. It's more appropriate then the flat green I used on the prototype. 
This is I believe a model "TS-34" with Miller carburetors. It is modeled as the one on display at the Clayton museum. Apparently the Miller carbs are a rarity but they are pretty cool! There is a lot of hand painting in my future.
 


This is the first test fit in the case. It will not be sitting on those blocks! 
The engine and transmission will be connected on scale rails and they will be on varnished oak stringers.
 


This will all be mounted atop to machined pylons that will go into the oil pan and be through bolted into the bottom of the case. 
The idea is to have the model about in the middle of the case. I think I will be raising it up about another inch or so.



These are 1/4 scale models of Gar Wood's 500 HP TS-26 Liberty Marine conversion with Miller carburetors.
I am building 10 total in all.


It looks like the model will be of Miss America V, not number one,
as Gar Wood didn't have this style water cooled exhaust until boat number five.


The engine is a bit over 22" long, 14" high and 9" wide. The model weighs slightly over 12 lbs. not counting the oak stand. 


 


The Packards


 


I've been a bit obsessed with the engine thing and haven't worked on any boats for some time. 
I have finally started on one though. I started off on a supercharged Packard 2500 tangent for a 9.5' Miss America X.
The stringers have been planned down and I will cut them after the Mount Dora boat show.
I have made four of the Packard's and the two V-drives. This model will be about as big as a canoe!




 


My daughter Heather modeling the models  (left to right)

  • Gar Wood Liberty V-12, 4-valves per cylinder, double-overhead cam, short stroke (one of two made)
  • T-26 Gar Wood Liberty marine conversion
  • stock aircraft Liberty
  • one of Miss America X Packards
All 1/4 scale and all from scratch. I will send some hull photos once I get going.
©2006 - 2011 Keith P. Brayer

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