1931 Miller V16 Racing Car #27

This astounding V16 engined race car designed in 1931 by Harry Miller, with an estimated power of 300 hp, entered the Indy 500 that same year finishing 27th overall. Simply gorgeous.

It was the only V16 car designed and built by Miller, who is considered by some

the greatest creative figure in the history of the American racing car —Griffith Borgeson

He was very active during the 20s and the 30s, a period during which he won 9 times the Indianapolis 500. It was in this era when he designed the racing car, featured in this post, to challenge both Cadillac and Marmon. The power plant was a 303 cubic inch, 45-degree V16 producing 300 horsepower. Designed from scratch, it employed a barrel-type aluminum crankcase, four cylinder blocks with integral heads, each with a group of four cylinders. Dual overhead camshafts operated two valves per cylinder. Bore was 2.65 inches and stroke was 3.5 inches. Eight of the newest design Miller-Adamson carburetors fed downdraft intake ports located on top of the blocks, each serving two cylinders.

References

RM Auctions, (2009). 1931 Miller V16 Racing Car | Sports & Classics of Monterey 2009 | RM AUCTIONS. [online] Available at: http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=382812 [Accessed 27 May. 2014].