Planning a trip to Texas to pick up a McFarlan engine. 574 cubic inch inline 6. 4 valve flat head 'pass through' induction operated by 2 camshafts. 3 spark plugs per cylinder and aluminum intake. The block is nearly 6 feet long.

What part of Texas? Are you looking for some tips on what to see or do while you are there besides hauling a trailer?

The engine is just outside Daingerfield, Texas at a relative's place. I will be going there and to Dallas to visit an aunt.

I am rescuing the engine for the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum. When McFarlan went out of business Erret Cord purchased McFarlan for their body building. The first boat tail body that I know of was built by McFarlan, but it was built for one of the 13 Duesenberg X chassis before Cord purchased Duesenberg. McFarlans were very expensive, considerably more than a Duesenberg Model A. So much more to tell about this VERY rare and exclusive make.

My goal is to restore this engine to running condition. This engine was discovered my a brother of my father being used for a drag line at a gravel pit in Williams County Ohio.

I am pumped about this!!!

Pictures!!!

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I'll be taking a ***** load when I get there. My other uncle that originally found this engine told me that the block and clutch housing it will just fit in an 8 foot truck bed.

McFarlan's high production year was 1924 when they made an entire 274 cars. That was the same year that they built the custom car for Al Capone. It had a gold trimmed interior with a total cost of $18,000. The next year Al purchased a second McFarlan for his wife.

Henry Ford's Wife also had a McFarlan.....she must not have cared for what her husband brought home from work.

If you need a transmission that might mate up to that, contact Salt Walther (David) in Dayton, Ohio. He used to own a couple of Duesenburg transmissions that he used in some of his race cars, as an experiment...I know because I machined the bores in the housings back in the late 80's when I worked for my dad.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Aye, another proud branch of the MacPharlane clan.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

sounds interesting. I don't understand your statement that you are getting it for the museum then saying you will be restoring it yourself. Are you working for the museum?

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I am a volunteer at the museum. I primarily clean cars and give tours. My goal for the museum is to have this engine rebuilt and running. I know that the museum would like to see that as well. I want to invest in this venture of rebuilding this engine as this is such a rare find. I am sorry for not being clear. I have been so excited about this find that my head has been spinning especially after having a phone call with another one of my father's bothers who was the one that originally discovered the engine at a gravel pit. He then gave it to his brother in Texas.

When my uncle in Texas got the engine he disassembled it with the intention of overhauling it. However, at that time his health was beginning to diminish and he passed away. My parents went to Texas in February to visit my late uncle's wife and son. While there my mother mentioned about me working at the museum. My cousin knowing the connection about McFarlan and Cord told my parents about the engine that his father had. My cousin told them that he did not know what to do with the engine, but he did know that he could not bring himself to take it to a scrap yard.

That is a very cool story. The engine can be shared by many and it can be your tribute to your uncle.

Thanks very much!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

One of the most interesting things that I was told by my uncle who found this engine was that his father told him that he knew of McFarlan(s) used in Michigan to haul bootleg in the winter. The reason was they were so heavy that they had good traction on lake ice to out run the revenuers. I was thinking who could afford such a premium car for a few months of hauling bootleg. I found myself asking the question.....was the McFarlan that Al Capone bought for his wife perhaps used for other purposes. No I want to delve into some history of bootlegging in Michigan.

I am finding some notorious people owned McFarlans. I am beginning to wonder if the McFarlan was to a mob boss what a 600 Pullman was to a dictator.......

I was talking to one of my nieghbors a few days ago. The conversation started with gravel, turned to termintes, then heating, then air conditioning. I mentioned the Madame Walker uses chillers for cooling and some other downtown Indy buildings. Also, an apartment complex in Tulsa I lived in. Any ways he worked with an old black guy who was related to Madame C j Wlaker. He worked as a waiter or maitre'D or such at some of the old bars or resturuants in Indy. Some of the gangster would give him tips of $100 or such. That would probably be $1000 or more in todays money. So, they probably had plenty of cash. Also, they might not have figured how long they had left, so spend big while you can.
Tom

Ahh yes, the ol' Twin Valve Six. Years ago I had the pleasure of working on what was supposedly Jack Dempey's 1922 Berline. But I've learned to beware of automotive provenance, every dealer and collector has a story....Lovely car finished in maroon and black. It was in a collection in Connecticut that I maintained for the owner, I recall the magneto functioned flawlessly but the distributor was housed in an alloy case and had an odd centrifugal spark advance which would hang up and lose phase with the other ignition. Wound up rebuilding the pivot points and bearings. Fun car to drive.

This fellow also had a service truck made on a shortened McFarlan chassis, the sad fate of many large, powerful cars. I gotta go thru my files now and find the guy's number.

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I'm hopeful you'll take pictures not only of the initial find, but also the process of transporting, tearing down, refurbishing, etc. Maybe post them to a flickr account and just link it for those interested?

Good luck and happy transporting. I'm still trying to picture that beast, but hopefully google will reveal some images.


Here's a couple in this link...look at all the head fasteners!

Mcfarlan engine

Can't wait to see and hear more about this!

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)