Date:         Tue, 12 Oct 2004 12:47:50 -0700
Reply-To:     Dave Rogers <bikeguy184@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Rogers <bikeguy184@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Stand or Bench for engine?
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This is a little far-fetched but I'm going to tell it anyway & it's not even Friday. I worked for a VW dealer in the early 60's & built many 36 & 40 hp aircooled engines. We had nice engine stands & it was very handy to pull a pin & tilt the engine any way you desired during assembly. Later I became a machine repairman in the employ of Generous Motors but still built many engines on the side & I fashioned a vw adaptor to a commercial engine stand so I could continue to tilt those babies around. It was well after I had quit building engines for anyone other than myself that another machine repairman transferred to our plant & gave me cause for reflection. He was an avid & successful drag racer & built small block Chevies. He had a figure which I am unable to state now(CRS) of the number of horsepower it cost him to build an engine on a stand. He SWORE that he could build two engines, everything the same except one was built on a bench with everything free to flex, the other on a stand
 & the free to flex one would consistantly develop more horsepower. Anyway I have never sought to prove or disprove this theory & am unlikely to be building any more engines unless my Westie should blow, & would myself prefer to use a stand but am throwing it out for discussion, controversy, flames, whatever. So whataya think, Is he full of it?