Indy Block

Michael Mount

Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2014
Is anyone familiar with the (unique) Indy V6 block? I'm using an original Indy engine for a Bonneville project and need to adapt a bell housing to it. It DOESN'T have the BOP bell housing pattern, and I haven't been able to determine what it is. Before I reinvent the wheel, can anyone help with identifying the pattern? Way better would be a blueprint/drawing.

Many thanks in advance.
MM
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Hold on. Is there such a thing a specific "Indy block"?

I mean, isn't just one of the varieties of Buick Motorsports Stage blocks prepared for Indy use?
 
indy is a short deck smaller displacement block , you couldnt just rework a 012 block to get there
did quick search... looks like a holden v6 bolt pattern or bop without the locating dowel pins and bolts in those locations
being an indy with motor mounted at the rear it would have to bolt to a fwd trans
 
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indy is a short deck smaller displacement block , you couldnt just rework a 012 block to get there
did quick search... looks like a holden v6 bolt pattern .
being an indy with motor mounted at the rear it would have to bolt to a fwd trans

Sounds like a great motor for an autoX set-up. Does this thing have a part # with good detail pics online somewhere?
 
they shouldnt , it was a weight savings thing
afik they were started from an external motor using the crank which was at the rear of the car
 
Is anyone familiar with the (unique) Indy V6 block? I'm using an original Indy engine for a Bonneville project and need to adapt a bell housing to it. It DOESN'T have the BOP bell housing pattern, and I haven't been able to determine what it is. Before I reinvent the wheel, can anyone help with identifying the pattern? Way better would be a blueprint/drawing.

Many thanks in advance.
MM
View attachment 244033


They used the standard Indy 5 speed McLaren gearbox .. I am looking for the PDF of the gearbox
 
Yes, the Indy block is unique, for sure. With a bore of 3.900 and stroke of 2.900, the deck is around 1" shorter than the 019 or S2. They were started with an outboard starter (like a go kart) using a spud out the back of the transaxle. The Mecum auction piece is what I ended up with. It didn't sell there, BTW. I'm having trouble uploading pics, but I'll add some as soon as I conquer the task.
 
Actually, the gearbox case was made by the chassis manufacturer; in this case Lola, with Hewland (or whomever) internals. The reason is that the gearbox was load bearing - it had rear suspension attached to it so it was considered part of the chassis.
 
Actually, the gearbox case was made by the chassis manufacturer; in this case Lola, with Hewland (or whomever) internals. The reason is that the gearbox was load bearing - it had rear suspension attached to it so it was considered part of the chassis.


Which was designed by McLaren ... let me find the print .. its a McLaren deal
 
Any opinions on how well an intake styled in this fashion would work for a forward fed turbo application? It looks like it would feed the heads from a pressurized plenum evenly.

If I remember correctly, Eric Rankin had an intake similar to this one on his car back in the 90's.

Anyone?
 
It could be they way the pic is taken but those intake ports look massive. I bet that motor will scream past 10K rpm. I looked at some old specs on some of those motors and some were making 800, I think that was the goal with everyone that was built. I will relay some info to my old school sources and see if they can up some info.
 
Any opinions on how well an intake styled in this fashion would work for a forward fed turbo application? It looks like it would feed the heads from a pressurized plenum evenly.

If I remember correctly, Eric Rankin had an intake similar to this one on his car back in the 90's.

Anyone?
I really can't say how this intake would compare to something more conventional. Only the dyno knows, but do know it would take a lot of work to adapt one of these. Note the huge intake ports, also since it's fit to a short deck block, the geometry is all wrong for a standard block. It would certainly be unique, though. If someone's really interested in pursuing it, contact Dale Cherry at Injection Connection. I think he used one at some point.
 
M&A made a manifold like that for production motors. Don't see them anymore, maybe too expensive to make, or the benefits were negligible on a stock platform. Saw in a thread a long time ago sealing was an issue.
 
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