Yersterday’s inline six was correctly guessed as a GM 4200 series engine. The 4.2L mill was installed in a variety of cars and trucks like the Trailblazer, Envoy, Buick Rainier and other GM made mid size SUVs. It made between 275 and 290 hp during its production run and the engine is now starting to be embraced by hot rodders. While we’re not seeing them at the drags much yet, LSR enthusiasts are force feeding them boost and nitrous to make impressive power levels. Interestingly, the 4200 engine was a modular piece for GM as there were both four and five cylinder variants of the power plant. These things have a gnarly exhaust note when hot rodded. They scream like few GM mills ever made. If you like inliner noise, here’s the one owned by Marc powering his land speed Opel to speeds over 200 MPH! This engine made 394hp naturally aspirated.
GM 4200 powered Opel GT running 200 at B-Ville
Speaking of bore, here’s a monster plant with some serious ones. Valley Head Service took this engine in as a restoration project. It is huge, ancient, and used to power one of the great brand names in American automotive history. We’re thinking that this is the toughest question we’ve tossed at you yet, so give it a shot!
Tell us what this engine is and what it powered?
American LaFrance
Hot rodding an inline six is not unknown to us members of Inliners International.
I own a ’57 GMC 1/2 ton pickup with a ’67 GM 292 (4.8L) inline six engine with a lump-ported head, flat top pistons, and a 390 Holley 4-barrel carburetor. The tranny is a GM TH 350.
Even with a 3.08:1 rear end, the truck runs like a scalded dog. It did the quarter mile in 16 seconds flat at the Wisconsin International Raceway after I broke in the engine this September by driving the truck 3,000 miles on a Street Rodder’s Jerry Dixey tour.
Most folks assume I have a small block Chevy under the hood. Whenever I lift the hood, they are downright, and might I add, pleasantly surprised.
Looks like the 600+ cid engine that is in the 30’s Peter Persh and sons Fire Truck my dad had for a while.
ZZZZ.
Oh It’s time to wake up and take the gearhead challenge!
It looks to be a very large displacement, six cylinder “T head” engine.
I’m going to 2nd Paul on this one and say American LaFrance, probably mid 1920’s
Jeffery?