Chicago Auto Show: Best Cutaways of the Show

by Alex L. Dykes

Published: February 8th, 2013

chicago auto show best cutaways of the show

What is the best part of a modern auto show? It’s not the constant running from one press release to another. It certainly isn’t fighting your way to the front of the throng to get some blurry photos of the latest sports car. It isn’t even the airport-grade lunches and cheap booze. No, it’s the cutaways. Nowhere else will you find the sheer quantity and quality of mechanical cutaways as an auto show. There are engine cutaways, transmission cutaways, and cutaways of entire vehicles. Click past the jump to see 28 of our favorites from the Chicago Auto Show.

#AlexL.Dykes #ChicagoAutoShow #CutAway #Cutaway #Engine

Alex L. Dykes

More by Alex L. Dykes

Comments

Join the conversation

4 of 20 comments

Darkhorse on Feb 09, 2013

Best cutaway engine in the world is at the Edvard-Hazy Smithsonian Aviation Museum in Dulles Virginia. The Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial aircraft engine. It's a 4 row, 28 cylinder aircooled engine displacing 71.5 liters! Over 4000 HP. Used in many military and civil transports between 1945 and the advent of the jet age. It's amazing to me that the engineers that designed this complex machine did not have computers, just slide rules and log-log paper.

Like Reply
- Nikita on Feb 12, 2013
  
  The Convair B-36 had six of them, buried in the wings in a pusher configuration. Do the math, a "tuneup" consisted of changing two spark plugs per cylinder, 28 cylinders per engine. Now, imagine doing this outdoors at a SAC base in Alaska. P&W had lots of test cells. Without computers, prototype engines were built and usually exploded. Redesign the failed part, rinse and repeat. Once in production, they rarely lasted very long in service. The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser airliner was nicknamed the Boeing Tri-motor, because it often arrived with only three of the four 4360's still turning.
  
  Like
GS650G on Feb 09, 2013

what happens to these cutaways? Someone would love to buy one for a man cave.

Like Reply
- Ronnie Schreiber on Feb 10, 2013
  
  GM has engines, intact and cutaway in their Heritage Center so I assume most of them are kept by the companies. I'm sure that the specialty shops that make the cutaways will be happy to take your money and make you one. Two of the leading cutaway fabricators, Webb and Sterling Performance, are in southeastern Michigan. I sent each of them a request for media access and I hope to do a story about how they make these amazing displays.
  
  Like

Recent Comments

Jeff Self driving cars are not ready for prime time.
Lichtronamo Watch as the non-us based automakers shift more production to Mexico in the future.
28-Cars-Later " Electrek recently dug around in Tesla’s online parts catalog and found that the windshield costs a whopping $1,900 to replace.To be fair, that’s around what a Mercedes S-Class or Rivian windshield costs, but the Tesla’s glass is unique because of its shape. It’s also worth noting that most insurance plans have glass replacement options that can make the repair a low- or zero-cost issue. "Now I understand why my insurance is so high despite no claims for years and about 7,500 annual miles between three cars.
AMcA My theory is that that when the Big 3 gave away the store to the UAW in the last contract, there was a side deal in which the UAW promised to go after the non-organized transplant plants. Even the UAW understands that if the wage differential gets too high it's gonna kill the golden goose.
MKizzy Why else does range matter? Because in the EV advocate's dream scenario of a post-ICE future, the average multi-car household will find itself with more EVs in their garages and driveways than places to plug them in or the capacity to charge then all at once without significant electrical upgrades. Unless each vehicle has enough range to allow for multiple days without plugging in, fighting over charging access in multi-EV households will be right up there with finances for causes of domestic strife.