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#ORIGIN STORY
It was late 1946. Oliver Redhawk had started designing a little V8 of his own. He was only 23 years old. He had come home after serving Uncle Sam in the war, and was disappointed at the lack of good cars and engines. Ford had recently gotten 100 hp out of their aging Flathead V8. Oliver wanted to do equal or better with a design of his own. So the project began.
Just out of the war, the young (age 24) Andrew Eagleson came home to find he had inherited a mass production factory. With the good news, and wanting to reconnect with his best friend, he met up with Oliver Redhawk to catch up on life.
They discussed the war, and how it ended with the Atom Bomb. Then Andrew brought up the factory. He had inherited a factory the government had taken over for war-time production. The old car company that used it before had gone bankrupt just prior to the government contract (thus the government took it over). With war-time production closing out, the ownership of the factory had to be transferred to the next heir in line. That, through a series of interesting events, happened to be Andrew Eagleson.
At the same time, Oliver Redhawk had started the per-production process with the first official draft of his 100 hp V8. He had run into a problem though, it was too expensive to make useful. Oliver and Andrew discussed these things over the course of three months until they finally decided the inevitable…
They would go into the automotive business together!
##Thus the early foundation of American Eagle Automotive was born.
Why the name? Well Andrew wanted a name that included his surname at least in part, and because this was a proud American business for the American people! It would have “America” in its name.
The factory was located in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. And as their first factory as American Eagle Automotive (AEA for short), they setup their modest office building there and called the Twin Cities home to AEA Headquarters.
By the time they got everything sorted, it was mid 1947, and their first car, with Oliver’s 100hp 200ci pushrod V8, was underway. Unfortunately not all the paperwork was in order for AEA, so they were not officially known as a car company at this point. They were know as the factory owned by Andrew Eagleson. Thus American Eagle Automotive was not a company on paper until 1948 when the first car rolled off the assembly line.
(and since this post is so short on pics, here’s the 200ci V8 made by Oliver Redhawk that produced 100hp.)
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#Oliver Redhawk’s 200ci V8
After discussing with Andrew Eagleson about starting up an automobile manufacturing company, Oliver realized his V8 could be simplified in many ways. Here’s the deal, it made well over 100hp from its 200ci displacement (about 120hp), but required enough money and materials to make it impractical for use as an engine for the newly formed American Eagle Automotive. So, Oliver painstakingly went over every inch of the engine to make it cheaper, but still produce 100hp.
The Prototype
First, the timing was reduced with compression, as this engine would still run on 92 RON gasoline. Secondly, the intake and triple carburetors were swapped for a single 1bbl carburetor, thus why timing and compression needed to be reduced. Next, the hand crafted tubular exhaust Oliver had worked on was dropped in favor of super cheap cast log headers. The single tailpipe was kept, as adding a second did not help the motor and was more expensive. And finally, the cam profile was made milder to keep the engine reliable and easy to drive.
At the end of the day, Oliver was so excited he kept 100hp with all the cost cutting measures that he decided to have every single one of the production 200ci Gen 1 engines to have red painted valve covers and air cleaners.
All these changes combined to create the basic engine family that would drive American Eagle Automotive for years to come!
##This is: The Gen 1 SB OHV Engine Family
Generation 1 Small Block Over Head Valve Engine.
Edit: added Oliver’s exciting red paint
3 Likes
And, in 1948, American Eagle Automotive released its first production automobile to the Gasmea Region…
#The 1948 Delux Coupe
(Yes the spelling is intentional, it is pronounced with a short e sound.)
In 1948 it was released only in coupe trim. Carrying some chrome cues borrowed from other cars of the time, it looked rather average or normal to the common man. But the Delux Coupe was not meant to be super flashy, or eye-catching. It was designed to showcase confidence modestly, as you would want from only the best business man or salesman.
And it was designed to attract the young, but modest, business man or salesman. It came only with a premium vinyl bench seat and a 3 speed manual transmission that limited the car to a top speed of about 70 mph. The paint was the semi-matte “Rover Blue” color, or gloss black only, as American Eagle Automotive did not have the funds to acquire more color choices at the time of production.
As Andrew Eagleson and his salesman-minded friend, Eric Johnson, went around the country to tour the new car in 1947, they started asking people how much they’d spend on this new car if they could buy one. The initial prices were higher than Eagleson or Johnson expected! People really liked the idea of the premium interior, and the optional premium am radio was very popular, so popular that Eagleson made it standard equipment when he got back to the factory! With a standard markup of 20%, the Delux Coupe was reasonably priced at $2,991.67
And It sold well, helping recoup the costs of starting an automobile company faster than anticipated. But that’s not to say they payed all debts back, not yet.
Because in 1949 American Eagle Automotive released two more trims based on the Delux body.
#The 1949 Delux Club
A four door variation of the Coupe, made to target the family categories in the Gasmea Region. After realizing the initial success of the coupe, and noticing how many were bought and used by families, AEA decided to produce a family-oriented trim.
With two cloth bench seats for a total seating of 6, The Club sold well. Still using the standard premium am radio, 100hp 200ci engine, and the same 3 speed manual transmission, it was fairly easy for AEA to produce the Club along side the Coupe. And it came standard in one of this year’s newest colors: “Baby Blue”.
At the same time, AEA was also able to set up a smaller assembly line for the variant Oliver Redhawk felt was needed:
#The 1949 Delux D-100
The truck variant. It was equipped with a spartan interior… That is, as basic as possible. Standard cloth seats, painted floorboards replacing the carpet used in the other trims, less safety features, and the same engine and transmission as the other trims. The D-100 did well in the delivery markets, the biggest complaint being the chrome trim on the bed sides would get damaged easily, and was unnecessary. Many even completely removed the trim from the sides when it first got damaged as a result.
The D-100 was also noted for good off-road manners due to the 4X4 design, and it also came equipped with knobby tires, and manual lockers standard. It was only available in the new “Sand” color, or gloss black.
All three trims did well in 1949, but as 1950 approached American Eagle Automotive was not prepared. Other manufacturers were releasing brand-new models for 1950, eroding some of the success AEA had enjoyed earlier. And that erosion continued into 1951.
##Model Refresh
But the Delux Coupe got a refresh in 1951. In it, the rear chrome strip was deleted, and “Sunburst” became a new color choice, though few opted for it. And sales went up… Slightly. The refreshed trim was not enough. American Eagle Automotive needed to do something more. So the small design team started working on a new body to take over the Delux name, along with minor refreshing to the other two trims.
Oliver Redhawk also got to work designing a new engine variant based on his 200ci Gen 1 V8. This, the Club, and the D-100 refresh came in 1952. Both trims came with an upgraded 3 speed manual transmission capable of 100mph. But even this did not stir the general public in 1952.
###Hopefully Andrew Eagleson and Oliver Redhawk could keep up with the ever-changing automotive landscape with the next body for the Delux, scheduled for release in 1953.
###Technical Data:
1948 Delux Coupe
2 Door, 3 Seat Premium Coupe
Steel Ladder Chassis, Steel Body Pannels
Drivetrain Type - FR
McPherson Front Strut, Solid Axle Leaf Rear
3 Speed Manual Trans
Weight - 2356 lbs
Gen 1 SB OHV V8 - 200ci
7.7:1 Compression
100hp @3600 rpm - Redline @3900 rpm
0-62 mph in 14.1 Seconds
Quarter Mile - 19.98s @72mph
72mph Top Speed
Cornering - 0.59 Gs @24.1 mph
Pricing
$10,080 AMU (20% markup)
1948 Price: $2,991.67
(Mid-priced, cheaper than a Lincoln, almost on par with what a Hudson would cost, more expensive than a Ford)
1949 Delux Club
4 Door, 6 Seat Standard Sedan
Steel Ladder Chassis, Steel Body Pannels
Drivetrain Type - FR
McPherson Front Strut, Solid Axle Leaf Rear
3 Speed Manual Trans
Weight - 2454 lbs
Gen 1 SB OHV V8 - 200ci
7.7:1 Compression
100hp @3600 rpm - Redline @3900 rpm
0-62 mph in 13.3 Seconds
Quarter Mile - 19.38s @73mph
73mph Top Speed
Cornering - 0.66 Gs @25.4 mph
Pricing
$10,680 AMU (20% markup)
1949 Price: $2,851.04
(Mid-priced, slightly lower than the Chrysler Town and Country)
1949 Delux D-100
2 Door, 3 Seat Basic Truck
Steel Ladder Chassis, Steel Body Pannels
Drivetrain Type - 4X4
McPherson Front Strut, Solid Axle Leaf Rear
3 Speed Manual Trans
Weight - 2326 lbs
Gen 1 SB OHV V8 - 200ci
7.7:1 Compression
100hp @3600 rpm - Redline @3900 rpm
0-62 mph in 13.5 Seconds
Quarter Mile - 19.62s @72mph
72 mph Top Speed
Cornering - 0.60 Gs @24.3 mph
Pricing
$8,132 AMU (7% markup)
1949 Price: $2,170.84
(Upper range, more expensive than most Ford, Dodge, and Chevys)1951 Delux Coupe
2 Door, 3 Seat Premium Coupe
Steel Ladder Chassis, Steel Body Pannels
Drivetrain Type - FR
McPherson Front Strut, Solid Axle Leaf Rear
3 Speed Manual Trans
Weight - 2378 lbs
Gen 1 SB OHV V8 - 200ci
7.7:1 Compression
100hp @3600 rpm - Redline @3900 rpm
0-62 mph in 13.0 Seconds
Quarter Mile - 19.26s @72mph
72mph Top Speed
Cornering - 0.66 Gs @25.5 mph
Pricing
$10,320 AMU (20% markup)
1951 Price: $2,857.79
(Mid to Upper-priced, slightly cheaper than a Lincoln, a bit more expensive than a Hudson, more expensive than a Ford)
1952 Delux Club
4 Door, 6 Seat Standard Sedan
Steel Ladder Chassis, Steel Body Pannels
Drivetrain Type - FR
McPherson Front Strut, Solid Axle Leaf Rear
3 Speed Manual Trans
Weight - 2548 lbs
Gen 1 SB OHV V8 - 242ci
7.7:1 Compression
140hp @4000 rpm - Redline @4300 rpm
0-62 mph in 11.0 Seconds
Quarter Mile - 18.30s @82mph
100mph Top Speed
Cornering - 0.65 Gs @25.2 mph and 0.63 Gs @87.7
Pricing
$11,160 AMU (20% markup)
1952 Price: $2,936.04
(Mid-priced)
1952 Delux D-100
2 Door, 3 Seat Basic Truck
Steel Ladder Chassis, Steel Body Pannels
Drivetrain Type - 4X4
McPherson Front Strut, Solid Axle Leaf Rear
3 Speed Manual Trans
Weight - 2400 lbs
Gen 1 SB OHV V8 - 242ci
7.7:1 Compression
140hp @4000 rpm - Redline @4300 rpm
0-62 mph in 11.9 Seconds
Quarter Mile - 18.90s @81mph
100 mph Top Speed
Cornering - 0.60 Gs @24.2 mph and 0.58 Gs @84.4 mph
Pricing
$8,453 AMU (7% markup)
1952 Price: $2,223.87
(Upper range, more expensive than most Ford, Dodge, and Chevys)
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#[1952] 242ci Variant of the Gen 1 V8
As American Eagle Automotive started designing the next generation of Delux in 1951, Oliver Redhawk was tasked with improving the Gen 1 V8 to be produced for it.
So began the task that would excite Oliver Redhawk more than anything else in his work: Designing Engines. By this time, Redhawk had a good understanding of what worked and what flopped with V8 engines (in this time period). So the first improvement he made was increasing the displacement. He opened the bore from the original 3.25" to 3.50". Next, he ground a new cam that was less conservative. Along with the new cam came a new cylinder head design, one that was slightly ahead of its time. To complement the new heads, Oliver Redhawk designed a new intake manifold that could accept a single 2 bbl carburetor, and used short cast headers on the exhaust side. This was the final step in freeing up efficiency and power in the new engine variation. And to top it off, Oliver put the signature 2" exhaust with a baffled to reverse-flow muffler set up on, as this resulted in the aggressive, yet restrained exhaust note all future AEA V8s would feature.
This netted him some good results, but to put icing on the cake, Oliver Redhawk bumped the timing up slightly, while also leaning out the fuel mixture just a touch. This resulted in an engine with decent reliability for the times, and good for 140hp at 4,000 rpm.
Although no one would truly know until 1955, this would signal the start of Oliver Redhawk’s obsession with power and speed. The want to make things go faster than originally designed, and the expensive experiments that would accompany him.
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I may have to see what my 242 from 1942 makes on 92 octane fuel just to compare with this seeing that their the same size
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#The Delux Second Generation (Part 1) [1953-1955]
In 1953 American Eagle Automotive released the Delux with a new body. With only two years of development, the Delux was a rushed project, but not in the “bad” sense. It was a body that stole cues from many of the new bodies released by other auto manufacturers. It was designed to be quick to produce, and some shortcuts were used…
LX Trim
Like the overall body shape. That was a quick mashup of the general styles emerging onto the scene. But the chrome and the grill were all American Eagle Automotive designs. Andrew Eagleson wanted the new Delux to look familiar, so AEA used chrome striping at the door handle height again. And the familiar Soaring Eagle Emblem was used on the center of the hood.
The new body also called for a more modern trim naming scheme. So the old Coupe became the LX, and the old Club became the LS. The only trim that was not updated with the new body and chassis was the D-100. While not selling well, Oliver Redhawk insisted on leaving it alone, stating it was not necessary to update the truck body yet as it would cost more money than AEA should really spend. For some, unknown reason Andrew Eagleson agreed.
The new Delux models sold really well. So well, Oliver Redhawk started looking into other areas for American Eagle Automotive to expand into. This included a two week trip to Europe for Oliver. The results of said trip… Well, that’s a story for later. For now, AEA sold their family cars to the public, building up a reputation for good, reliable cars that could keep up with the competition.
LS Trim
And keep up they did, with the 242ci V8 released last year. On top of that was a brand new, high-tech automatic transmission! The new 2 speed automatic transmission was a standard feature on the LX, and was optional on the LS. The LX retained its Leather seats, five of them with the front ones bucket seats, and the LS kept its cloth bench seats so it could hold 6 passengers.
But American Eagle Automotive didn’t stop there.
#The 1955 Refresh
In 1955 AEA refreshed the lineup with a new front grill for both trims.
LX top, LS above
Though it was not too different from the prior, the slight facelift gave the car a more appealing look, and gained more sales than last year’s models. In 1955 the LS trim kept the 242ci engine, but got this year’s new 4spd manual transmission. It also had the 2spd auto as an option.
The LX, on the other hand, got a new engine. The 273ci 2x2bbl V8. Still based on the Gen 1 family of V8 engines, this was the largest displacement possible Oliver Redhawk could muster from the Gen 1 family. It gave the car a nice 0-62 just a hair over 10 seconds (with 4spd Manual), and a theoretical top speed of 115mph. Appearance wise, the LX got a new chrome piece on the quarter panels to help distinguish it a bit.
LX
What about the D-100? Was that truck forgotten about?
Check out part 2 for the rest of the story!
######And because I need to go to sleep!
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Hi, will it be possible for AEA (RPG) to provide Meliora automotive with an engine for an upcoming 1965-1969 muscle car?
Thank You, @Sillyworld, for your interest in American Eagle Automotive’s Engines. I am Oliver Redhawk, head of Redhawk Performance Group, and the lead designer of all AEA’s engines. We would be glad to provide Meliora Automotive with an engine for the 1965 - 1969 muscle car! Let’s take a quick walk around AEA Headquarters.
For 1965 we have two new V8 engine families. The Big Block Cleveland family [BB - 455C V8] which started production in 1963, and the Small Block Windsor family [Windsor V8] which started production in 1964. The big block family is primarily used in our El Govnor sedans and heavy duty trucks, and our small block family is the standard engine in just about all our other cars.
The BB - 455C family ranges from 353ci to over 440ci in size. This engine comes in torque and high performance variants. The Windsor V8 ranges from 283ci to 333ci. It is our primary engine in our lineup.
The Windsor V8 was featured in our 1969 Barracuda FSX in the Big Fruinian Muscle Cars Cup.
That particular 333ci variation was created in 1969 for the Fruinian market.
And if you need a smaller V8, we can supply you with our Gen 1 SB V8. The latest variant was seen in the 1963 El Govnor LX as the standard engine. This car appeared in the Top Gear Challenge.
With these in mind, and don’t worry about the little I4 sitting in the corner, step into my office and we can discuss specifics (PM).
#American Eagle Automotive History [1956-1960]
##The 1956 Delux D-100
A 1956 D-100
When American Eagle Automotive started production the second generation of their Delux series, one variant stayed behind. The Delux D-100. The all-purpose truck Oliver Redhawk insisted AEA needed to produce. It wasn’t much of a seller when 1953 came around, but then again, trucks didn’t go out of style as quickly as cars did. The old chassis D-100 was kept in production in 1953 and 1954. But, by 1954 Oliver Redhawk realized it was looking rather dated. He needed to update the D-100 into the second generation chassis, but time was not on his side. He had some designers look into what it would take to get the new D-100 ready for the 1955 facelift.
"It’s too much to do in too little time!" The designers yelled.
So the D-100 chassis update was pushed back to the 1956 year, and even with the deadline pushed it was a rushed job!
To fit the truck on the second generation chassis the team of engineers at American Eagle Automotive shrunk the front doors of the LS (4-door) trim. But then they ran into a huge problem. The roof relied on the back of the cab connecting to the rear quarter panels just before the rear wheels! So the team, along with Oliver Redhawk, tried moving the rear cab pillars up as close to the door as they could with the tools they had. On top of that, the design team wanted to keep the flared fenders, and those required the structural integrity of the rear doors on the LS, or the rear pillars on the roof in the LX.
"We have to put something here! Otherwise all our trucks will literally fall apart upon loading the bed!" The engineers shouted at the design team.
A compromise was made in the design of the truck, as time was running out. There would be extra cab space behind the bench seat to make the rear fender flairs structurally sound. Space that had no real purpose in the design of the truck. This extra cab space behind the bench seat would stump the marketing team for the entire production of the truck. Sometimes called a space for junk, other times for a tool box or lunch box. It was once advertised as extra head room! (If only the engineering guys would have talked with the marketing team about seating… That space would have been great if only the truck would have came with adjustable bucket seats!)
But what they did get right is the “truck” part of truck! This truck could haul more in its bed than any competitor! It also was very good for off-road use as well. The D-100, however, was by no means the jack of all trucks. It was not the best in towing, as the engine used was a simple 255ci V8 with only 220ft-lbs of torque and 140hp. However, clever folks could special order the truck with the 273ci 2x2bbl engine that produced 260 ft-lbs of torque and 180hp. And yes, 40 ft-lbs of torque and 40hp made quite a difference.
It did not sell as well as AEA had hoped. They sold slightly more per year than the previous generation, but that meant sales dropped gradually and the D-100 was last produced in 1959, in part because the new flagship sedan was slated to replace the Delux series in 1960.
But, as time went on, little did AEA know, they had created a classic truck that would be reveled by many as on of the most iconic and beautiful designs of the 1950s.
##1957 Delux LS and LX Facelift
In 1957 American Eagle Automotive made a bold change to the grills of the LS and the LX. This was the change the general public was waiting for.
LX Trim
A Big, Bold new grill! Filled with Chrome! The people loved it! American Eagle Automotive was finally big enough to become an American Icon! When people talked cars, they talked about AEA’s new Big, Bold Chrome Grill Design! Sales shot up! This prompted a celebration, as AEA had finally broken the 250,000 mark in total year sales!*
Of course this was also the year American Eagle Automotive introduced their first Luxury Sport Convertible, which would become a staple in the lineup for years to come…
##The 1957 Delux Limited
1957 Delux Limited
Luxurious leather bucket seats, a state-of-the-art Phonograph, Leather-wrapped Dash, Wood Accents throughout the cabin, Advanced Safety Features…
And it comes on a finely-tuned suspension that corners like a sports car, but feels like a cloud. It also comes equipped with the exclusive 273ci Special V8 mated to a 4-speed manual transmission.
The 273ci Special V8 is rated at 220hp @4500. It requires Super Leaded fuel for the triple 2bbl carburetors feeding this beast. And comes standard with forged H-beam connecting rods and forged pistons helping it achieve a 10.0:1 compression ratio.
Only available in the standard color of “Pearl White” or optional “Tuxedo Black”, this car was built with the best technology AEA had researched in. And as such a prestigious car as it was, it was only produced in limited numbers.
##1958-1960
As the decade came to a close, Andrew Eagleson was already getting his company geared up to produce the next flagship sedan, and this time, he wanted to knock the competition not just flat off their feet, but also down the hill and into the pond! It was time for AEA to break out of its cocoon and become the butterfly it had always wanted to be! It was time to design the In-Your-Face-But-Modestly sedan Andrew Eagleson had always had his ambitions set for!
It was time to design and produce…
###The El Govnor
Code named Black Suit, the El Govnor was to be the pinnacle of Eagleson’s styling and expression of his company. A formal black suit that was high-end, but subtly so. A middle finger to “class” because we just reinvented it.
The Design for Black Suit was started as early as 1956, but little progress was made until the 1957 facelift for the Delux series was complete. Black Suit reportedly went through only 5 redesigns, of which only 2 actually changed a significant portion of the original design, by the end of 1958. Then Black Suit was slated to begin production for the 1960 model year. Because of that, the current Delux never got a face lift in 1959 like it was originally planned to. But delays and problems struck in late 1959. The dies and stamps for the sheet metal for Black Suit needed reworking! So the Delux line got to live another year, as workers simply changed some vins to make what left-over 1959 models they had into 1960 models. Thus the Delux Production numbers for 1960 are extremely low compared to previous years.
###With 1960 already on their doorstep, American Eagle Automotive geared up to make history with the release of their 1961 model El Govnor sedan line.
#####*Just for reference: Total 1957 model year sales for Ford was 1,522,406. That included all 21 models sold (in the US I assume). That’s about 72,496 cars for each model. Multiply by 3 for my models ( the LS, LX, and count the D-100 with the Limited as they both had lower production numbers) and the result is 217,487 cars. So my 250,000 is a good year by that standard.
2 Likes
#Retro Rides
This is a Special Presentation for showcasing AEA vehicles in the present day (2000s and beyond).
And today we are presenting…
##Restomod 1956 D-100
The owner of this 1956 D-100 has taken a little liberty with the bodywork. It was found in a barn in 2003 by some executive in AEA. This person had the restomod completed in 2005. What really makes it stand out is the slight modifications to the turn signal lights and front grill. Instead of the factory round lights all around, the owner has tastefully crafted in rectangular signal lights throughout. And the front grill is a custom job designed like one of the concept drawings for the Delux series from that era.
The original rear light array was simplified with some slight adjustments including removing the reverse lights. While up front the headlights have been replaced with some fancy aftermarket ones. And as the original 255ci V8 was tired, and in need of a rebuild, the owner instead had an experimental engine from AEA put into it (because there are a few experimental engines just floating around the AEA and Redhawk Performance Group buildings). The only known facts about this engine are that it’s a 327ci V8 with SOHC 3v heads with VVT and a dyno sheet to prove it makes 300hp.
To help make this truck a rear cruiser, the interior was completely reworked to include a leather bench seat with a nice SatNav system that looks factory installed! Round that off with a 4spd w/overdrive automatic trans, viscus LSDs all around, huge disk brakes complimented by 18" Torque Thrust rims, and this is one well sorted cruiser.
2 Likes
I like how you kept a more simple 4 speed transmission instead of a modern 5 or 6, that gives a more authentic retro feel 
Awesome grill work, I can’t tell which I like more, the original or the restomod version .
Same here, as that grill was in consideration when designing the second gen Delux series.
About that 4spd though, I think it’s actually a 4+1: 4 speeds + overdrive speed. That’s not uncommon though for the time, as the viper started leading the way with the T56 (6-speed) at the turn of the century and it seemed everyone started swapping 5 and 6 speed overdrive trans into restomods.
#Archive Articles
A section dedicated to preserving the historic articles that cover AEA and RPG.
###RPG Opens Shop for “Special Performance Packages”
New York Times, February 1982.
Today Redhawk Performance Group, the racing division of American Eagle Automotive, released a statement basically stating they were “Open for Buisness” to car companies outside of their parent company, AEA.
“Today we want to open our doors to all manufacturers interested in limited run special performance packages. With over 25 years of experience in building high performance engines and automobiles, we are now extending our services beyond American Eagle Automotive.”
With this official press release, Redhawk Performance Group has finally broken free, it seems, from being just an AEA exclusive. To further prove their expertise, RPG has undertaken the unfinished contract AEA had to produce aluminum-bodied Eagle sports cars from the 1950s. But, there’s a slight twist, as the original Eagle was produced with a solid live-axle rear end. RPG’s Eagle will be produced with an Independent Rear Suspension instead, as they claim it will be sportier and safer to drive.
Will this prove to be the correct corse for Redhawk Performance Group? Only time will tell.
###Historian’s Note:
This signaled RPG’s start at breaking away from AEA, but only in 2008 did RPG finally become completely independent from AEA.
This was RPG taking on the roll of Shelby or Saleen and modifying stock production vehicles to make them faster, corner better, or even just sticking American V8s in them.
DSD would like to purchase a shipment of 283ci Windsor v8’s to be used in testing our NASCAR race cars
We would also like to offer RPG one off our SARATOGA cars for tuning
RPG will gladly send over some Windsor V8s, just specify the year and any special features you’d like.
We would love to test and tune the Saratoga cars!
Well we did our best with the old Windsor and have decided to pay for the rights to use your design.
We have however made some changes to suit the Griffen that will be it’s new home.
So we decided to use the stock OHV cast heads and block. Luckily there was a little bit of playing room as far as bore/stroke goes so naturally we went with the highest possible at 5452cc, we also 3/4 filled the block with engine grout to give a little more strength and the main caps are now a 6 bolt affair.
We filled the block with our own forged crankshaft with Mahle Rods and Pistons with a static compression of 9.6:1.
Then turning our attention to the heads we first raised the exhaust ports cleaned up the sharp turn radius for the exhaust valve and fitted a lightweight valve. On the intake side the intake manifold was match ported to the cylinder heads, a much larger valve was installed and we added length to the intake port (we had to weld up the old ports and start from scratch. We also modified the manifold to be a dry system with no coolant running through the manifold, also unique to the DSD version is an electric water pump. The ecu is a Holley unit and spark is now provided by a MSD crank wheel trigger coil on plug ignition system.
The camshaft is an off the shelf DSD unit (part no. 28528DSDC) and No fancy VVT was used. The only way that we could make this engine reliable and economical was to use turbocharging with units as always supplied by Precision Turbo’s. The turbo’s are tiny with large A/r ratios a small intercooler and very modest boost pressure. With the use of turbo’s DSD finally decided to invest in DI technology and the mighty Windsor is the first to benefit. What this means is an engine that develops economical effortless power while only requiring 91Oct fuel and in total we raised power by 81HP and torque by a staggering 132NM of torque while using 100% less fuel total power is 300Hp/517Nm
We will be sending some units your way.
1 Like
##Redhawk Performance Group Characters
As RPG became a separate company in 2008 (a badly timed move, but it survived), Oliver Redhawk (the second, third, fourth? not sure yet) takes on a cast of characters to help flesh out the company. Their ages range from young 20s to mid 50s.
These characters will be featured in RPG stuff post-2008 separation from AEA. This list only includes prominent characters to the story line, as there are many other within RPG. This list will be updated over time.
Oliver Redhawk (II/III?)-
CEO, Owner. The legend himself. As RPG was passed down to him in the early 2000’s, he has overseen RPG through tough times, and through the separation from AEA in 2008.
Brett-
Main overseer of RPG, head of Exterior Design (and Interior too). As Oliver’s best friend, he has been granted all executive authority under Oliver.
I should also mention he’s one of the core test drivers for RPG.
Smith-
The Lead Engine Design guy. Believes everything needs a V8, including his lawnmower.
He is a slightly pudgy guy, short at 5’ 4", and his brown hair is starting to turn silver.
Mike-
Lead welder. Turned down a six figure underwater welding job to weld performance cars instead!
Slightly tough, darker skin complexion
Jeff-
Inventory and Bookkeeping guy. Knows the mess called the warehouse better than his own home.
Slightly socially-awkward, he is a tall and lanky kid (who is older than he seems).
(He did go to college to get a degree in Accounting and other financial stuff)
John-
The Suspension Guy. It’s said he once turned a Reliant Robin into a Drift machine. (and blew up the engine right after)
Jess-
The Tom-Boy-Next-Door girl who was always working on a vehicle with her dad. She knows a thing or two about cars, and is not afraid to get her hands greasy. And she knows how to deal with men… So watch out!
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##RPG Shop Sometime in 2011
Redhawk Performance Group
Note: Any spoken line without a name in front can be considered a random employee at RPG, and not one of the main characters.
[Small talk with truck driver]
Trucker: “So, whatdaya got in here today?”
“It’s the 2011 Saratoga D model.”
Trucker: “Sarawhata?”
“SARATOGA!”
Trucker: “Ok, what is it then?”
“A 4 seater coupe with an AHS Space Frame and Fiberglass bod-”
Trucker: “Fiberglass, like the corvette?”
“Precicely!”
[Talk amongst RPG crew at the warehouse]
“Some smallblocks”
“Some… which ones?”
“Some, uh, nos 1964 windsor blocks…”
“We sent over our 283ci small block? What for?”
“I think he said tunning for NASCAR”
“Um, ok. Was this part of a trade?”
“I dunno, maybe we’ll get something back?”
[At the loaded truck]
“yea, ok, so with this Saratoga… We tuning it or what?”
“Yeah, it was sent over to tuning when we sent over the windsors.”
“Any specifications on what needed tuning?”
“Nope, just sent it over when we sent them our small blocks.”
“So, DSD never actually specified what they wanted with the D model…”
“The Saratoga?”
“Yes, the Saratoga. It’s the D model.”
“‘D’ for dick.” snicker
“More like dickface!” laughter
Oliver: “Ok, cut the crap.”
“You know, for being a fiberglass body, this thing is sorta light!”
“Whataya mean?”
“The shipping weight states its 2919 lbs.”
“That’s lighter than a Corvette!”
“But this is smaller than a Corvette too!”
Brett: “Alrigh, Let’s open the truck to see what we’ve actually got.”
[car rolls out of the truck]
DSD Saratoga D Model
“Oh, my gawsh! What is this thing!”
“It’s a spider.”
“No it’s a bug.”
“It’s an uglyass bug!”
Some laughter
Oliver: “Hey, cut the crap!”
“Yeah, so what does it have for an engine then?”
Smith: “Looks like it should have a V8.”
Brett: “With your logic, Smith, everything should have a V8!”
Smith: “Hey!”
“Look: dual exhaust tips, but not a true duel exhaust system!”
[hood pops]
Everyone: “Oh…”
slight pause as everyone takes in the odity of a turbo charged inline 6
DSD6 Turbo
“Well that’s something you don’t see everyday!”
“Bet they stole it off a beamer!”
some laughter
Oliver: reluctantly “Alright, I’ve had enough. Stop ripping on the car and Get to work.”
The RPG crew works their way back into the shop
Mike: “Well, they did their homework with the chasis. The space frame looks well sorted. And all the welds are crisp and clean.”
Oliver: “Start her up!”
[engine spins to life]
Smith: “Well, it’s a little louder than I expected.”
“What, you think all non-V8s are quiet as a mouse?”
“I think you’re loosing your hearing, Smith.”
“How small is it then?”
Smith: “About 4.0L or 244ci”
“That’s not small for an I6, it’s actually quite big!”
“Small, our original small block V8 was larger than that!”
“Correction, the later variants were larger than it, our first two were acually smaller.”
“Ok, smartass”
Brett: “Guys, are you working on it, or trash talking it…”
The mood settles down as the RPG crew finally gets to work inspecting the car and making plans.
DSD Saratoga D Model
“Well this thing should be relatively sporty, since it has that fiberglass body.”
Smith: “Not if the engine is limiting it.”
Brett: “What’s up Smith?”
Smith: “I think the engine is tuned for fuel economy.”
Brett: “Well, do you want to dyno it then, or what?”
Smith: “Well, Yeah I do! Why was that even a question?”
Stock DSD Saratoga D Model
[engine is warmed up, fan placed in front of car, and they let it rip]
Smith: “Welp, this is dissapointing! It’s only making 250hp, and that’s at the redline, 5900 rpm! On top of that, the AF Mixture is dead lean at 15.0”
Brett: “Wow, so what else is wrong?”
Smith: “The Timing is waaayyyy far advanced as well!”
“So what do you think it gets for fuel economy?”
Brett: “The paperwork says it should get 28 Mpg mixed.”
Mike: “All that, just to get 28 mpgs?”
Smith: “Yep.”
Jess: “What has the wold come to?”
Mike: “You know, I bet Patriot Motor Force would get 1,200hp out of this thing.”
Smith: “They wouldn’t even touch it, it’s not a V8!”
Oliver: “Well, we’re not worrying about what Patriot could do, we’re worried about what RPG could do… So what can we do?”
Smith: “Get rid of the crap, and make power!”
John: “And make it turn on a dime!”
Oliver: “Sounds good guys, so let’s Get To Work!”
[Later on, after tearing into the car]
Jess: “Welp, here’s an interesting design choice.” Looking at the transmission
“What’s that?”
Jess: “The transmission dummy.”
“Well, no duh! It’s the transmission, but what’s the problem with it?”
Jess: “It’s a super close, and I mean super close, ratio transmission.”
Brett: “So, we’re gonna need to craft a new one?”
Jess: “Or use one of our own. Jeff, got any gear-sets in the back?”
Jeff: “What ones you want?”
Jess: “How about an even spaced set?”
Jeff: “Speeds?”
Jess: “Five!”
Jeff: “I know…” awkwardly beckons Jess to follow
[speed-walks right up to a perfect set in the middle of a shelf filled with unmarked gears, synchros, and trans cases.]
Jeff: “Here ya are.”
Jess: “Thanks Buddy!”
Stock
Brett: “Alright, what do you want to do about visuals then?”
Oliver: “Simple. Recolor in a darker blue, code BZ7 should do nicely. Get rid of the chrome, except the grill outline. And get rid of that funky middle set of headlights.”
Brett: “Ok, about the vents on the side. I feel like they need to be repositioned.”
Oliver: “Ehh, they need to be repositioned slightly, we should put a side marker light above them.”
Brett: “Ok, I was also thinking we need to alter the wing slightly, and tone down the chrome around the tail lights.”
Oliver: “A good call.” Walks over to Smith “Now, Smith, what are we doing with the engine?”
Smith: “Well, short of putting a LS7 in it, we should definately try for at least 350hp with this engine… Less if you don’t want excessive turbo kick.”
Oliver: “Sounds good, and we might just find a V8 to stuff in later.”
Smith: “Really!?!?” Almost starts dancing to an unheard tune
Oliver: “John, where are ya?”
John: “Over here, hey check out the sweet new mount I made! It makes the camber and toe much easier to adjust on that car of yours!”
Oliver: “You’re crafting suspension mounts for my daily car?”
John: “Yep, thought you’d like to see how to improve it.”
Oliver: “Well, you need to get to work with the Saratoga now.”
John: “The Sarawhat?”
Oliver: “SARATOGA. Car just came in to be tuned.”
John: “Sweet!” Jumps over his workbench to check out the Saratoga
Oliver: Hollering after him “See what you can do before we rebuild the engine.”
[Later in the week]
Oliver: “How’s the Saratoga been going?”
Brett: “Oh, it’s been going alright. We took the car around the ATT a few times before we took it apart. Best time was a 2:21.32. Then John got ahold of it. With the stock engine it went around the track in 2:20.83, mainly by reducing camber and putting in better springs and shocks.”
Oliver: “That’s good. How’s the engine going?”
Brett: “Smith’s had that thing blue-printed and built three more already! He seems overly excited, did you tell him we were putting a V8 in the thing?”
Oliver: “I may have. It wasn’t the original plan, but the I6 proved ‘hard to work with’ due to ‘design flaws’.”
Brett: “And those were Smith’s words?”
Oliver: “Precicely.”
Brett: “Well, what’s your plan with the V8 now?”
Oliver: “The Stage 3 build.”
Brett: “So… Does that also include a drift build?”
Oliver: “No.”
Brett rolls his eyes sarcastically.
Brett: “You never give me any fun do you?”
Oliver: “Maybe nextime…”
They share a Chuckle
[UPDATE]
Brett: “So, what’s Smith planning for the inline 6?”
Oliver: “Hm, let’s see his notes. He has to make two versions with a significant difference in performance.”
Both walk up to the main office where Oliver has the notes Smith submitted for approval.
Oliver: “Here they are.”
[Smith’s chicken-scratch writing]
Stage 1: 300hp
remedy bottom-end design flaws
Steel Ibeam conrods
resulting dimentions are +.010 bore, -.040 stroke.
same displace.
raise redline 7000, less cam around 44 - more durable
keep vvt on intake only
Bigger turbo (55-60mm), 8psi boost, less ar ratio (.85 orso)
keep mp efi, make single - tpc not needed - cheaper
performance air filter
14.7 fuel mix, 48 degrees ignition
use our efi system - run on 91ron
smaller exhaust 3" better bends, reverse flow muffler cuz its too lou8d!
Oliver: “I think smith just hates the sound of an I6. That exhaust would have been fine, but as usuall, I’ll put our tuned mufflers on.”
Brett: “Yeah, he dislikes anything that’s not a V8, but at least his work is good.”
[More of Smith’s chicken-scratch writing]
Stage 2: 365hp
Same bottom-end, w/ Lighweight Forged pistons instead, domed for compression
comp, increase from 8 to around 8.5:1
Performance cam, around 50
Head shaved, port and polish
same turbos, higher ar (0.90ish?) 11psi boost
better wastegate & plumbing
14.2 fuel mix, 54 degrees timing
our efi again - 91 ron
Note: 6900 rpm limit. anything more is wasted rpms
3.25" exhaust, rest same as before.
Note: Both versions can be run on higher octane gas and only boost increased for huge gains.
Note2: stage 1 has deficencies if running more than 11psi. (Can run 11psi on 91ron gas)
At this point Brett had left, having to tend to something else
Oliver takes a look at the second sheet of paper containing the V8 specs
[Smith’s writing, neater and crisper.]
RPG Modern OHV LS7-based V8
Stage 3:
CLS V8 7.0L - 485hp rated
4.126" bore, 4.00" stroke
Forged crank, IBeam steel, LF Pistons
9.6 comp, muscle cam, custom RPG heads
N/A MP-EFI single w/perf filter
14.0 fuel mix, 56 deg. timing 7200rpm redline, on 91ron
Custom Tubular headers, dual exhaust 2.75" 3-way cat, RPG Baffled to Reverse Flow mufflers high quality exhaust for a TRUE MUSCLE V8 SOUND!
Engine 2153 dyno’d 455 ft-lbs @4000, 506 hp @ 6600
CLS V8 7.0L - 555hp rated
Bullet-proof bottom end
cuz not like many will order it anyway
11.1 comp, slightly more aggressive cam, head port and polish
N/A MP-EFI TPC, perf filter
13.2 fuel mix, 59 deg, ignition, 7400rpm redline
Custom long tube headers, dual exhaust 3" High flow cat, RPG mufflers
Note: Must use unleaded 95
Engine XR1284 dyno’d 500ft-lbs @4500, 589hp @6800
[END UPDATE]
[Finishing up Production Prototype Blueprints of the RPG-Tuned Saratoga]
RPG Appearance Package on the DSD Saratoga
Oliver: “Alright, this thing is comming together great! Smith, how’s the engines looking?”
Smith: “Fantastic! See, I knew we needed to put a V8 in the thing! It’s practically pointless to do without!”
Oliver: “Nice Work.” Said slightly dismissively toward Smith’s unstopable wall of energy
Oliver: “Brett, how’s the handling?”
Brett: “As good as ever with John’s tuning hand.”
Oliver: “Excellent! How well does it do at ATT?”
Brett: “Quite Well, especially with only a -1.10 degrees of camber up front and -1.00 degrees in back”
Oliver: “Good, but what are the numbers?”
John: “With only the -1.10 front camber and -1.00 in back, this car can do ATT in 2:16.77 with just Stage 1 Tuning! And it still feels somewhat comfortable!”
Brett: “That’s good, we don’t want Smith wrecking his back driving this.”
John: “With Smith’s engine work, Stage 2 gets down to a 2:14.29, and with Stage 3 tuning on just the easy V8-”
Smith: “It is not ‘easy’! That V8 has over 450hp!”
John: “Ok, ok, the 450hp V8-”
Smith: “And to be precise, it’s rated at 485hp! But I assure you it may make even more!”
John: “Ok, with the Four-hundred and eighty five horse power veee eight, it does ATT in 2:11.77.”
Smith: “And I bet the optional 555hp version will chop a full second off that time, because it’s a VEEE EIGHT!” He said with excitement, as if it was the first time he had ever heard a V8 engine Growl
The 555hp variant of Smith’s LS7-based V8
Brett: "Alright, I think we got this covered, so Oliver, care to take it for a spin?
Oliver: “I already did, thank you, but I recommend you try our latest tune out on it.”
Brett: “What? Did you build a Stage 4?”
Oliver: “No, not that far, but a custom tune of the Stage 3, using Smith’s optional 555hp engine.”
Brett: With some Skeptism “All right, I’ll suit up to try it.”
[The Final Test Run]
[Brett is suited up in the car, engine idling]
Oliver: “Are you ready?”
Brett: “Are you going to tell me what you changed yet, because it feels awfully loose!”
Oliver: “No, just try not to burn through too many sets of tires.”
[And he takes off, spinning through gear 3]
John: “He’s not going to want to return that thing after this”
Oliver: “No, but hey, he does have just 3 sets of tires to burn, so he’ll have to stop eventually.”
John: “Well, at least he’s happy.”
Oliver: “As happy as a driver can be when they’re given a Drift Car!”
[A little time later}
Smith: “Oliver, we got our Windsor V8 back!”
Oliver: “We did?”
Smith: “Yeah, you should check out how much DSD was able to get out of it!”
Oliver: “Ok, get it set up on the dyno then.”
[In The Dyno Room]
Oliver: “Hmm, I don’t recall there being any direct injection casting in the block…”
Smith: “Yeah, check this out! They retrofitted the block with DI somehow, and bored and stroked it out to 333ci!”
Oliver: “Yes, I see that. You think they would be going for all out power though, with the twin turbo setup.”
Smith: “Well, do you want to run it, and see how much power they tore out of it!”
Oliver: “Sure!”
[Engine gets turned on, then they run it up to the 6 grand redline.]
Smith: Disappointed “Wow”
Oliver: “Only 300hp? There must be more to the story.”
Smith: “Only 300, what were they thinking?”
Oliver: “Hold on, did DSD send a letter with the engine?”
Smith: “Um, maybe…?”
Oliver walks back to the office to find a discarded letter from DSD
[Letter is 2 Posts Above Edit: Link]
Oliver: Chuckles “Of course, the engineers at DSD know exactly what they’re doing!”
Smith comes in
Smith: “So, what does it say? Why did they return an engine with only 300hp?”
Oliver “Smith, look at how efficient they made it! It’s marvelous! They made the old Windsor architecture relevant in the day and age of fuel economy!”
Smith: “So…”
Oliver: “Just hold you thoughts, and marvel at the accomplishment.”
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