Display Engines?

I've got a few engines I'm thinking of painting/ polishing and putting on display.  
Any suggestions as to the best way to display them?  
 Hanging them off a engine stand doesn't seem proper.  Plus I'd like something a bit more compact.  Maybe  several engines  lined up or behind glass?   
 What engines would you display? 

One option is the engine based coffee table like this:

I like the idea of them sitting on shelves in a glass fronted, back light cabinet made out of some kind of pretty wood.

I always like the cutaway engines , all the driving schools in Germany had them to teach new drivers how an engine worked etc , 

it is a lot more work than just painting an old motor !

Top Gear Coffee Table Style for the Jaguar V12 sir.  Love the idea.

This is what I would like

In reply to californiamilleghia :

That makes a wonderful display but I should imagine a massive amount of machine work, with some very big equipment. 
Not exactly something I'm equipped to do.  

In reply to chandler :

Who wouldn't?   But even as obsolete motors would be insanely expensive.  
  I've been looking for an Offenhauser engine nearly all of my life. But so far the only ones I've seen have been in cars.  Aside from that they are relatively rare.  The most ever made in one year is 19.  Some years only 2-3. 

In reply to 84FSP :

That was my first idea. But floor space in my shop is too valuable. Even once I get the wood and wood working tools out of the shop it would be hard to give up 50 sq ft of floor space.  Estimated space to display 5 engines. 
 

APEowner said:

One option is the engine based coffee table like this:

I like the idea of them sitting on shelves in a glass fronted, back light cabinet made out of some kind of pretty wood.

Yeh!   Maybe mirrored glass to show the opposite side of the engine?  

This is my favourite coffee table - Lamborghini Miura engine and trans package under glass.  I think you'd have to try hard to better that.  (For some odd reason, She-who-must-be-obeyed declined to allow me to do that with an MGA Twin Cam engine I have in the garage- think same idea but with only two side draft Webers on a DOHC 4 cylinder - I have sitting in the garage.)  Women are unreasonable sometimes....

Spectacular isn't it?   Clearly out of my budget.  
     Say, you don't suffer from periodic blights of insanity and be willing to trade the MGA TC  for one of my Jag engines would you?    It sure would look spectacular in the TD's engine bay.  

Insanity? Yes (according to my wife) but although I will sell my Twin Cam race car eventually I don't have a spare complete engine. Besides, I run a 12:1 compression 1950 cc engine (c. 180 bhp) that might be a bit much for a TD (grafted a Twin Cam head onto a 5 main MGB block.

In reply to wspohn :

  Yes, if I'm honest I lust after a Twin Cam head   

Since I'm using a MGA rear end in the TD I know it will handle  that sort of power. ( I've seen them deal with a small block Chevy)

 With E85 12-1 compression is easy. Webers or  SU's it's just a matter of drill size.  It's nice that American  politicians need to win in Iowa in order to get elected.  So we racers got E85 and some politicians got elected. 
   
  I have seen a V12 in a MGA.  I suppose he was using an XKE rear end. But you could easily modify a sedan rear end to fit.  Tuck a set of wire wheels under the fenders.  ( both the MGA and the XKE are about 50" track ).

Assuming you're only mildly insane at the moment ;-)  What if I don't need a whole twin cam engine?  Just the head?   Yep! I'd blatantly copy your MGB Bottom end.  
  The fun I could have with a Twin Cam in group 1.Vintage racing?   Probably have to use 60 or even 72 spoke wire wheels  to deal with the power.   Be fun to leave the drum brakes on.  
   Incidentally  how far are you from Elkhart Lake Wisconsin?   Or would Watkins Glen be closer?   

I am far away - Vancouver BC.

And my advice is that if you stick a killer engine in an MGA, have at least front discs, or preferably 4 wheel discs.

I welded up the holes for the peg drive wheels (like D type) when I was running regular racing so I could run magnesium bolt on wheels, but the steel Twin Cam wheels, which I reverted to when I went exclusively vintage racing are amply strong.

Vintage:

The engine is a nice looking one:

I also fitted it to a TVR I raced for awhile (easier to get at things while developing the engine) - and yes, I did run foam sock filters as I didn't use inner fenders on the TVR)

Those engines are absolutely gorgeous.   I love that you fitted one on an MGB 5 main.  Add the Webers and I understand the power you were making.   It must have been a blast to drive!!  
     I was just thinking I could possibly get away with the Twin Cam engine in a TD  in group 1   I suspect as soon as I put disk brakes on it they'd put me in  the MGA class.  
       My favorite trick with regard drum brakes is wire wheels.   Those spokes allow a tremendous   Amount of heat to radiate off the drum.    If Alfin drums are used, on the long straights of Elkhart Lake they can cool down enough so fade will be reduced.  Mag wheels block a lot of heat and keep it around the brakes compared to wire wheels. 
  Everyone is afraid of Wire wheels. But the 72 spoke wheels that Dayton wire wheel makes are wonderfully strong and because it has an Aluminum rim instead of steel rim it's much lighter.   
   I used a new set of Dunlop Wire Wheels on my Black Jack special ( Jaguar "D" type ).  Once or twice a year I'd retune the spokes. And in spite of 155 mph top speed and all the power and Torque   It has those same wheels on the car after 40 years of vintage racing on display at The Packard Museum.   
        
     

This is my favourite coffee table - Lamborghini Miura engine and trans package under glass.  I think you'd have to try hard to better that.  (For some odd reason, She-who-must-be-obeyed declined to allow me to do that with an MGA Twin Cam engine I have in the garage- think same idea but with only two side draft Webers on a DOHC 4 cylinder - I have sitting in the garage.)  Women are unreasonable sometimes....

I don't seem to have that problem.  SWMBO wants me to pick up a Jag motor from a friend that was going to put it in a TD (but has opted for a B-series engine), and put it on display in the living room.  I had at one point wanted to put a Climax FWM on display, but sold it before to fund some other project.

In reply to RoddyMac17 :

That is my weakness as well. Selling them off.

   Which Jag engine?    The 6 or 12? 

 Luckily I bought always bought spare engines and since I've never had one  blow up on me now I've got spares to clean up and display.  

In reply to frenchyd :

The 6, though the one that makes the least sense in using/building, as it's the 2.4.  SWMBO wants me to turn it into a display piece with the hopes that once the Elan is finished, and I sell either the Europa or B GT, I can start on building a Tojeiro or Lister type car. 

      The "trick" with the 2.4 is to use the later straight port head used on the XKE, run really high compression 13-1 pistons and camshafts.  That package is safe up to 7500+  rpm  ( the factory red line is 5500rpm  on the 3.8-4.2 because the 4.17 stroke limits revs) but it lacks the bottom end grunt of its big brother. 
 The Tojeiro body would probably be easier to make and receive less critique from the purists.  
 Are you doing the body in Aluminum or fiberglass.   
  While I can shape Aluminum. I'm slow and wind up welding a lot of small panels together.  Fiberglass I make a simple foam pattern  in 1/10 the time. From that point I make a mold and then make the body   Out of the mold.   The fiberglass body takes  a fraction of the time Aluminum does  

    I have both the 3.8 & 4.2  which are really heavy (730 pounds) and 30 pounds heavier than  the 5.3 V12. ( all aluminum)  

frenchyd said:

APEowner said:

One option is the engine based coffee table like this:

I like the idea of them sitting on shelves in a glass fronted, back light cabinet made out of some kind of pretty wood.

Yeh!   Maybe mirrored glass to show the opposite side of the engine?  

Honda NA has one in their Ohio hq and it is pretty.

In reply to 84FSP :

While that is an inspiring engine,  perhaps something less expensive is worthy?   
   I'd like to display a old Ford V8 Flathead.   But a Corvair could be polished up and be interesting.   What about an old stationary Engine or Steam Engine?   
Does it have to run to be displayed?  

In reply to wspohn :

I sent you a forum message about a semi related subject. Let me know on this thread if you do not recieve it please.

frenchyd said:

In reply to 84FSP :
Does it have to run to be displayed?  

I think one that blew up at 8000rpm and parts were thrown and made big holes in the block etc would be more interesting and have a story behind it......

For XKE fans this is a sort of display engine.....

californiamilleghia said:

frenchyd said:

In reply to 84FSP :
Does it have to run to be displayed?  

I think one that blew up at 8000rpm and parts were thrown and made big holes in the block etc would be more interesting and have a story behind it......

I like displays of sacrifices made to the god of speed.  ie blown up parts.