Help identify a piston. Voodoo Race 5, Matt Jackson, Bob Hannah markings.

[SkyvanDelta]

I believe this to be a Mustang engine piston but seeking confirmation with the experts here first and then I'll post it in the For Sale section and/or ebay.

It's 5.25 inches in diameter, silver in color, with the words I believe to be: "Blown up by Matt Jackson, Voodoo #5" and looks like Bob Hannah signed it also.

You can compare it to another piston that I photo'd months ago (which I never acquired) and it appears to be the same 5.25" diameter. Pictures of the two pistons here: https://picasaweb.google.com/1094612...351553/ZPiston

I googled Bob Hannah's autograph and the signature on the piston it looks like Bobs autograph on this poster shown here: http://www.motocrossgiant.com/PhotoD...ctCode=BH701PS

[Sparrow]

Re: Help identify a piston. Voodoo Race 5, Matt Jackson, Bob Hannah markings.

Stone stock Packard -9 piston.

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Help identify a piston. Voodoo Race 5, Matt Jackson, Bob Hannah markings.

Stone stock Packard -9 piston.

Thanks for your response. Can you give me a bit more detail what a "Packard 9" is?

I found the below on wikipedia re Packard:

"Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana. The first Packard automobiles were produced in 1899, and the last in 1958.

Packard also made large aeronautical and marine engines. Chief engineer Jesse Vincent developed a V-12 airplane engine called the "Liberty engine" that was used widely in entente air corps during World War I. Packard powered boats and airplanes set several records during the 1920s. For Packard's production of military and navy engines, see the Merlin engine and PT Boats which contributed to the Allied victory in World War II. Packard also developed a jet propulsion engine for the USAF, one of the reasons for the Curtiss-Wright take-over in 1956, as they wanted to sell their own jet."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard

Which links to "Merlin"
"The Packard V-1650 was a liquid cooled 27 litre (1649 in3) 60° V12 piston aircraft engine variant of the Rolls-Royce Merlin produced under licence (in the United States) by the Packard Motor Car Company.[1] The engine was licensed in order to provide a 1500 hp-class design at a time when US engines of this rating were not considered ready for use even after years of development.

The first V-1650s with a simple one-stage supercharger powered variants of the Curtiss P-40 (Kittyhawk) fighter. Later versions included a much more advanced two-stage supercharger that greatly improved performance at high altitudes. It found its most famous application in the North American P-51 Mustang fighter, where it vastly improved that aircraft's performance at altitude. This fitting transformed the Mustang into an outstanding fighter with the range and performance to escort heavy bombers over the continent. By 1944, P-51B, P-51C and P-51D "Merlin" Mustangs were able to escort Allied heavy bombers in daylight all the way to Berlin and there to defeat German fighters that rose to meet them. By late 1944, the Allies had won air supremacy over the whole of Germany, and Germany's defeat in World War II began to appear inevitable."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard_V-1650

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Help identify a piston. Voodoo Race 5, Matt Jackson, Bob Hannah markings.

Variations are listed here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard_V-1650

(Look up V-1650-9)

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Help identify a piston. Voodoo Race 5, Matt Jackson, Bob Hannah markings.

Variations are listed here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard_V-1650

(Look up V-1650-9)

Thanks AirDogge.

I see this under "Variants" about half way down the page and it says this:
V-1650-9: 1,380 hp (1,030 kW); Water methanol injection.

I know this calls for speculation but why does the piston have writing on it saying: "Blown up by Matt Jackson, Voodoo #5"?

Does anyone know whose writing it is on the piston?

Did Voodoo ever have a Packard V-1650-9 in it when Matt Jackson was flying it and blew up the motor...?

Anyone know how much a piston like this cost new?

[Sparrow]

Re: Help identify a piston. Voodoo Race 5, Matt Jackson, Bob Hannah markings.

Packard V1650-9 is what they call a "100 Series" engine as the internal oiling system is what they call end fed. The -9 was the latest engine in production that Packard built. The -9 is the engine that was used in the P-51H as well as the same basic engine layout with a few changes was used in the Merlin powered P-82's. In the P-82's they were V1650-23/25, one RH prop rotation & one LH prop rotation. The -9 parts are used in the build up of race engine's by some of us, all the Allison rod engines I've built incorporate a lot of -9 parts in them. The piston in the pics is a stock unit for a -9 Packard engine, unmodified. In VooDoo there have been -9 parts used, but I suspect whatever flavor of piston had been used in those engines would've been modified for a differant ring package. As for value, I would say if it was given to someone as a souvenier or what you, the piston is not serviceable. Hard to say what it is worth.

Sparrow

[Plane Nuts]

Re: Help identify a piston. Voodoo Race 5, Matt Jackson, Bob Hannah markings.

It is just like the one I bought from Tiger for 5 bucks, and he even signed it. It looks great collecting dust on the mantel.

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Help identify a piston. Voodoo Race 5, Matt Jackson, Bob Hannah markings.

You could always give it to your wife/girlfriend as a Christmas/Valentines Day gift and it might go like this:

Man: Merry Christmas Honey. Look what I got for you, a big heavy box. Open it and look what's inside.

Woman: Oh, it's heavy. I wonder what it is? Jewelry, Crystal...?

Sound of a box opening.

Woman: It's a piston. You gave me a piston for Christmas? I thought it was something expensive like jewelry. How dare you!!! What do you think I am, an airplane?

Sound of running footsteps.

Woman: Come here. Stop running from me. You'll have to come home eventually...