Thread: Ken Thurm...Superstar!

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Originally Posted by Ken Thurm

I want to thank everyone that posted on this, I really appreciate it.
Don, thank you for posting this, that was very nice of you. Steve I will be happy to take you to lunch in the truck on your next visit.
Ken

Heck Ken, I'll buy you lunch for the ride!

Move over Steve, I've got shotgun! I never realized until I read this article that the engine in Kens truck once belonged to Lil John Buttera and is that aluminum Indy engine he was playing around with. That in itself makes this truck super special with tons of history. WOW! I bet it scoots too.

Don

Congrats Ken! That's always great to get some mag coverage for something you put a lot of work into.

Now I need to go out and find that mag,,,, say, I'll send it to you and you can scribble your sig. on the cover!!

Awesome truck. Funny how long it takes these magazines to finally put these articles into print.

Awesome truck ken
Don Jr.

Steve- Now, there is a deal I can't pass up !

Don- Your right, the accomplishments he made with that whole project are amazing. I screwed that all up by re sleeving it to 4 1/8 bore. So now it won't go 11,000 rpm anymore. but just having it is special to me, he was hard to get along with sometimes but what a machinist and designer he was.
This block is like no other small block, externally and internally. If you want I'll try and take a shot of some of the differences.

Larry- Thanks, it is very cool, I haven't ever made a cover before.

Don Jr.- Thanks, I honestly believe they are living on their inventory.
Ken

Ken, the pictures would be great, but also we'd all love to hear the story about how you came into possession of the Indy motor and a little more about the engine itself. All I know is that John made a low budget attempt (compared to most of the entries) at the Indy 500 and developed some "sbc" engines to do that. Can you fill in some of the blanks for us?

For those who may be too young to know who we are talking about, Lil John Buttera, who is now deceased (RIP), was one of the legendary machinists, car innovators, fabricators of all time. I believe he is credited with being one of the first to work with billet aluminum, and he also built some of the finest dragster and funny car chassis ever built. He ranks right up there with the other legends in this hobby like Bill Hines, Winfield, Barris, etc.

A famous quote by John was when he was asked one time how he created a car mirror out of a single piece of aluminum. His response was "You start with a block and cut away everything that doesn't look like a mirror!"

Here are some pictures of the Man and his work:

Don