This is a 1:3 scale model of the high-performance “K-code” V8 used in the 1965 Ford Mustang. Thanks to a discrete electric motor the engine actually “runs” with all the pistons and valves working together correctly to demonstrate how internal combustion engines work.
This model is made up of over 200 parts, the assembly process is said to take 2 to 3 hours, and it comes with detailed illustrated instructions and a book on the history of the Ford Mustang. Transparent parts are used where necessary to show the internal workings of the engine, making it a great educational tool for adults and kids alike.
The kit comprises 200 individual parts, once assembled the engine turns over just like an original, it even has LED spark plugs to show when the plugs in a real engine would fire.
The original K-code V8 was a high-performance version of the 289 cubic inch (4.7 liter) V8 used in the first generation Ford Mustang. This engine was also known by the nickname “Hi-Po,” short for “high-power,” and it offered 61 additional horsepower over the standard 260 cubic inch (4.25 liter) engine, with 271 bhp vs 210 bhp.
This family of engines is also known as the Ford small block, the series was introduced in 1961 in the Ford Fairlane and Mercury Meteor as a replacement for the outgoing Ford Y-block V8 which was beginning to show its age.
The Ford small block started out with a relatively modest swept displacement of 221 cubic inches (3.6 liters), but over the course of its production run this would be increased a number of times, eventually reaching 351 cubic inches (5.8 liters).
Versions of the Ford small block would appear in some of the company’s most famous vehicles, including the Mustang, Bronco, Mercury Cougar, Torino, Granada, Mercury Monarch, LTD, Mercury Marquis, Maverick, and the Ford F-150 pickup.
This model is made by Franzis Verlag, a German company known for their precise models and their extensive catalog of technical manuals.
Franzis models are designed to be used for both educational and display purposes, and as a result they have all the major parts of the real engine including pistons, connecting rods, crankshafts, cams, valves, and even spark plugs that have LEDs that light up at the appropriate moment to show the moment of ignition.
The kit comes on its own display stand so you can showcase it when it’s done. It also has a sound module recorded from a real K-code Ford V8.
This model kit also has a battery operated sound module to show how the real K-code Mustang V8 sounds at different RPM ranges. As mentioned higher up, Franzis estimates that it’ll take the average person 2-3 hours to complete the model and it comes with detailed instructions.
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