SMOKEY YUNICK and the INDY REVERSE TORQUE SPECIAL 1959

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Discover The SHOCKING Truth Behind Smokey Yunick’s Reverse Torque Special 1959, in a must watch video! Learn about the history and controversy surrounding this legendary engineering marvel. The Reverse Torque Special, unleashed in 1959, was a radical and game-changing idea that shook up the Indianapolis 500 and American racing-but its story is filled with technical drama, innovation, and unintended consequences. modified 1959 Kurtis-Kraft 500H Indy car powered by an Offenhauser 4-cylinder engine designed to rotate in the opposite direction from normal. Yunick had the engine built to rotate clockwise, instead of the usual counterclockwise, which was a radical approach at the time. Why the Reverse Rotation? The key idea was to change the engine's rotational direction to influence the car's balance and handling, especially on oval tracks where the front right wheel takes most cornering stress. With a standard engine rotation, more torque reaction transferred weight to the front right wheel, which Yunick believed was detrimental. By reversing the rotation, he aimed to shift weight distribution and mechanical forces to improve performance and handling. However, reversing the engine's rotation posed huge challenges because the drivetrain components (ring gear, pinion, quick-change axles) were designed for standard rotation. Yunick had to rebuild or source mirror-image drivetrain parts (such as Halibrand’s “Front QC” quick-change axles designed for front-drive and four-wheel-drive racers) to accommodate the reversed rotation. Performance and Outcome Despite the complexity, the Reverse Torque Special qualified 12th and finished 7th in the 1959 Indianapolis 500, a respectable showing for an experimental design. It demonstrated Yunick’s fearless creativity and technical mastery, even if it didn’t revolutionize racing. His work preserved the tradition of pushing engineering boundaries within the constraints of the time. Legacy AMERICAN Car History, Season 1 The Ford 427 side oiler engine That silenced Enzo Ferrari 1966 https://youtu.be/LKvDfxDBHjw The Ford 289 Gurney Weslake engine That silenced Porsche https://youtu.be/SV_2KqWekFs The shocking truth behind Mopar bulletproof 225 Slant Six engine https://youtu.be/8OLT3fPYsN4 The Shocking Truth Behind the Ford Deadly 255 indy engine https://youtu.be/kgyBMMJ1RVY The shocking truth behind Smokey Yunick Hemi head Camaro 1968 https://youtu.be/24SEMec4XwE The Shocking Truth Behind Chevrolet Banned 409 WidowMaker Engine https://youtu.be/AXVr4bGKckM The shocking truth behind Chevrolet Banned 427 L88 ENGINE! https://youtu.be/GV68yON5Uzs The shocking Truth Behind FORDs Banned 351 Cleveland Engine https://youtu.be/YzH4-T1l2ZM The Shocking Truth behind Pontiac Banned 421 Super Duty Engine! https://youtu.be/U9QEeL3_N68 The Shocking Truth behind Chevrolet Banned 396 Big Block Engine! https://youtu.be/StrfpfUWcRM The Shocking Truth behind FORDs Banned 427 Cammer Engine! https://youtu.be/Ywaj6g5pG8U The Shocking Truth Behind Chevrolet's Banned 427 Mystery Motor https://youtu.be/KtvxnPvycm4 The Shocking Truth behind Ford’s Banned BOSS 429 Engine! https://youtu.be/tFsHhRMBOOU Specification Details Smokey Yunick’s “Reverse Torque Special” Kurtis-Kraft 500H Indy Roadster Offenhauser inline-4, reverse-rotating configuration 270 cubic inches (4.4 L) Approximately 420–450 hp @ 6,600 rpm (typical for Offy 270s of the era) Cooling Water-cooled with front-mounted radiator Mechanical fuel injection (Hilborn setup) 2-speed manual, custom-modified to accommodate reversed drivetrain rotation Halibrand “Front QC” quick-change rear axle (mirror-image gear orientation) Firestone 18-inch racing slicks Qualification Position 12th Finish 7th place, driven by Paul Goldsmith Reverse Rotation Concept: Yunick ordered Offenhauser engine no. 210 specifically configured for clockwise rotation, aiming to offset right-front tire load in left-turn oval racing. Drivetrain Adaptation: To make it work, Halibrand supplied a mirror-image quick-change differential with the ring gear mounted on the opposite side, a rarity even by today’s standards. Best Community Comments @ericbrammer2245 Aircraft dealt with this in the 'prop-fighter' Era. When North American first put two P-51's onto One Wing to make the P-82 'Twin-Mustang' in early 1944, they forgot to Consult Lockheed, whom had in 1937, realized the engines needed to spin in Opposite directions to counter 'prop-torque'. What occurred, on the P-82's first taxi runs was Comical. It couldn't 'lift' enough to even keep the tail UP, let-alone try to FLY! N.A. Engineers scratched their heads at first, but a former P-38 Mechanic simply said, 'you put the Left motor on the Right, the Right motor on the WRONG side, too'. Once the motors were swapped L-to-R, it flew fine. Details matter.... .Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1LFwBRy9-ENQ5I20vxw08g/join