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1937 BMW 328
Well, that up there is only a principle figure. It is intended to illustrate how, with the BMW 328 with one camshaft at the bottom, two V-shaped valves could be driven. You see, it is not always necessary to
have two overhead camshafts for this valve arrangement.
And they would not have been possible. This would have meant a change in the cast-iron engine block. From the cost at that time impossible. For it was already 3 to 4 years ago that the construction of a
separate six-cylinder inline had begun. Only the cylinder head could be completely redesigned.
And that was done. It is to be the first series engine of aluminum ever built. But even the size of the series of just under 500 units from 1937 to 1940 makes it clear the need to keep the block of the engine
being enlarged meantime from 1.2 to 1.9 liters.
In this way, the construction shown at the top (inlet valve right, outlet valve left) was created with maximum big valves, especially the mixture that could be sucked from above without a large curvature from
a total of three downdraught carburetors. Together with a further 100 cm³ more, 59 kW (80 hp) was now possible instead of 40 kW (55 hp).
Right at the start in racing sport incredibly successful.
Please bear in mind the fuel of that time with much less octane than today. The 7.5 : 1 compression requiered a really good mixing of the combustion chamber without local hotspots. Attempts at the end
of the war have almost doubled the performance of the engine, still being produceded in series. 11/16
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