The Chevy Corvette is one of America’s most iconic cars. It’s known for style, performance, and most importantly, speed. The Corvette boasted a sleek design. Relatively unchanged from the previous year’s model, it was the introduction of the “Ramjet” fuel injector that made this car iconic. The Ramjet would then go on to be a staple in most cars. The fuel injector was a more effective fuel consuming strategy.
Zora Arkus-Duntov: His Development of the Chevy Corvette
The Chevy Corvette’s top-tier performance is a product ofย Zora Arkus-Duntov. In 1953, Duntov Chevy as an assistant staff engineer after writing to Chevy providing an extensive algorithm for factoring the Corvette top speed. By 1957, Duntov was now in charge of the High-Performance department.
“Ramjet” Fuel Injector
Duntov had well established himself with a professional level of expertise within the sports car world. After developing numerous sports cars over the years, his next goal was to make them faster and more fuel-efficient. By 1957, he had developed one of the first Fuel Injectors, the “Ramjet”. This invention went on to replace the traditional methods of fuel consumption. It would drastically change how cars and trucks drive today.
Chevy Corvette with Ramjet Injector
A major improvement to how automobiles would run for the time was the introduction of the fuel injector. The introduction of a mechanicalย fuel injection system, ย by General Motors’ Rochesterย productย Division.ย This methodย directed the inducted engine air across a “spoon shaped” plunger thatย stirredย in proportion to the air volume. The plunger connected to the fuel metering system thatย automatically distributedย fuel to the cylinders via distribution tubes.ย This method wasn’tย a “pulse” or intermittent injection,ย howeverย ratherย a relentlessย flow system. metering fuelย to any or allย cylindersย at the same timeย from a central “spider” of injection lines.
How It Worked
The fuel meter adjustedย the numberย of flowย in step withย engine speedย and cargo andย enclosedย a fuel reservoir,ย thatย wasย likeย a carburetor’s float chamber. With its ownย aggressiveย fuel pump driven by a cable from the distributor to the fuel meter, the systemย provided the requiredย pressure for injection. This was a “port” injectionย whereverย the injectorsย square measure placed within the manifold.