<VV> Indestructible engine

[vairologist at juno.com]

 Smitty says:  I never think of that engine at the Waynesboro VairFair
with out being filled with amazement and admiration.  The engine was a 60
that Steve had tried to give away for some time.  At the VairFair chances
were sold on how long the engine would run with out a fan belt.  The
engine was set up on a stand in the middle of an asphalt lot.  A remote
fuel supply was rigged and the belt was removed.  The throttle was set at
around 3000 rpm.  The engine was started and the betting was on.  The
time around the two minute interval was blacked out (sold out) quickly. 
Late comers resigned themselves to the 5 to 8 minute time and total
losers were left with taking a chance on 15 minutes or more.  Almost
immediately the engine started burning off all exterior oil film and then
settled down to its task of trying to run forever.  After 10 minutes fuel
had to be added to the tank.  Eventually the manifolds started glowing
red.  At around 20 minutes a steady column of smoke was pouring out of
the road draft tube.  People started moving away from the sides of the
engine and standing to the front and rear where the rods were less likely
to be.  The road draft started spouting fire like a blow torch and
jetting against the blacktop.  At around 25 minutes a decision was made
to put it out of its misery in the interest of safety due to the blacktop
burning.  It didn't even stutter when the coil wire was jerked loose and
CO2 was fired down the carb throats to kill it.  
        Steve caught hell from many people for doing that to a Corvair
engine and all his comebacks about trying to give it away were to no
avail.  Last time I talked to him he mentioned that he still hadn't lived
it down with some folks..