The first series production V6 (60 degrees) was introduced by Lancia in 1950 with the Lancia Aurélia.
Best known as the designer of the world’s first production V6 engine, De Virgilio worked closely with Gianni Lancia, the company head, and Vittorio Jano, to produce the Lancia Aurelia.
http://lanciainfo.com/Lancia_Info/De_Virgilio_book.html
Cracking the V6 code wasn’t easy. A prototype V6 with 1569 cc at 45 degrees was built, and after a few more tries De Virgilio realized that an angle of 60 degrees would work best.
The narrow angle made it difficult to employ hemispherical combustion chambers, and the valves were placed 90 degrees from the normal position, resulting in a very unusual head design. (see diagram). As usual, to make things more interesting, Lancia historians refer to this design as the ’straight valve’ engine. Says Goldberg, “The valves were originally parallel to the axis of the crankshaft. That would be turned 90 deg from the intake/exhaust direction, but are termed the “straight valve” engines.” Valves at any angle were operated via pushrods from a single camshaft in the center of the block.
According to Geoffrey Goldberg, De Virgilio’s papers show the 60 deg V6 balancing drawing in 1943, and the 538 45 degree engine in 1944, with the first test engine being the 538 in 1945. “That engine, which one could describe as the start of things, was installed in an Aprilia in 1948, and driven around.” The 60 degree engine was likely built in 1949, as it was introduced in 1950.
Source : VELOCETODAY
http://www.velocetoday.com/lancia-aurel ... iation-pi/
http://www.velocetoday.com/the-lancia-a ... ation-pii/
NEW : sample pages of the book
http://blog.lanciainfo.com/wp-content/u ... .20.14.pdf
