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Stuart Hilborn invented the fuel injection system and it became the system of choice in racing, beginning with his hot-rod V8 and then the Meyer & Drake Offys. He is still active and, like the others of his generation, is using the computer to design and manufacture his products. One of them is an experimental rotary-valve throttle design to be tested on an IRL/Aurora engined car shortly. This provides a nice introduction to the man, leading on to the thought and reality of continuous change and improvement in racing, by racing people having the competitive instincts of the Racer’s Edge.
Stuart was born in Calgary, Alberta around 1917. The family moved to Pasadena in about 1930 after which they made a number of moves in the Southern California area. In 1935 Stuart graduated from high school and then went on to Los Angeles Junior College. He majored in chemistry but had not yet acquired an interest in cars. In about 1938 he went to work for a large paint company, remaining with them until 1949, while serving three years in U.S. Army Air Force. He formed an idea for delivering fuel to the engine by means of injector nozzles which would spray the fuel, fed by a high pressure pump, at a constant pressure to a point right above the valve. When the valve opened the fuel would be pushed into the engine by its own pressure. Air would be sucked in if naturally aspirated or pushed in if supercharged to complete the mixture for ignition on the power stroke. This simple device revolutionized automotive fuel systems and is now used on virtually all passenger and racing cars. Stuart continued to refine his injector systems at his factory in Aliso Viejo, California into his 80s. There is a continuous history of change and improvement to all the things he has done in his long career. We discussed this theme of the Racer’s Edge in his spacious office above his factory.
For 1952 Frank Kurtis was to build the first Kurtis KK500A with a 36-degree lay-over Offy engine. Howard Keck didn’t need any advertising so they called it the “Fuel Injection Special”. It was driven by Bill Vukovich who finished seventeenth. Howard Keck wanted a Ferrari, so Stuart gives ‘the Old Man’ at Marinello an injection system, but Enzo shortchanged them on the car anyway. But Stuart met Jules Goux who helped him to buy a Bugatti for Howard’s brother-in-law.
At Indy Bobby Ball qualified the Ferrari but drove the Ansted Offy powered car in the race. Alberto Ascari drove the Ferrari. A wire wheel collapsed, and they were banned from the Speedway. Many of the cars have Hilborn Injectors.
So, Vuky was to run the old car, in 1954 with a new 270 and he won again, for the second year in a row! But, then, Howard Keck quit racing and Lindsey Hopkins took over and hired the team. His car is pretty much like their old KK500A.
But in 1955 Bill Vukovich crashed and died on lap 57 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Stuart’s friends quit racing.
1956 to about 1958 Stuart helped out on the team of a long-time mechanic friend. One of their cars was a supercharged Maserati with carburetors, to which they adapted a Hilborn set-up but apparently did not qualify for the Show. In 1959 Bobby Grim drove a Kurtis KK500G for the team, and in about 1960 Ebb Rose bought the team. In 1961 Ebb Rose was driving for the Meyer Speedway Racing Team and Racing Associates has two cars in the Show for Herb Porter. In 1962 Ebb Rose qualified in a Philips car of which Herb Porter is part owner. Around this time Ford was trying their version of the Hilborn injector.
Then in 1978 Stuart builds an injection system for the Cosworth and utilizing a rotary valve in place of butterfly valves in the injector. By 1992 the Ford system is basically the same that Hilborn built for Ford/Cosworth.
Continuous development of injectors, pumps and other components keeps Stuart busy. This year they are working on the rotary valve for the Aurora engine in the Indy Racing League. Wherever there are racing engines, or any other kinds of engines, we are indebted to Hilborn’s injectors. They are a part of the continuous development of racing technology, which parallels and informs and draws from all parts of industry and technology to continually sharpen the Racer’s Edge.