I have five 1927 124 DB's with the so called "fast four" engines. HP was about 40 horses though it was figured different then than it is now. These engines had the distributor through the head and had joined intake and exhaust manifolds and 5 main bearings. They were the same 212.3 cubic inch as all 4 cyl DB's from 1914 to 1928 but they ran quite a bit faster due to more cam and better manifolds and starting in late '26 they had separate 6 volt starters and generators as compared to the earlier 12 volt starter/generator single units. With out that heavy starter chain and with 5 mains instead of 3 they were a lot smoother and would run higher sustained speeds. Top speed? About 65 if ya really push it. 50-55 would be better and some would scream about that! They are really low geared. Don't bother with 1st gear, except on a steep hill start. BTW, "fast four" was not a Dodge Brothers term. It was coined by the public and press from DB's claim of "Fastest Four in America"
There are several different 5 main bearing DB 4cyl engines but only the ones with the distributor stuck down through the head like a Model A Ford is what is referred to as fast fours. As I mentioned aboved these are all 124 Models. They were only built in the last 90 days or so of the 1927 production, then the engine alone was carried over into the 1928 128/129 Model and then dropped from production when Chrysler bout Dodge Brothers so as not to compete with the new low price Plymouth 4.
Dave
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