Ed Donovan (engine builder)
{{short description|American engine builder}}
{{expert needed|motorsport|date=November 2018|reason=previous ignorant tagging as "non-notable"}}
Ed Donovan (1928–1989), commonly called "The Mole" (or "Pachy"),From "pachyderm", given by "Mongoo$e" McEwen. Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.132. was an American racing engine and parts builder.
Donovan developed the first all-aluminum-block hemi designed specifically for Top Fuel drag racing.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.132.
He was posthumously inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003.[http://www.mshf.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/ed-donovan.html Motorsports Hall of Fame of America] website (retrieved 24 November 2018)
Early life
Ed Donovan was born 1928 in Los Angeles. He was fascinated with engines from an early age.[http://www.mshf.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/ed-donovan.html Motorsports Hall of Fame] website (retrieved 24 November 2018)
While working for Offenhauser, Donovan became involved in drag racing, before branching out on his own.Holmstrom, Darwin. Hemi Muscle Cars (Motorbooks, 2008) at [https://books.google.com/books?id=UWBSOG7vqIMC&dq=417+Donovan+hemi&pg=PA287 Google Books] (retrieved 24 November 2018)
Engine builder
Donovan's company, Donovan Engineering, was started in 1957.Holmstrom, Darwin. Hemi Muscle Cars (Motorbooks, 2008) at [https://books.google.com/books?id=UWBSOG7vqIMC&dq=417+Donovan+hemi&pg=PA287 Google Books] (retrieved 24 November 2018) He supplied top racers, including "Dyno Don" Nicholson. Donovan, along with Leo Goossen, built the first two-disk racing clutch, the first titanium valves (for which Nicholson was his first customer), and other gear.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.132.
In 1964, he built the "vaunted" Donovan Engineering Special, hiring Tom McEwen (who Donovan nicknamed "Mongoose") to drive it.Burgess, Phil, National Dragster editor. "The Super Mustang", written 27 April 2018, at [https://www.nhra.com/news/2018/time-machine-1973 NHRA.com] (retrieved 16 September 2018)
Donovan is best known for his Donovan hemi, introduced in 1971.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.132. He copied the Chrysler {{convert|392|cid|cc|abbr=on}}, which he admired, but tried to eliminate its flaws.Holmstrom, Darwin. Hemi Muscle Cars (Motorbooks, 2008) at [https://books.google.com/books?id=UWBSOG7vqIMC&dq=417+Donovan+hemi&pg=PA287 Google Books] (retrieved 24 November 2018) He developed the aluminum hemi to overcome the tendency of {{convert|392|cid|cc|abbr=on}} Chryslers, then used by Top Fuel racers (many of them friends and customers of his), to crack their iron blocks.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.132. The first driver to use the Donovan hemi (fresh out of the milling machine) was "Kansas John" Wiebe, at the 1971 NHRA Super Nationals, where Wiebe very nearly won Top Fuel.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.133 caption.
In 1977, Donovan persuaded "Big Daddy" Don Garlits to switch from the 426 hemi he had been using for the last thirteen years to the {{convert|417|cid|cc|abbr=on}}, offering (in Garlits' words) “an engine deal I couldn't refuse”.[https://www.nhra.com/news/2013/sorting-through-inbox NHRA.com] (retrieved 24 November 2018)
Donovan also built the only aluminum-block aftermarket copy of the {{convert|350|cid|cc|abbr=on}} small-block Chevy to successfully finish the Indianapolis 500.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.133 caption. He also copied the {{convert|427|cid|cc|abbr=on}} and {{convert|454|cid|cc|abbr=on}} big-blocks.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.133 caption.
Donovan made little money on his developments, despite the fact the aluminum hemi becoming the effective standard drag racing engine for a generation.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.133.
Personal life
Donovan was famously generous, always paying restaurant bills, and was willing to give his employees ("his boys") even the very shirt off his back.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.133 caption. He also demonstrated fierce loyalty.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.133 caption.
In addition, he was a music lover, gourmet chef, and wine connoisseur of fine wine.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.133 caption.
His sense of humor was quirky; he once claimed to hate the name Joe, listing examples such as Paisano, Hrudka, and Mondello.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.133 caption.
Donovan was 61 when he died of cancer.Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, p.133 caption; Holmstrom, Darwin. Hemi Muscle Cars (Motorbooks, 2008) at [https://books.google.com/books?id=UWBSOG7vqIMC&dq=417+Donovan+hemi&pg=PA287 Google Books] (retrieved 24 November 2018)
He was posthumously inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003.[http://www.mshf.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/ed-donovan.html Motorsports Hall of Fame of America] website (retrieved 24 November 2018)
Notes
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Sources
- Obituary. Hot Rod, September 1989, pp. 132–133.
External links
- [https://www.nhra.com/news/2011/swamp-rat-spotters-guide-part-3 NHRA.com] (Don Garlits using the Donovan hemi)
- [https://www.nhra.com/news/2008/life-well-dunn-and-strapping-ol-feedback NHRA.com] (Mike Dunn using the Donovan hemi)
- [http://www.donovanengines.com/donovan-417-hemi-aluminum-blocks/ Donovan Engines] website
- [https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/snapperhead-coupe-story-of-the-donovan-417-hemi-the-392s-big-brother.1086242/ Jalopy Journal] discussion of the Donovan
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Donovan, Ed}}
Category:American automotive engineers
Category:20th-century American businesspeople
Category:American automotive pioneers
Category:Deaths from cancer in the United States
Category:People from Los Angeles