Magnesium allow for lighter car engines.

[Piwoslaw]

So if magnesium is too weak for large, high power engines, then I understand it's OK for small, underpowered, fuel sipping lumps?

IIRC Mg is used more and more often for suspension parts and alloy wheels.

[Frank Lee]

When I was a kid converting an old Microbus from 6v to 12v I took a grinder to the transaxle to clearance it for the larger 12v flywheel. I was rather surprised at first at the amount of energy the sparks the grinder was throwing had! Mag transaxle case for 1960.

I like cast iron engine blocks; no fussy liners, the best cyl bore wear characteristics, easily machineable, cheap, recycleable. Take the weight out by ditching the electronic and "safety" gook.

[roflwaffle]

I like that weight reduction is up to the owner. It's a lot easier to pull the stuff you don't want than to fab the stuff you do.

[gone-ot]

...yes, it's definitely an advantage that the body panels don't buckle & fold when the buyer accidently leans against the body (ha,ha)!

...can you say: original AC Cobra!

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by roflwaffle

I like that weight reduction is up to the owner. It's a lot easier to pull the stuff you don't want than to fab the stuff you do.

I like that otherwise good automotive models come loaded with option bundles and really there is no such thing as "stripper" models anymore. Can barely find work trucks anymore either. I like that I have to hunt down or fab up manual replacements for all the solonoid/motored/computer controlled accessories I don't use or want. I especially enjoy the lack of m/t vehicles available, and that they are even becoming rare in scrapyards- wrong era.

No. Wait. I don't like that.

[some_other_dave]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

So if magnesium is too weak for large, high power engines, then I understand it's OK for small, underpowered, fuel sipping lumps?

Not too weak, just weaker than Aluminum. That means there are different constraints with it, and that a mag engine should be designed differently than an alu or cast-iron one. The biggest problems with the mag cases on the VWs and Porsches is that they used the same form and simply switched materials, rather than completely redesigning the engine around the new material.

That, and they kept growing the engines in displacement and in power without changing the crankcase, to the point where they were too much for the material.

-soD