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WHEELS OF THE WEEK

Motorhead Classic: Local entrepreneur has special oil developed for older cars

By SKIP PETERSON

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Sam Nicolosi with a gallon of Motorhead Classic motor oil. This oil is rich in zinc and phosphorous, which provide more protection against camshaft wear and is for use in engines built before 1973. Photo by Skip Peterson

A gallon of Motorhead Classic motor oil. This oil is rich in zinc and phosphorous, which provide more protection against camshaft wear in older engines which don't use catalytic converters. Photo by Skip Peterson

Motorhead Classic 15w40 motor oil, on the left, is much darker, due in part to the amount of zinc and phosphorous in the oil. It contains about 50 % more zinc and phosphorous than the conventional motor oil on the right, Valvoline 10w40. Motorhead Classic should not be used in cars with catalytic converters. Photo by Skip Peterson

Got zinc? Most motor oils today don't have enough if you're driving a classic car. Classic-car owners have become increasingly frustrated with engine problems, mostly related to the failure of camshafts after a rebuild. It's been a hot topic over the past few years by everyone with an engine built before 1973.

Thanks to local entrepreneur and classic car fanatic Sam Nicolosi, those problems can be solved. Just change your oil to Motorhead Classic.

"It's really simple. Oil companies have reduced the zinc and phosphorous content in their oils because they had to. Both chemicals impact catalytic converters, and the car companies aren't going to fix the converters. They need oil with lower amounts of zinc. Plus, new engines don't need the zinc; they don't use flat tappets," Nicolosi said.

Nicolosi, 63, of Dayton, saw the need for a specific oil for older cars. "I have lots of old cars. I quit counting at 20. They're mostly orphans — Nash, Packard, Studebaker, DeSoto. The new oils just don't lubricate the cam and cylinder walls well.

"I started talking with my partner, engine builder Russell 'Rusty' Bachman, and we started searching for something to use with more zinc and phosphorous. Shell Rotella worked OK for a while, since diesel engines don't have catalytic converters.

"Then came the announcement that in 2007 catalytic converters would be required for diesels, and we found that the zinc level in Rotella was reduced," he said.

That led the entrepreneurial side of Nicolosi to kick in. "No one was making high-zinc oil, so we found a refinery who would make the oil for us, with the right amounts of zinc and phosphorous. We formulated it like the old oils with .125 percent zinc and phosphorous. Most oils today with an API-SM label have an average of .087 percent zinc and phosphorous, just not enough to create the coating on the cam lobes to protect the metal and reduce the wear," Nicolosi said.

Motorhead Classic currently comes in one viscosity, 15w40, and is only available in gallon jugs.

"We determined that viscosity will work for just about any older car and the minimum zinc/phosphorous level is guaranteed at .125 percent. Most batches test higher, " he said.

Since introducing the oil in September, Nicolosi has already sold more than 4,000 gallons of the oil.

"It's not going gangbusters, but it's going pretty good. We're talking about a 20w50 version, too," he said.

The oil sells for $14.50 per gallon, or $3.62 per quart. Current similar conventional motor oils, like Valvoline 10w40, sell for $2.88 per quart.

The oil, which is not to be used in a vehicle with a catalytic converter, can be purchased at Nicolosi's shop at 1901 E. Fifth St., by e-mailing think-zinc@motorheadoil.com or by calling (937) 254-2673

To nominate your special vehicle for Wheels of the Week, contact us at: Wheels, Marketing Publications Department, Dayton Daily News, 1611 S. Main St., Dayton OH 45409 or via e-mail at arollins@coxohio.com. Include your name, daytime telephone number and a photo of your vehicle. Read this story and others like it at DaytonDailyNews.com/Wheels.