https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/deboss-garage-detroit-diesel-two-stroke-16-cylinder/

The Detroit Diesel 71-series engine was built from the mid-1930s through the mid-1990s in configurations ranging from an inline-four-cylinder all the way up to a V24. The 71-series was modular too, so a 16-cylinder model used four inline-four cylinder heads and two V8 blocks bolted together. The engines were also capable of running clockwise or counterclockwise with only a change of starter.

Rich's explanation is fantastic and shows just how unique, ingenious and seriously robust these engines were in their heyday, and it's definitely worth kicking back for a half-hour with a cup of coffee to check it out.