Bike engine in a car

Cyanide

Cyanide

Cyanide

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I'm about to have a lot of disposeable income to throw around and I'm planning a little project...

I want to stick a bike engine in an old crappy car and scare the hell out of people at lights.

I was thinking something along the lines of a 175hp 'Busa engine (turbo perhaps?) in a Fiesta type car.

I know it's a lot of work as I'd need to figure out the transmission and mounts etc, but I'm almost sure it'd be worth it :D
 
You see quite a lot of bike engines in Caterhams, so it does work... But caterhams aren't like regular cars.

You see Blackbird, 'Busa and Fireblade engines most often. But they're more suited for track use, as they have no reverse gear.. I think a lot of them have an electric motor for reverse, but it's not much of a sensible option for the road.

There's plenty of regular car engines you can **** people up with though on the road :D
 
I know the 'Busa engine pretty much just drops straight into the original mini, which would be great fun but people might expect it when you're wanting to race them as it's one of the most common transplants.

From what I've read you can get a reverse gear made up without too much hassle.

Anyone know where I can find Hayabusa Turbo engines? 400bhp, stripped out Fiesta that weighs as much as a toaster anyone? :eek:
 
Mohinder said:
I don't think you'll squeeze 400bhp out of a busa engine without some decent financial outlay, to be honest...
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I've seen them upwards of 500bhp.

Maybe 400's a bit optimistic without blowing my life savings though. What would you say is reasonable with some tuning and a decent sized turbo?
 
Thing about bike engines is they have naff all torque, which is fine in a bike or a kit car, because there's naff all weight to propell.

Would something like a Zetec Turbo not be a easier and more sensible option?

250-300bhp is easy enough, and will be much less hassle and expense than a BEC.
 
Cyanide said:
I've seen them upwards of 500bhp.

Maybe 400's a bit optimistic without blowing my life savings though. What would you say is reasonable with some tuning and a decent sized turbo?
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I'll be honest I have no idea! :D

Busa engines can go to mental amounts of power, it's just how deep your wallet is, and I don't think 400bhp is attainable on a smallish budget, which by the sounds of things is what you have available,or rather will have available after you buy the car to put it in, the equipment with which to put it in the car (or indeed pay someone to put it in the car) etc etc etc.

andi said:
Thing about bike engines is they have naff all torque, which is fine in a bike or a kit car, because there's naff all weight to propell.

Would something like a Zetec Turbo not be a easier and more sensible option?

250-300bhp is easy enough, and will be much less hassle and expense than a BEC.
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That's more like it tbh. Bike engines aren't built to propel cars, they're built to propel bikes, and as such if you put a bike engine in a car, you'll get nothing out of it unless you rev the **** off it every single second, and that takes a pretty talented driver to do. Without real talent, you'll not get a bike engined car to shift any more impressively than a.. car engined car.
 
Malt_Vinegar said:
Just buy two, power front wheels with one, rear with the other :D
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or go completely insane and have 1 for each wheel... they're only tiny things so I'm sure they'd fit somewhere :D
 
Mohinder said:
That's more like it tbh. Bike engines aren't built to propel cars, they're built to propel bikes, and as such if you put a bike engine in a car, you'll get nothing out of it unless you rev the **** off it every single second, and that takes a pretty talented driver to do. Without real talent, you'll not get a bike engined car to shift any more impressively than a.. car engined car.
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but if you're using the bikes gearbox you can shift without the clutch and get every last drop of power out of it ;)

I know it's not healthy for it but it wouldn't be my main car so sod it :D
 
If you think you have the engineering talent to fabricate everything, and the equipment to do so, if you have the engine hoist to drop it in with, the money to pay for it all, and you have the talent to get the most out of the, let's face it, unsuitable engine for the purpose, by all means go for it.

But without the money, the knowhow, the equipment, and the talent, it's not going to work mate.
 
In a light car a bike engine is fine (Sub 750kg)

Yes they have to be revved but so do bikes...its how they make there power .
Personally i prefer bike engines in bikes and car engines in cars but there very popular fittment in Westfields/lowcost etc

And just to show you how good they can be have a look at this

400bhp v8 Westy V 170 Busa Westy

Persil
 
Not quite as mad but I'm building a mad Citroen AX over the winter. 650ish KG, 160 bhp, close ratio box and sorted suspension & brakes whilst retaining standard looks is the plan.
 
Cyanide said:
I know the 'Busa engine pretty much just drops straight into the original mini,
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"drops straight in"? Hardly. The Z Cars conversion involves cutting out the rear floor pan and boot, fabricating a tubular frame/roll cage, fabricating custom trailing arm suspension, making custom chain driven drivetrain (diff/driveshafts etc.) and plumbing in all cooling, fuel and electrical systems. I can hardly think of anything less "drop in".

Even the Honda D16/B16, Vauxhall 20XE, Suzuki Swift etc.. conversions are far from "drop in".
 
Cyanide said:
I know the 'Busa engine pretty much just drops straight into the original mini,
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This alone says one thing: you aren't cut out for it.

A similar conversation as this on another forum I frequent came to this conclusion for something affordable, light, fun, powerful and able to embarrass much more expensive cars:

Chevette's are fapping fantastic.
In terms of 'drive-ability' they pwn just about anything from the same era & size.
Wazz all over marginally smaller stuff like fiesta's and are (IMO) nicer to punt about in than a Mk2 escort.
They just 'feel' good, even if they only have 1256cc of stock juciness shoving them along. :)

Get it done.
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I went Zetec SE in the quest for lightweight reliablity and Cheaper Donor engines than XE

Nightmares went for Piazza Turbo And I have an engine and box (that may be available)if you are interested in doing the same

Problem you have going too big/powerful is the standard axle, which is only good for 100lb/ft
you need to fit Manta A series axle to remain inside standard arches or Wider Arches and B series axle.

Piazza axle will fit, but are like Rocking horse do do and fetch big money now as many come with LSD as well ;)

Personally, a well built 1256 with side draught weber or similar and a decent Cam will be Ample...... Sort the handling with decent dampers and Springs and I`d be tempted to engineer a 5 speed box conversion and you`ll have a great fun, quick car

A chevette or Kadett with 70-80hp is a proper tool ;) you`ll embarrass a lot of Supposedly quicker stuff on the back roads...

I currently have 37hp at the rear wheels :D
Car weighs 810kg
Basically Tarmac rally spec suspension but a bit lower
175/50/13s on 7x13 wheels

It will Hassle a properly quick Celica GT4 on the backroads on cornerspeed alone

When he can get the power down admittedly he disappears but as soon as the bends start I catch him right up again

Great cars and cheap to mod/fix/buy/etc

I would love a Mk1 escort....... but am not prepared to pay the premium when I can build a Kadett for a 1/4 of the price
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Oh Yes Lets do a Partly Hypothetical build to demonstrate

Car £200-500
ATS Alloys with 185/60/13s £150
Or Budget version....Golf GTI Steels and Tyres £40 scrappy
400lbs front springs, 220lbs rears -2"...... New £100 delivered (south yorkshire springs)
Or (Budget) new fronts and put the old fronts on the rear with 1.5 coils removed
Koni Adjustable dampers/Yellow Bilstiens 100euros SH delivered from Ebay.de
Budget: Nova GTE Gas Rear dampers all round (but I would go for the Billys or Konis...)

Quickrack 2.5 turns lock to lock, £75 new from TJM (Massive difference)

Turn the top ball joints round for more Neg Camber

Sikaflex the Voids in the Torque tube bush

Thats the Chassis pretty much sorted

If you want to go further then Poly bushes are about £250 for a full set and Turrets in the rear make a big difference too

So before we touch the engine you have a Superb handling and looking RWD car for about £400 or less over purchase price
My Chassis has cost me even less than that with some careful shopping

Engine work, would be Head porting and Cam mainly, with a decent exhaust and Filter on the stromberg for starters

as for Gearbox..... ford Type 9 would be strong enough, or maybe cheap Mazda MX5 would make a sweet 5 speed conversion

You then have a great handling car with decent enough power to weight ratio and 5 speed to make it nicer on the motorway/give it a bit more top end

The majority of those mods would be Ideal for a "First car" and all the insurance headaches too.... most of them would be very hard to spot

Get it done, you wont stop smiling......... I havent and I use mine pretty much every day including M-ways which isnt fun with a 4 speed box and tiny wheels
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*n
 
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