Morris Minor Owners Club

right.

I think I have found my mojo for my car again but I am thinking of a bike engine conversion.

something like a blackbird or hyabusa engine. I think a lightened moggy should be able to just about get down to 650kg and with 230 to 250 bhp with a turbo or supercharger should fly.

Has anybody any experience of this sort of thing? I certainly haven't, but then I hadn't any experience of supercharging an a series one year ago and have now done about 3000 miles with it done with minimal problems.

Any advice welcome. My feelings are that it cant be too dificult, surely.

my thoughts are using caterham/westfield type bits and a donor bike it must be fairly straighforward, and forced induction of bikes is now very popular.

thoughts gentleman please.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 0244240153

well not bike engined but something different

james

ha ha I think.

seriously though what do you think, am I mad.

Oh by the way the budget would be low as per my last silly idea.

No not mad, believe you me they fly even when they weigh 1000kg

I'd look at the z car? mini's probably closest in conversion bike wise

Im still hooked on V8's..........going to twin turbo mine soon

James

The problem is the weight - works well on Minis - some even fit TWO bike engines. But they are much lighter cars than Minors!

Agree with BM, the motors are bullet proof, but the transmission cannot cope long term with the weight of a car over 500 kilos. Even the 2L V8 bike derived motor eats gearboxes, remember they are only designed to power the bikes weight plus a rider.
If you based your project on an established chassis (Caterham) and dressed this in a glassfiber or carbon body then I'd say go for it, but even then you would be limited to the right weather conditions.
When we were testing at Bruntingthorpe the Z cars were awsome in the dry, but refused to go out in the rain, as they were too powerful,too light and just wanted to swap ends, our good ol moggy was even lapping the supposed quick kit cars.

You should put up a Youtube of these tests J !!

Nah ! you would all want one if we did, can't have that, now can we ?

Bike engined cars are very cool and sound awesome!

Realistically the weight of a minor shouldn't be a problem Our cars all weigh around 600 - 750 kg's, we now use Busa's in almost all of our cars apart from the SR8 which has the mighty Powertec RPA V8 a 2.8l 450 bhp V8 revving to 10500 rpm!

http://www.powertecengineering.com/

It all depends on how deep your pockets are? a budget build may not be easy with the popularity of bikes and bike engines at the mo - but definately worth doing

benmagoo wrote: It all depends on how deep your pockets are? a budget build may not be easy with the popularity of bikes and bike engines at the mo - but definately worth doing

I was going to say the same thing - high powered bike engines aren't a cheap way of getting power.
From personal experience as a motorcyclist of 35 years the can be very expensive to repair if anything goes wrong and can have short lives compared to car units
That means if you are offered an engine at a "too good to be true" price it'd either be stolen or knackered.
Make sure you hear any potential purchase running as buying one untested might be a money pit. If from a decent breaker you will have chance of getting a refund or another engine but if from private buyer then be careful. However if from breaker be prepared to pay top price due to demand from motorcyclists (due to short life etc) as well as people wanting to put them in cars.
In fact you might be best buying a complete bike in good running order (maybe cosmetic write off ?) and recouping some of the purchase price by selling surplus parts.
This gives you an idea of what sort of money to expet to pay -
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Honda-CBR-1100-Bl ... .m14.l1318
Remember if missing parts then you will have to pay a fortune for them individually. Especially avoid engines with side covers missing as that could indicate a slide down the road and possible internal damage to crank and other parts.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Honda-CBR1100-Bla ... .m14.l1318

Paul Humphries