ogausden
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| posted on 8/7/15 at 12:47 PM |
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Newbie with questions....
Hi,
Have been thinking about a locost for a long time, but having hit my mid/late 30's and driving an auto every day, the locost idea is getting
ever more appealing.
I'm pretty much set on a Haynes Roadster (home built chassis but taken to a good welder to finish), and I've narrowed my engines down to 1
of 2.
I'm looking at either a bmw 330 or a saab 2/2.3 turbo.
2 questions : has anyone on here done either engine (bmw block looks to be a tight fit?).
Is there anyone on here that lives near Ashford (Kent). I don't necessarily want to go out in a haynes, but sitting in a standard one could be
useful to give an idea on if I need to widen it - I'm only 6ft tall, but have size 12 feet and I can't fit in a standard caterham!
Many thanks
Olly
[Edited on 8/7/15 by ogausden]
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snapper
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| posted on 8/7/15 at 02:02 PM |
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My first thought is that while it could be done (BMW 330) it's big and its heavy which rather misses the ponytail of a Haynes
Weight will also be mostly up front and will compromise handling
SAAB is smaller but has potential for lots of bhp
It is your car and you can fit what you like, you could increase the dimensions of the chassis like the McSorely dies with a +4 length and width and
even height but go to big and it starts to look weird
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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inkafone
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| posted on 8/7/15 at 02:46 PM |
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Big feet especially wide big feet (I'm size 13) are a problem plus a big engine with a big gearbox would make it even more of a pain. Either go
wide bodied, mid-engined or bike engined with a narrowed tunnel. Big engines also produce a lot of heat so big sweaty swollen feet..................
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adithorp
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| posted on 8/7/15 at 02:57 PM |
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Almost anything is possible... but the further you go from the well traveled path of Ford 4pot engine/box, the harder it will get. There's less
knowledge/experience to be shared around and drawn upon.
Why are you looking at those engines. Have you been under impressed by the performance of more standard engined 7's?
"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire
http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/
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DapperRob
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| posted on 8/7/15 at 03:24 PM |
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IIRC from my MIGweb days, the Saab engine shares a lot with the (GM...) Vauxhall C20XE / C20LET platform. The latter (turbo'd) is readily
tuneable to the far side of 200bhp.
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kj
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| posted on 8/7/15 at 05:15 PM |
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Ash put a Saab engine in his
Think about it, think about it again and then do it.
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ogausden
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| posted on 8/7/15 at 08:39 PM |
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Ok, to answer some of the questions.....
Why those engines : 2 fold answer.
1) I'm a proper petrol head - I had a Mk1 Golf GTi at 18 (and I still have it), I've had various quick cars, and still do. Current fleet
is 2 Saab 9-5 Aero estates, a 1.6 MK1 Golf GTi, a modified 1.8 Mk1 Golf GTi, a Toyota Prius (I know, I know, but it beats catching the train to London
& is considerably cheaper), and the pride of the fleet a 4.2 TVR Cerbera. So I'm used to some fairly punchy cars, but I want something more
raw than all of them, more rewarding, and something I have created/built.
2) The big BMW straight 6 (in 2.8 or 3.0 litre versions) is one of my favourite engines of all time. Very smooth, but with 200-230bhp its a proper
monster when you want it to be (and they sound glorious !). The Saab engine (probably a B235R from a 9-5 aero) I know fairly well having rebuilt 2
now, and they are again very very smooth, but with 250bhp in stock form (going to 300 very easily), they are massively under rated bits of kit, and
surprisingly civil off boost, and it doesn't get all out of hand when the boost does come in. A mechanic friend tried to convince me to use a
2.3 5-pot Volvo out a T5, and as much as a love the noise of a 5 pot (I owned a real Audi Quattro several years ago), something doesn't work for
me.
Reading somewhere (don't think it was on here), although both the BM & Saab lumps are fairly meaty, people were fitting heavier (thicker
walled) fuel tanks, more substantial diff's (not a bad idea considering the bhp/torque I'm looking at), and relocating batteries to the
rear to get a bit more weight behind the seats.
I want to stay front engine, rather than mid (I prefer my limits being met slower, than the snap that typically happens with mid engine), and as much
as I love the scream of a Jap sports bike, clutches are too small & fragile for my liking, and I'm a big fan of torque (although I have
ruled out doing a TDi) 
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hizzi
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| posted on 8/7/15 at 09:14 PM |
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i am building a mx5 based haynes at the moment using a flatpack kit from talon, have a look at my build thread, (hizzi) on the roadster builders
forum.
there is another build on there using a bmw at the moment..
phil kit comes all precut readyt o weld and to be honest is almost as cheap as buying the steel yourself
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Nickp
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| posted on 9/7/15 at 07:07 AM |
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I'm putting the alloy blocked M52B28 BMW straight 6 in my Haynes. It does fit and I've got it right back against the bulkhead, due to
it's nice short gearbox. This should give near as dammit 50/50 weight distribution, or so I've heard from previous M3 engined builds. Look
where the 4 pot engines usually sit in a 'Seven' with the whole bellhousing forward of the bulkhead.
As for size, I'm 6ft1 and have size12's too. I can squeeze (litterally!!) into a narrow Westfield and the Haynes feels like a Limo in
comparison!! 
Link to my build- http://locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=198679
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