Fullas,

What's the lightest engine and rwd gearbox option?

I've seen the Suzuki Swift GT 100bhp motor and Suzuki Samurai 5-speed quoted at 186lbs (85kgs) + manifolds (about half the weight of a Pinto and Type 9 ).

Anything lighter? With better power to weight potential? ...and cheap?

No laughing........

Reliant Robin, perfect locost set up, front engine rwd, very tunable too.

They use those engines in racing cars don't they? As you say very tunable. Could you live with having to tell people that it's a reliant Robin engine under the bonnet when they ask?

Jon

Our 750 car was l lapping Mallory in about 58/59secs (Brain fade it was about ten years ago). What lap times do you get with BEC. 750's are qiucker than you think.

Carl

Reliant 850cc engine is about 37kg IIRC. The gearbox is about 15 or so.

It makes a whole 39 BHP in standard tune but replacing the fan with an electric one takes that to 41 or 42 at the top end. Should be good for a top speed of 70 - 75 in a seven.

A bit of cam work and some porting and the power output will rival that of a 1 litre car engine - you might even see 90 MPH

Piaggio's 50cc scooter engine and CVT come in at 25kg all in. Push the boat out and their 460cc engine and CVT = 48kg. That boasts 39 BHP at the flywheel and so may be a better option than the reliant.

don't know how light it would be, but the guys on American Chopper manage to put them in on their own - How about a big bore Harley esque V-Twin from revtech or similar?? Sound great and can get up to 200bhp with a magna charger. Can even get reverse gearboxes from the electraglide.

Just something to throw in there.........

Ok a little off the wall and certainly not cheap but how about a Rover K series (80kg, 240BHP)) and an Elite 5 speed sequential transaxle!

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Originally posted by carlgeldard
Jon

Our 750 car was l lapping Mallory in about 58/59secs (Brain fade it was about ten years ago). What lap times do you get with BEC. 750's are qiucker than you think.

Carl

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Could live with telling people it was a Reliant engine after showing them a good look at the rear end. Drove one of the first 850cc Robins years ago and left a mini cooper behind on the straights

lawn mower engine?

you are looking for lightest but don't say what power output you like to see.

some possiblities;
1. some modern 3 cylinder cars, fiat/deawo may have alloy engines, not rwd tho'
2. vw air cooler or some other air coled ones? (not sure if they are alloy)
3. coventry climax
4. hillman imp were alloy and rwd.

The smart has a very compact all alloy engine and gearbox. 600 or 700cc turbo. 44 - 101 BHP outputs. 6 speed semi auto transmission, mid engined. Such a small, all alloy engine cannot weigh much.

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Originally posted by bimbleuk
Rover K series (80kg, 240BHP))

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Don't suppose you get too many Reliant Robins in NZ?

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3. coventry climax

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Fiat FIRE engine ?

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Originally posted by DaveFJ
Fiat FIRE engine ?

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The FIRE engine is actually a pretty good engine.. with a little maintenance as good as bullet-proof.. they come in 999cc, 1108cc and 1242cc. There are 8 and 16 valve heads, monopoint and multipoint injection versions.. stock power from 45 to around 80 Hp. The engines weigh next to nothing and parts are very cheap too.. plus, there's a growing aftermarket selection for them, too.. everything from better headers to complete turbokits are available....

Only problem really, is mating it to a RWD gearbox...

If you're interested in this engine, take a looky at the diferent Fiat forums all over the internet.. oh, and drop by the Dutch Fiat Panda Club's forum as well. (www.fiatpandaclub.nl) We like it when other people use "our" engine..

Anyways, as far as power is concerned, the 999cc Fiat Panda engine is easily tuned to nearly 100 Hp when using carbs..

http://members.home.nl/mijnpanda/panda%20optrekken.wmv

Ok, so that video may not seem all that impressive... but remember the stock 0-100km/h time is 16.2 seconds. Now the Panda does it in around 8 seconds. That's quite the improvement, no?

Pandamonium Racing used to have a Punto engine in their racing car.. and so does the German team of Thiel Tuning

http://www.teampandamonium.com/
http://www.thiel-tuning.de/

Oh, and Novitec makes a lot of goodies for these engines..
http://novitec.net/



[Edited on 11/1/06 by akumabito]

Coventry Climax as in Hillman imp, Singer Chamois etc........also was it not fitted in rear wheel drive config in the Chrysler Horizon or Sunbeam?

The original Lotus Elite used a 1200cc I think Coventry Climax engine .

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Originally posted by smart51

quote:

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Originally posted by bimbleuk
Rover K series (80kg, 240BHP))

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Rover quoted 101kg for the 1.1 and 1.4 k series engines and 100kg for the 1.6 and 1.8.

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quote:

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Originally posted by rusty nuts
The original Lotus Elite used a 1200cc I think Coventry Climax engine .

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Maybe slightly heavier, but makes up for it in power:

The Alfa Romeo 164 2.0 liter Twin Spark engines are all alloy.. 150 Hp stock..

i'm not sure about the weight though..

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Originally posted by akumabitoOnly problem really, is mating it to a RWD gearbox...

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quote:

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Originally posted by carlgeldard
Jon

Our 750 car was l lapping Mallory in about 58/59secs (Brain fade it was about ten years ago). What lap times do you get with BEC. 750's are qiucker than you think.

Carl

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100bhp - 150bhp should be enough for me, although I'd be happy enough to start with the 70bhp of the Carry van.

Not much Euro stuff down here - Jap cars dominant since early 80's.

On the bright side, still a few Escorts and Cortinas around - they were the biggest sellers in their day and we don't salt our roads

Another plus for the Suzuki, is that the lastest M-series Suzuki car engines have the same bolt pattern, so it could be possible to fit the 200bhp Ignis Super 1600 rally engine

... and there's always the Cappuccino
ENGINE
3 cylinder - DOHC -12 valves
Turbo-charged with intercooler
3 way catalytic converter
Piston displacement: 657 cc/40 cu in
Bore & stroke: 65x66mm/ 2.55x2.59 in
Compression ratio: 8.3:1
Fuel distribution: multi-point injection
Maximum output: 64 PS/63.1 bhp @ 6500 rpm
Maximum torque: 8.7 kgm/62.9 lb ft @ 4000 rpm

TRANSMISSION
5 forward gears and 1 reverse gear
All synchromesh
Gear ratios:
1st 3.478
2nd 2.021
3rd 1.352
4th 1.000
5th 0.790
Reverse 3.260

CHASSIS
Front suspension: double wishbone
Rear suspension: wishbone/multi-link
Rack and pinion steering
Ventilated front disc/ plain rear disc brakes

Would make a grand donor

[Edited on 12-1-06 by locost_bryan]

Smarts 3 cylinder turbo unit is ultra efficient and has own transaxle

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Originally posted by colintvr
Smarts 3 cylinder turbo unit is ultra efficient and has own transaxle

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