So, Why Wouldn't This Idea Work?

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

As you all know by now, I have been dedicating my enormous amount of spare time when I can't sleep to the idea of putting a sport bike engine in a tiny car of some sort. There are two real issues I can't solve though, Reverse, and how to use a clutch. I figure a transverse mounting of the engine is probably best for oil control as this is how it was put in the bike. Now, here is my idea: Use the transmission of the bike essentially as a jack shaft and use the bike transmission's output to drive a shaft that would drive a front wheel drive car's manual transmission input shaft. This way, the clutch is still acting to disengage the drivetrain when shifting the car transmission, and all you have to do is lock down the bike transmission in one ratio that works to make the best compound ratios for the vehicle and engine ( probably a 1:1). This gives you reverse, and 5 forward gears. The bike transmission does not have a final drive ratio from what I have seen as that is done with the sprocket ratios on a bike, which no longer come into play in a car. Also, FWD transmissions can be had with an input on the drivers or passengers side of the car, and even an LSD, depending on their original application. Alternately, you could use BOTH transmissions for a ridiculous 25-30 forward ratios, but I think that would be silly.

Anyhow, since it will be transverse, it would be able to go into a front drive or mid engine rear drive car fairly easily. A custom driveshaft to go from the bike trans to the car trans would be needed, but that would not be too hard to have made. You would also want to fabricate some sort of mount between the bike engine and the transmission to keep the alignment right, and some sort of bearing would be needed on the car transmission's side of things to keep the input shaft from wobbling as there would be no pilot bearing. So, honest opinion, will it work, and if not, why not? I am open to honest criticism as I am having fun with this little mental jigsaw puzzle right now.

 

[crappycutlass]

OFF TOPIC...

i like this idea..

 

[phaZe]

It's probably been attempted. You have to remember that there are several people that probably have thought up what someone has and already attempted to use it and it failed. The only way to find a new, break through type engine or drivetrain or car, is to find a way to improve on what people have failed to build.

 

[foxtrot]

DEI is already deployed, Its called EGR...

 

[2000.malibu.ls]

well since you are considering a snow mobile engine, why not see if you can put it on a atv transmission with reverse? i know 500cc predator engines will go over 100 mph without serious modifications, so they will be able to take the strain to a certain point. Why not find a quad motor? baja "rhino" things can be turboed and juiced to get over 100 with full doors, roll cages, windows, and even on some a/c, on sand! Im sure your little german car would probably end up weighing less than that. If the quad motor isnt what your looking for, maybe do some research on "rhino" transmission's. I dont know if they are axle or chain driven. i would assume they would solve your clutch and reverse problems if they would work.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

My big issue with the transmission in a snowmobile or ATV is that they tend to be CVT's, and I don't think the CVT belt would survive tripling the weight. Plus, you need a differential, and a snowmobile does not use one.

 

[crappycutlass]

alright... i had a random thought that came to me..

what about using a fiero for your conversion?... i know this didnt help the issues posted in this thread...reverse and such... but yea.. its light, small and rwd.. and has the bonus of MR layout... and can be had for next to nothing.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

A Fiero is too heavy. Ideally, the car has to weigh under 1400 lbs, way under for this to work (Fiero's are around 2,000 lbs or more). I even considered a Yugo, but it weighs too much. Even the Trabant is 1344lbs, and I have been trying to figure out where I could take out 150lbs or so to get it down to around 1300lbs fully built. Plus, this is mostly theoretical rambling out of excruciating boredom anyhow. I was trying to find a way to combine one of the world's most unrelentingly vile pieces of sh*t with the amazing technology in a bike engine. In the unlikely event that I ever score a Trabant from Germany, Bulgaria or Hungary, I will probably try to get 2 or three and ship them in a container. One will run as the Commies intended with the stock smoky 2 stroke and 4 wheel drum brakes, one will get a b*st*rd swap of some sort, and one will either be a parts car or a creative way for me to explore the innermost and darkest reaches of my automotive psyche.(Spelling?) Something like a dual stage hybrid, series hybrid, or solar power in a shell that will screw with people. Or, 2 bike engines and AWD. All this taking place is less likely than me being placed in a psych ward for awkward thinking. Anyhow, I am off to write the nastiest personals ad Myspace has ever seen.

 

[BrownGP83]

My big issue with the transmission in a snowmobile or ATV is that they tend to be CVT's, and I don't think the CVT belt would survive tripling the weight. Plus, you need a differential, and a snowmobile does not use one.

The CVT setup can handle more than you might think. Look at the Arctic Cat Prowler 1000 UTV. It has a 951cc liquid cooled v-twin, CVT with hi/low and reverse, and can run 50-55 comfortably, much faster if you want to[ i know this first hand, plus i have a Thundercat, same engine, just in a regular ATV]. The Prowler has a dry weight of 1243 pounds. Add all you fluids and such and it tips in well past your target weight of 1300 pounds. It also has a shaft drive to the differental. I have no idea how one would make it work, but its some thing else to think about.

 

[joe_padavano]

A Fiero is too heavy.

Catherman Seven