<VV> Motorcycle transplants?

[Bill Elliott]

You guys are only 50 years too late! Berkeley used this idea in 1956 using a 322cc motorcycle engine to propel a 650lb monoque fiberglass car. Even 
retained the chain drive (making modern swaps all the easier). Even with 17 hp the car would do 60mph. These were upgraded to 328cc, then 492cc (both 
British Excelsior engines)  and finally to 4 stroke Royal Enfield 750cc 50hp engines that propelled the car past 100mph. Keep the weight low and you don't 
need much power. I had planned 3 times to add a GT550 engine to a 328cc car that would exceed the performance of the Enfield cars...
http://fnader.com/images/Berkeley_T60/Berk%20engine%20Corvair%20picnic.jpg

My 3 wheeler Berk weighs even less!  
http://fnader.com/images/Berkeley_T60/berkeley004.jpg

Two Brits have done radical R1 conversions of a Bond Bug (already suicidal in stock form) and a Mini....
http://www.3wheelers.com/archives/archive2/body_gal149.html
Can't put my hands on a pic of the Mini at the moment.

Trouble is, a car the weight of a Corvair needs MORE cubic inches, not fewer...
Bill


Bill



On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 16:14:56 -0700, Tony Underwood wrote:

>At 11:02 hours 08/16/2005, Ken Campbell wrote:
>
>>From: "Padgett" <pp2 at 6007.us>
>>Subject: <VV> Mo' MPG
>>
>>
>> >
>> > >What can you do for $5,000.00????  What does License, Insurance and
>> > >Maintenancve cost you?  PLUS, try to buy something that gets 40mpg all
>>the
>> > >time with
>> > >that money!!!
>>
>> > A motorcycle.
>>
>> > Padgett
>>***************
>>No Kidding .... everyone otta attend a local scca race event and watch ...
>>for instance ... a * RADICAL * ( my favorite ) sports racer ( kinda like a
>>corvair (g)) ....   these are usually a 1 or 1.1 liter bike engined chassis,
>>usually sidewinder for efficiency and modularity ....
>
>
>
>I've kicked ideas around about constructing this sort of thing for a 
>long time...  not real sure how I'd get it titled or 
>registered.    Also not sure what to do about a differential but I'd 
>think of something, more than likely.
>
>At one time I had access to a motorcycle "junkyard" that had a large 
>number of wrecked Jap bikes on hand, everything you could 
>imagine.   Prices went from dirt cheap for mundane stuff like CB-350 
>Hondas to outrageous for the 1+ ltr superbikes.   I'd considered a 
>1100 Suzuki driveline in something low and flat like a Europa...  but 
>with a more Italian-shaped body.    I'd have to ponder a bit on just 
>what to cobble up...
>