Blade Power

[Guest Stuart Ainslie]

I have just been offered a complete Honda Fireblade engine complete with all the exhaust, loom etc from my bosses Westie for a really low price (He works in the US where there is no market for the bits!!) - he is going to the Hayabusa route. Has anybody fitted similar in a 2B?, is it a better prospect than the Vx 16V mod?

 

Ta,

 

Stuart

[Longboarder]

Perfect for maniac trackdays and tearing about on A roads but 5000rpm to move off from traffic lights, clanking from the gear changes, no torque and tend to have unforgiving clutches which all adds up to 20% fun and 80% pain in the ass. Look at the grin on BIg Jims avatar to see which is the most practical.

 

Nigel

 

B*m. He's changed his avatar for the umteenth time.

Am I a bit prejudiced against bike engines?

Edited April 10, 2003 by Longboarder

[Mat-Moo]

The only problem with the motorbike engines is that they require a light car/chassis. RH's with the sierra running gear are too big and haevy IMO for one of these engine.

[Guest Angel Boy]

I would tend to agree with Mat on this. As mush as I would love to drop a motorbike engine into my 2B, but the thing is just too heavy I love the idea of having an engine that will rev to 12000rpm with a six speed syncro box. I think I could live with it

If you look at the chasis's which have been designed to fit a blade or alternative, they are very lightweight often made of aluminium and the complete car is coming in around the 500kilo mark. Compare that to the bike it originated from (about 170kilos) then look at a hood @ 700-ish kilos.

It isn't impossible and good luck to you if you do decide to do it. I would be very interested to see the results.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

Andy

[Guest Stuart Ainslie]

It was the weight idea that appealed to me with fitting a bike engine due to the lower weight - I wouldn't like to hazard a guess at the weight of a pinto with a type 9 box and ancilliaries, (250Kg + ??), I believe the complete Blade package runs at about 80Kg.

The Blade engine is producing 127BHP against whatever I could squeeze out of a Vx 16v lump, but the complete Blade kit is only going to cost me £750 complete - I would estimate the Vx mod to come in at least £1000+.

My car is only being built as a sunny Sunday day, none of the luxuries that I have seen built into some 2B's so therefore, the full-on fun factor appeals with the bike engine......

 

I'll let you all know....

 

Stuart

[Guest alan rowe]

Why not consider the route that has been put into my Hood -- a V8 !!! - easy driving - lightweight - stacks of power and sounds brilliant

 

Alan

[Guest Stuart Ainslie]

Alan,

 

I have considered it...

A friend is a drag racer (Super Gas) and also owns a TVR Chimaera, so he has done his bit of pushing. Have been offered a 357ci small block that has been modded (300+BHP) from his workshop - interesting thought...

Its the high RPM's of the bike engine that appeals........

 

Stuart

 

PS. The car below is knocking about 850BHP!! - fun in a 2b??

[Longboarder]

Heard a story yesterday of a 70 year old in Tavistock, Devon who built a bike engined Westfield about a year ago. Apparently he is still alive.

Go for it Gramps.

 

Nigel

[Guest Mr Pid]

I reckon the V8 opion is your best best. Or go the turbo route, they will give the best power to weight ratio which is the most important factor.

 

I had the choice of both when i started and went the turbo route.

 

I built my 2B because i was told i would kill myself on a bike, so i thought i'd build something almost as quick as a bike. I'll probably kill myself in this to, i nearly managed it in my old GTO, so if i stop posting you'll know why.

 

Check out the mega busa and mega blade on the westies site, interesting stuff!

 

As matt stated the chassis is prob a bit too heavy for the bike engine but it is very solid and strong and capable of dealing with heavier and much more powerful engines, which is also one of the reasons why i chose the RHE kit!

 

I wonder if anyone has done anything bigger than a V8 in a little kit car?

[Guest Stuart Ainslie]

I am sure many moons ago that RH showed a 7-style car with a Jag 5.3 V12 shoehorned in - I saw it at one of the national car shows, Brum if I remember correctly........

 

Stuart

[Guest alan rowe]

Stuart - as you live Essex/Birmingham you drive right past my village on the A14 - stop by one day and take a look and especially a listen - you'll definitely go V8

 

Alan

[Guest Stuart Ainslie]

Alan,

 

I live in Essex and work in Brum.......

Where are you based? - I may take you up on your offer.....

 

Stuart

[Guest Stuart Ainslie]

Chaps,

 

Just an update....

 

After getting a moderate flaming on the bike-engined-cars forum for owning a 2b, I think I will either go for the Vx 16v or Rover V8 route....

 

Has anyone got a full list of the parts and expenses incurred in the Vx 16v conversion?

 

Cheers,

 

Stuart

[Jon Bradbury]

Take a look on the NorthWest Hoodies site (links off the main RHoCar page). Jim's put all the details of his (finished) Vx conversion there).

[Big Jim]

You've got to remember that I don't have one of those nagging things that think they have full control over your money, and time was of the essance, I didn't want it off the road for any length of time, so I bought a LOT of new stuff. I reckon that if you looked hard and didn't go for new parts, you could do it for less than £800.

I've just bought another engine (just in case the right foot gets too heavy!) for £250

a new bell hsg is about £140, you see then 2nd hand for £70

inlet manifold, £95 new, 2nd hand, £45

Twin 45's, new £200 each, 2nd hand from £150 pair.

Ignition, use early 8v astra, £20 from scrappy, (I daresn't tell you the price of the new MBE unit I fitted!)

Sump, either £160 for a tin one, or £215 for an ally one, or modify a Manta one, for £40

And that's about it, plus odds and ends. and you've got 180 BHP

 

All these prices I have seen on the various "for sale" sites since doing my change, they add up to £625 put £100 for odds & ends and you've still got a cheap conversion with megga smiles / mile!

Afterwards you can upgrade the engine with cams , followers etc up well above 230 BHP

 

NOTE: You do need to work out what to do about pedals, in the 2B you can keep the Sierra pedal assembly without the servo, in earlier cars, it's just not that simple!