Hi

I am building a locost in US and I have a GSXR1000 engine to put in it.

Has anyone else done this and if so have they had to dry-sump the car?

I only plan to use the car on the road not the track as I am a wimp.

TIA,

Mark

Hi,

AFAIK - I don't think you will have to dry sump it. If it's for road use only you can probably get away with simply modifying the sump to add some baffles.

I don't know how much research you have already put into the project, but I hear there are some issues with LHD steering racks. Namely, the engine is squat in the way! You can get around this by sourcing an RHD rack and uprights from a UK spec MGB or other UK car and running the steering shaft up the right side and across to the left hand side behind the engine. U-Joints! Otherwise make it an RHD car.

You also need to take a close look at US Dwarf Cars. These front engine, rear drive racecars use 1100 air and watercooled bike engines and have LHD steering. I'd like to take one of those little cars, re-body it to look like a 7, and make it street legal.

Good luck.

Steve Graber

Mark:

I'm currently building inventory to start on a Blackbird powered 7 clone. The engine is here, and I’m about to order a frame.

Two weeks ago, I visited Super7cars on Vancouver Island, and checked out the authentic Caterham - Hayabusa powered LHD cars that they build. See www.super7cars.com

They do an excellent job, and offset the engine to the right, with a primary chain drive to a double driveshaft with a steady bearing driving the diff. The engine is mounted as far to the right as possible, parallel with the frame. Considering the price Caterham wants for their kits, Super7cars is extremely fair with their pricing for turn-key cars, but still way out of the price range I can justify to the boss.

I personally don't believe that a bike engine directly coupled to a drive shaft is a good solution for a LHD car, due to the unbalanced suspension loads which would result in such a light car. And ignoring the steering shaft problem!(Authentic Sevens go around a track faster when they have two on-board, and are balanced). In my opinion, either offset the engine, or build the car RHD.

Personally, I will likely be designing a transverse engine installation myself. I believe that I will save close to 100 lbs on the car by using a belt drive to the rear axle (like a Harley), and will be able to offset the engine to the right to largely offset my mass. Being a mechanical engineer, and owning a company that designs and builds large machines, I have access to information and industrial components that others may not. And hopefully, my suppliers will “donate” some drive components at a very nominal cost for my toy project!

Keep us informed on how you make out.

Jim

Steve/ Jim

Thanks for the replies - much appreciated.

I will almost certainly go baffled / overfilled sump and I will speak to my supplier about engine offset - I looked at one of their car and the steering is very close to the engine. Sounds like belt drive and transverse / mid engine would be the way to go on one of these cars for many reasons. I would design one but I suck as an engineer!

Mark

[Edited on 4/10/03 by MarkClow]

Jim,

You MUST post drawings/photos/descriptions of your belt drive build.

This I need to see!

I am interested in Transverse Mid-Engine application of you idea.

Graber