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Just thinking aloud.

spunky - 23/4/04 at 08:20 AM

Something I picked up on the Yahoo forum.
Have any of you heard about, or looked at using a Subaru engine in a Locost chassis.
Having never spent any time with one I know nothing of the layout other than it's a flat four.
An MK Indy/Subaru 4x4... now that would be something...

John

stephen_gusterson - 23/4/04 at 08:37 AM

I have seen under the bonnet of my mates new impretza.

You gotta be joking! Its really really wide, ad looks little like a conventional engine - more like summat out of the back of a beetle or a washing machine!

A locost is kinda V shaped in the engine compartment, having the narrowest part at the base of the compartment - right where your big wide cylinders need to go.

Rear engined would be different, but it looks to me like a no-brainer NO for front mounting!

atb

steve

spunky - 23/4/04 at 09:05 AM

Hmmmmmmmm.......four wheel drive mid engine roadster, 275bhp, 550Kg....
I think too much!

Nothing is impossible, it's just a matter of time and money. Neither of which I have much of

John

timf - 23/4/04 at 09:35 AM

have a look at http://www.ricola.co.uk/scoobyinstall.htm

for scooby powered chessil speedster

stephen_gusterson - 23/4/04 at 11:21 AM

It always gets me that statement - nothing is impossible.

Its seen on all the cheesiest american movies.

It usually means that someone is trying to acheive the unacheivable, but doesnt want to accept it, or has just miserably failed

thats a 4 ft wide engine, going into a 2ft wide locost bonnet then

std WRX are 'only' 225hp at the moment - unless its the top model.

my mates seems VERY sensitie to what fuel he uses - i think it has to be top grade shell. He says anything else causes the engine to re-adjust its timing to use the lower grade fuel and you lose big hopsepower.....

as an american friend of mine said, why bother - just put a bigger cu inch lump in rather than a 2 litre with all that friggin

quote:
Originally posted by spunky
Hmmmmmmmm.......four wheel drive mid engine roadster, 275bhp, 550Kg....
I think too much!

Nothing is impossible, it's just a matter of time and money. Neither of which I have much of
John

[Edited on 23/4/04 by stephen_gusterson]

spunky - 23/4/04 at 12:43 PM

My word stephen, you do give up easily....

I suggest your mate refrains from filling up with cheap fuel then.

I agree, there aint no substitute for cubes.....except technology.....600cc motorcyces now produce 150bhp from a standard, reliable, economical production engine. Thats 36cu!

John

stephen_gusterson - 23/4/04 at 01:01 PM

quote:
Originally posted by spunky
My word stephen, you do give up easily....

I suggest your mate refrains from filling up with cheap fuel then.

I agree, there aint no substitute for cubes.....except technology.....600cc motorcyces now produce 150bhp from a standard, reliable, economical production engine. Thats 36cu!

John

give up - nope - if I did that I wouldnt still be building my deviant monster.

Fuel - he is picky where he buys it, and I think its just a bit silly that a road car needs to be that sensitive.

Motorcycle engines are not big on torque. 5 litre plus engines are!

[Edited on 23/4/04 by stephen_gusterson]

spunky - 23/4/04 at 01:07 PM

"Motorcycle engines are not big on torque. 5 litre plus engines are!"

Fair point.

John

Spyderman - 24/4/04 at 07:52 PM

quote:
Originally posted by stephen_gusterson

Motorcycle engines are not big on torque. 5 litre plus engines are!

But then again how much torque do you need in a car that weighs only 500kgs?

NS Dev - 25/4/04 at 09:29 AM

As usual (you'll get sick of me talking about this) but you only have to look to the world of grasstrack racing to see the possibilities!!

You wouldn't want to fit the subaru engine in the front of a locost for the reasons already outlined.

In the middle though is a different question! There are a few folk using the Subaru engine in grasstrack racing. It makes for a nice mid engined layout when used with a nice transaxle (but these aren't cheap, although you can get away with a VW Transporter transaxle)

There is a SERIOUSLY quick Rover Metro 'shelled grasser fitted with a Subaru engine in the back with the turbo removed and replaced with a belt driven supercharger....much more like it (I hate turbos!!)

Just to point out though, that despite it's good reputation, the Subaru engine in not as sturdy as some would have you believe. The bottom end is prone to failure in even moderately boosted up road cars. (I have seen 5 blown subaru engines at my former local breakers, all with main/big end failures)

Noodle - 25/4/04 at 10:35 AM

I'm curious as to why the GrassTrackers aren't using the FWD Impreza gearbox. That's a transaxle arrangment.

Cheers,

Neil.

Humanoid - 25/5/04 at 11:05 AM

quote:
Originally posted by stephen_gusterson
Its really really wide /../../
A locost is kinda V shaped in the engine compartment, having the narrowest part at the base of the compartment - steve

Well yes of course, its a boxer four. (all cylinders horizontal) makes a very wide motor indeed.

theconrodkid - 25/5/04 at 11:19 AM

humanoid,you been eating curry?

Humanoid - 25/5/04 at 11:57 AM

I don't know what you mean
Thinking about my gas-mask?

quote:
Originally posted by theconrodkid
humanoid,you been eating curry?

theconrodkid - 25/5/04 at 12:38 PM

ady8077 - 25/5/04 at 04:33 PM

Hi Neil

Do subaru make FWD cars?

Adrian

Noodle - 25/5/04 at 06:53 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ady8077
Hi Neil

Do subaru make FWD cars?

Adrian

They used to do a FWD Impreza in the UK. Most of the old 1800 GLF-things had a base-model FWD version.

They only stopped importing the FWD versions because their unique-selling-point in the UK was 4WD. Or something.

Cheers,

Neil.

ady8077 - 25/5/04 at 07:33 PM

Thanks Neil

Nice to know as my next projects going to be a midi

By the way there was talk of using a subaru engine on the Sevens list, the earlier engines a narrower, and will fit in an SV.

Adrian

strugrat - 26/5/04 at 02:48 PM

OK chaps I have a nice challenge for someone.

I have in my garage the engine and everything else needed from a Nissan Skyline GTR R32.

2.6l Straight Six Twin Turbo
(Nissan quote 280bhp as standard but standard ones have been on the dyno at 320+)

Now that would be a challenge!!

Its quite heavy so not sure how the car will handle but it would be funny (esp if you can fit the clever 4wd stuff too!!) and the tuning potential is massive (450bhp easily with ones in japan running 1280bhp) Not quite locost though.

Anyone up for the challenge?

James - 26/5/04 at 03:45 PM

How much you want for the engine!

James

JoelP - 26/5/04 at 05:31 PM

someone else, possibly a cousin (other side of the pond sort of cousin!) was on about that engine once. Worth the effort IMHO, t'would be blinding.

for sale?!

strugrat - 27/5/04 at 08:13 AM

Yeah it was for sale but I have now recieved a deposit on it from a guy who is going to put it in a S13 Nissan 200sx. He will be picking it up in June.

I spoke to Luego about it and it will go in a Viento chassis no problem. And I did toy with the idea for a while but I need the cash from this to fund the kit anyway so its catch 22 for me.

Also probably not the best engine choice for a first time builder!!!!!!

2750 I sold it for with no 4wd stuff inc turbos starter etc etc and an aftermarket ECU.

Sold to the first guy to beat that offer!!!!!

strugrat - 27/5/04 at 08:14 AM

Oh and your right it would be completly barmy!!!!!!!

In 1480Kg of skyline it was manic so I cant even imagine what it would be like it three quarters of a ton of kit car!!!