Any info gratefully received.

Dimensions, power rating etc.

Engine not in my possession yet, so don't ask me what age.

I'll give you more info as and when I get it myself.

Cheers.

Richard.

Ok, I want one from the early to mid 80's (somewhere around, B, C reg preferably {unless something newer comes along for virtually nothing})

Anyway, that age of 2.5 is gonna be 171bhp I managed to find out..

Still want dimensions though.

Anyone?

quote:

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Ok, I want one from the early to mid 80's (somewhere around, B, C reg preferably {unless something newer comes along for virtually nothing})

Anyway, that age of 2.5 is gonna be 171bhp I managed to find out..

Still want dimensions though.

Anyone?

---

Hi Steve.

I know it'll be longer and I know if the engine goes tits up (if I manage to find one the right price) it'll be expensive.

But what the hell, what's a challenge if it's not challenging?

I've got my chassis guru all set to help redesign the front to take the bigger engine.

I can't help being tempted by a sweet sounding 171bhp monster.

I'm a bit piddled off with people saying what I should and shouldn't use. Who's to say what's right in a scratch built car?

Cheese.

Rich.

Hi Hippy,

Nice to see someone else converted to the idea of using an engine with a decent number of cylinders .

You'd be well advised to widen up the front of the tunnel to get that engine as far back as possible, rather than just make more room in the front. Not just for weight distribution, but it will probably be high all the way along too, and a power bulge extending forward well into the nosecone may look a bit odd.

My engine/bellhousing split is just about where the footwell would end on a standard chassis (my footwell ends a few inches further back than that), but that was cos I want to fit in inboard coilovers as well as the front axle. My footwell is still wider than a Dax Rush's and pedal space is OK, but luckily I've got short legs and size 8 feet.

Dont think I've heard of another straight 6 Locost - a friend of mine considered using the running gear from his dad's old Carlton GSi3000 (just over 200 bhp and lbft), but got a bird/shit job/mortgage instead. Should sound and go very special.

Oh, don't know poo about beemers though - sorry. Looked under a few in scrappy's mind, and the rear diffs and gearboxes all look pretty smart. Made of alloy anyway. With all that german build quality, maybe scrappy items would not be so risky? - maybe another option to finding a running car for sale? Dunno bout a scrappy engine though.

Well good luck anyway.

Liam

Howdy ho Liam.

Well, you're my new best friend. Sod all these people that moan about anything non Ford...

As far as the height goes, it's going to be designed in to be as subtle as possible if there's still a powerbulge.

Good idea about the wide trans tunnel. I'll pass that on to my design team..

Ok, before I go on I'd just like to say that any ranting about people saying what I can and can't do was not in any way aimed at Steve Gusterwhatsit. Unfortunate coincedence I chose to air my rant after a reply by him.

Anyway, all info taken in and considered.

As it turns out, I may have a donor. BMW 525i which does in fact have a 2.7 litre engine. A reg. Gotta find the bhp of that bugger.... Could be a real beast...

Cheers.

Rich.

If you can find room for a straight 6 DOHC, have you considered the Jaguar AJ6 24 valve all-alloy engine? The 3.6 can be had with manual (Getrag) gearbox and comes with 225bhp as standard, in a Locost installation i.e.no intake silencing and less exhaust restriction, more like 250bhp. The rest of the Jaguar runing gear is too heavy for Locost use, but the engine might be worth a go.
John

I'm not sure. We've got the BMW lined up as a new complete donor and it's in our price range.

The power of the 2.7 should be plentiful I'd have thought. Nice idea though.

Maybe one day I'll build another and lever in an enormous engine.

Forget that last post of mine.

From all the research I've done the 2.7 is a tragically underpowered lump of lard.

Anyone got a proper 525i?

I would have thought that the 3 series sporty image cars were more likely to provide the required manual gearbox than 5 series which are intended as medium sized luxury saloons and therefore far more likely to have auto.
John
ps more likely to be a bit pricey too, perhaps a salvage car might be a good bet

True enough.

Anything considered if it's the right price.

I have had a few 735s and a 318i around C and D

Here are a couple of sites that may have info

7 series http://www.breszland.com/bmw-7er/#Photos
3 series http://www.bmwe30.net/tech.html

Use a 735, 218bhp...I think the 3.5 was basically the same outside dimensions too the 2.5 and very, very cheap (£100 will get a full car, there are some manual too)

The engine is very tall, and wide. The injection is on the side. I think it was around 30in tall. The sump was low down and the rocker nearly touch the bonnet when closed.

Damn fine cars though.

I've heard that about the size of the 3.5 engine.

It's being considered...

Just gotta find one and persuade my mate it's a good idea us using an engine that big.... hehehehe

Rich.

By the way...

How would a 3.5 auto fare in a Locost?

It would be pretty awesome...it was impresive in a 2 ton tank. The sports auto was a 4 speed and using it manually it would move fairly rapidly, you could time it right so it changed up right on the red line. A lot of the autos had LSD's.

In sports mode on standard Drive option the ECU changed the revs that the gear change occurs (from around 3000) to almost the yellow line (around 6250) I think hte red line was around 6500-6750 ish).

In that case somebody find me a beast...

Just been offered an old M5 at bargain price...

Do I become really daring?

That reminds me, I gotta update that picture.

As much as I love my Me109, I need colour...

Holy horsepower batman!!

That a V8 or were the old M5s straight 6?

Sounds wickid though - go for it. How much is it? How dodgy is it?

Liam

straight 6.