crazy idea ?

[dcb]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

...Or, separate the bike engine from the rest of the drivetrain...

fwiw, that harley twin tech does have the transmission in the rear. Guy is in michigan, I sorta want to contact him and maybe see what it can do with hypermiling, it might even help move a few units if it works (though it is pricey).

[Arragonis]

Why not put the engine and box behind the seats anyway, that way you can lower the car to reduce the frontal area - as in F1 stylee.

It worked for Lotus and Cooper in the 1950s.

[dcb]

well, this thing is an aero mess. They say it has 50/50 weight distribution with the transmission in the rear. Nice to see a v twin getting even cooling between the cylinders

The pushrod suspension doesn't look like it is adding much either, not much mechanical advantage built in and lots more bits to wear out, but I haven't studied those things in much detail.

[cleanspeed1]

If you want the sweetest sounding engine, how about the Honda VFR with the 180 degree crank?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCFDh...eature=related

[larrybuck]

Wow! I'm loving the interest in this thread.
To Frank: I agree that my eng. doesn't sound that much like a V8, but it is more so than say my Kawa 250 Enduro. I was just looking for a tough sound to represent bodies of 50's-70's American Pony/Muscle cars.
I do realize the shaft shortcomings, but it could be modified to chain or belt.
I just wanted $ wise to make use of something I already own.
The eng. on my 1st S-Wing seems to sound much smoother than my 2nd replacement bike. I just don't like waste. Both of these bikes get 51-64mpg out on the trip travels. I agree smaller carbs would probably help.

To Arragonis: I think you are reading my mind! In addition to the body styles I've described above, I consider the sky is the limit!
I do have mid-eng. in mind for EVERTHING!!! Granted; it would rile a '55 Chevy purist to see my boot in the front, but the autocrossing would be great fun.

Bottom line: This is my idea on how to be an old car romantic fan while getting great mileage and handling!

A car freak could set up 1 (only one) chassis/drivetrain setup, and change only the bodies on/off it as he got bored.

A '69 Dodge Daytona one week, a 60's F1 look the next ( w tiny black barely there cycle fenders maybe even painted to look like tire tread so from so many feet back; almost invisible but legal.

I mentioned like a light weight foam body setup for quick on/off.

Picture like maybe pcv piping being used in rows of inner support for whatever body as bracing and attachment points. There would be instructions of what connections go where to back up any body style; like a giant lego set!

A guy could have one "car" w 20 foam bodies hanging from his garage ceiling waiting for his whim for the day.

The emphasis would be on simplicity, so any body exchange hopefully could be kept down to a couple of hrs. or so!

I've told you all, I have a good imagination, and I'm sharing my dreams with you.
Dreaming big about little cars!


To Cleanspeed: That Honda bike sounds pretty good! If anyone noticed the look of the sky in that U-tube; that pretty much describes what my summer looks like here so far! (lol!)

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by dcb

The pushrod suspension doesn't look like it is adding much either, not much mechanical advantage built in and lots more bits to wear out, but I haven't studied those things in much detail.

I marvel at this type of suspension added to even "track toys" like this one. The idea seems to be to lose unsprung weight so the suspension has less inertia and can react faster, but the owner usually fits some kind of mega-wide and heavy wheel/tyre setup which kind of defeats the object.

In this example of course the wheels may be super lightweights...

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

I marvel at this type of suspension added to even "track toys" like this one. The idea seems to be to lose unsprung weight so the suspension has less inertia and can react faster, but the owner usually fits some kind of mega-wide and heavy wheel/tyre setup which kind of defeats the object.

Everything in vehicle design is a compromise.

You want to lose unsprung weight, but you also want grip and large, easy rolling tyres ... but not too large as the unsprung weight would go up again, and the gearing will get longer.

Finding the right balance for the intended job is a science and an art.

[d0sitmatr]

Originally Posted by larrybuck

Wow! I'm loving the interest in this thread.

same here, I enjoy reading the replies, especially the ones with detailed data/analysis.

[dcb]

re: pushrod suspension, you are adding sprung weight though, in the form of a pushrod and a bellcrank. AFAIKT it does allow a progressive "spring rate" without progressive springs (as do other non-pushrod/rocker geometries), but still it is extra weight between the spring and the road and thus "sprung weight", just like a pushrod engine needs the pushrods and rockers to be moved by the valve springs half the time.

Unless spring tension increases non-linearly (and dramatically) with weight, I don't see the "reduce unsprung" weight argument as valid, not yet anyway.

[mnmarcus]

I love this thread!

I'm not really into older cars but I think you can register anything that looks like a collectors as that car. (making seatbelt, emissions, etc not necessary IIRC)
Of course there are some old cars that look great and are pretty aero!

I think we build cars too big, 3,000 #'s to carry a 200 # driver?