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Ive been contemplating changing the engine & gearbox on Graham as Im having no joy with finding a compatible gear box.
Any SENSIBLE recommendations on what would be the easiest to get hold of and cheap, reliable & easy to install.
Im after a big 4 cylinder bike engine or possibly a car engine.
Any help, advice & surgestions. (Must be easy to get parts for it!)
Thanks! [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
A good bike engine to use is the GTR1000 Kawasaki engine. Never a huge seller, so cheap. Basically a shaft drive GPZ1000 tuned for higher torque so parts aren't an issue.
The other oddball bike option is the K series BMW engine. Has to lay on it's side, but parts are easy and will go forever.
Car engines... could be too heavy. Depends on the size of the trike and the layout. (sorry haven't seen it)... If a front wheel drive engine could be used, would recommend the suzuki swift engine. Small, light and very pokey. Very popular mini engine conversion. Other than that it's oldler small capacity rear wheel drive engines. These can be heavy though.
Good idea! Only one on flee bay is £875! (2008 model). Currently Ive got a Reliant Rialto engine in the trike with full Reliant rear end.
[smiley=thumbsup.gif]
Oohh blimey. It's a big'un then!! Car engines are a definate possibility. Is it using the reliant chassis??
How heavy is it???
Graham is on a Reliant chassis & weighs 370 kg (aprox)
There are some pictures on the forum .... some where!! ::)
The K1100 engine has been used before both for sidecars and trikes. There's quite often an engine on fleabay. No need to worry about mileage as they are bulletproof. Loads of grunt low down and easy to work on and cheapish to keep running. Worth a look at.
Not interested in going the Beetle route then?
I've seen a fair few Suzuki GS850/1000 shaft drive trikes. It's a good bullet proof engine. As it was around late 70's early 80's it should be cheap if you can get hold of one.
Kev
V-Max is a shafty as well. Plenty of power. Pan European? Must be plenty of ex-Police bikes around. :-?
Pan euro or Gold wing would an interesting conversion.
Pan, Gold, Diverson, V-Max
old ford crossflow engine and box and a cut and shut prop? although older stuff is hard to find now, but a lot easier with a carb and points ignition....
newer stuff will be more reliable, better power to weight, but will involve a wiring loom splice and coded keys etc....and i dont know how much torque the old reliant axle will take???...
why not be VERY different and try a diesel!......that would be coooool :-)
The reliant axle is more than a little overbuilt considering the engine attached!!
Problem is that most small modern cars are FWD. The older engines A series etc... tend to be heavy.
You need a 80's engine. Poss a BMW 316??? or a ALFA Romeo flat four???
edit: Have just thought that Renault did a rear wheel drive car called the Fuego. This shared its running gear with the volvo 480.
Fuego's were front wheel drive. I had a 1984 GTS. Great car.
It is possible to use a front wheel drive doner car as I remember a company making a Lancia Stratos kit car and using a 2Ltr Beta engine with the steering welded in the forward position.
2 sprokets and a chiain with a pair of pedels, jobs a gudden
Oopss sorry. The engine is a longitudinal engine so could be coupled to a rear dive box.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevinb