Bike Engined Kit Cars

[Stoo]

Anybody got much experience with these? Things i should be looking for etc?

After i get married, and before i have kids, i'm allowed to get something mental.
I have been toying with the idea of an S2 Exige, however for a 3rd of the price, i can get something like a Sylva Striker with a busa or R1 engine in it.

Makes sense to me, plus i can keep the R26 then too :)

[auzzy2000]

Be prepared to change the clutch a lot.As they eat them.I had an mk with a blackbird engine.and it was mental.Lots of fun

[Stoo]

Pics/Vids??

Clutch a big job?

Performance figures.....

[auzzy2000]

this was a few years ago and aint got no pics sorry.cltch is easy really,my mate has just built an mk with a redtop in it.its running about 250bhp.500kg and is mental

[RJM25R]

Mate has just sold an MK INDY witha fireblade engine.

Rapid but flimsy.

[Stoo]

I get the impression that they are built on a budget and therefore a little less solid than a westy or caterham.

I suppose it's what you make it though.
Ill have plenty of time and money to make it better (if i buy a pre-built one)

[Southie]

Is this any good for you? CLICKY (http://www.zcars.org.uk/mini/conversion.htm)

Also this CLICKY (http://www.daxcars.co.uk/rush/reviews/index.htm)

Here are some other links/info CLICKY (http://thekneeslider.com/motorcycle-powered-cars/) :)

[Stoo]

Nice idea bud

Looking for a Caterham/Westfield/Lotus 7 style though :)

[Southie]

Updated ;)

Also heres a super 7 CLICKY (http://www.super7cars.com/Super7_GSX1300R_Hayabusa.html)

The company that did the Dax bulid is Holeshot Racing. Heres their site CLICKY (http://www.holeshot-racing.co.uk/index.php?page=Cars-for-sale)

[Stoo]

Cheers bud

WONT be buying a NEW dax, not made of money hahaha!

And seen the other site too.
Cheers though

[Southie]

Have a watch of this then lol CLICKY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnLeBnuRRa4)

Heres the car CLICKY (http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2005/06/08/smart-car-plus-gsxr-equals-smartuki-a-very-smart-car/) :d

[Stoo]

LOL Doesnt interest me at all

I dont think your quite getting the concept of a 7 style kit car.

I dont want a quirky effort.

[Southie]

I do understand but that was for the sillyness aspect lol

[matt_vaughan]

Erm having passengers extra weight = sh1t apparently

and as stated before, expect many many clutch changes

otherwise, high revving extreme fun!

[brainsnova]

if you want something mental what about one of these http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2-ROIibQiI

[loggyboy]

Im shorty buying a Raw Striker to replace the Nova. Im currently undecided for CEC or BEC. Probly be CEC down to costs and hassles with reverse etc. But if I wasnt on a strict budget id defo be looking at BEC

[Stoo]

raw striker is on my list
as is mk indy, stuart taylor, type 9r

i have also considered an xe powered version.
Another cost saver

[Stoo]

if you want something mental what about one of these http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2-ROIibQiI

i see you're also not grasping the '7 style replica'
kart that is not.

[Tidy Max]

my mates boss has a Dax Rush with an R1 engine, 0-60 in the 2second range, more traction due to the 4 wheels, i went in one the other day which had the sierra cosworth engine in and the noise was one of the best things ive ever heard, 3rd gear appeared to be the most fun, pretty terrifying though lol

i would absolutley love one, potholes are a big problem, the car really stuck to the floor but any slight bump or raise in the floor and we were lifting off, now imagine booting it round a country road corner and hitting a bump, that was all i kept thinking off haha

but at the same time we overtook 6 cars and 2 superbikes.... at the same time, what a feeling

[Stoo]

2seconds is highly optimistic for an R1 engined Dax.
mid to late 3seconds is more realistic.

Cossie powered ones are just mental!!

It wont be used on the road, except maybe summer sunday blasts maybe.
Predominantly a pure track car :)
Slicks FTW

[Tidy Max]

get a cossie engined dax then lol, although its the only kit car ive ever been in but from the first minute i just kept thinking how ace it would be on a track (although..ive never been on track, so im just talking out my **** i suppose)

my point is if the roads were smooth then it would stick like **** to a blanket, it did feel fantastic!

and yes i thought it was abit far fetched, but it was one of my best pals who told me and hes a pretty trustworthy source... ahh well lol

[Stoo]

If i were to buy a CEC, then it would either be a mega spec dry sumped XE job, or a VTEC lump i reckon.

As it stands, a BEC is where im heading

[Tidy Max]

whats a CEC and a BEC then (this is why i rarely post up in the general car section lol)

a VTEC lump would be good (yo) something that revs high!

[Stoo]

Car engined car
Bike engined car

[matt_vaughan]

Stoo the Mk Indy is known to have a pretty crap chassis, tends to flex a lot apparently. Don't know if they've fixed that problem by now, it was a couple years back i heard about that.

Striker's are probably the lightest and best handling cars, looking at their success in appropraite classes at Harewood Hillclimb. Depends wether you like the look of the rear end.

[Stoo]

I dont particularly care too much for how it looks.

I just want it to go well and handle better :)

Westy megabusa/megablades are on the list too.

AS ive said thugh, wont be doing this for about a yr yet, so just building up some knowledge at the moment.

MK indys that bad then?

[adam c]

My mates got a fiat 500(old style) with a fireblade engine and the sound of that is amazing!also funny hearing it and then round corner comes a bright yellow 500!lol .If i was to go for one it would have to be BEC as the noise is awesome and for the sequential box

This vid always makes me want one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1GXe6AhHNU&feature=related

Another from same guy but racing a quick R5!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ0vg5QvlgM&feature=channel

[loggyboy]

MK has a good chassis now, the IndyR has a redesigned chassis with inboard suspension, however if you look at 750mc race series', autotests, autosolos etc etc the Raws pedigree speaks for itself. its a little more expensive but im willing to pay a little more. Im going for the new style body as I dont like the aluminuim triangle style old chassis.
If you really want to look the part then the new Raw Fulcrum is a great looking car (altho opinion is very divided.) it has the same chassis as the striker but with more metal to support the body but obviously has better aeros than a standard 7esq body has. It also feels alot more like a car when you sit in it.
I went to raw a few months back to have a look round and was very impressed with the level of service and help the owner Mel Coppock gave.

MNR Vortx is the other option i have looked at but prices are again a little more and the racing prowess is not quite there (yet?).

My only issue with a redtop is the weight, the whole reason i wanted to move from the Nova to the Kit car is to get the weight down as much a i could, and as you need to buy 40s, TBs or bike carbs to get the engine under the bonnet, i think a baby valver is a better option as you can gain alot with TBs or bike carbs on them. Obviously you can get similar gains on top of the redtops standard power but with a car weighing 500kg, a healthy 300bhp/tonne should be more than enough to start with.
The other main reason why I want a 1.6 16v is to get it in the 750mc kitcar class so I can compete in a proper race series, rather than just sprints and hill climbs.

[Stuart]

S1 exige with either a K20 S/C or duratec :)

[burgo]

stoo your best bet is to find a kitcar club and go to a meet. i find all the peeps are more than happy to take you for a spin. first time i went out in one i fell in love.

[stevei]

my mate had a MK Indy fireblade. really mint build but the chassis is pants compaired to his zetec powered westfield he had before. the bike engined kit cars are harder to drive under normal driving situations. the bump steer on the MK Indy was horrific but it was rapid. expect to change the engine on the bike kit car 'cause it will blow not being used to that weight.

The westfield chassis is a lot better than the indy. look for a XE powered on or Duratec if the funds stretch.

My mate now has a black S1 Lotus Exige with K20 Civic type R engine and Jacksons Racing Super charger 306.5bhp............its mental and its now for sale

ste

[Paul]

Dont get a s2 exige, a good friend of mine had one, dissapointing, round a track it was unreal, but god it was poor on the road, slow, loud, bumpy. At least the bike engined kit cars are silly quick on the road!

[burgo]

plus elise's are girls cars

[CoolTiger]

My mates got a fiat 500(old style) with a fireblade engine and the sound of that is amazing!also funny hearing it and then round corner comes a bright yellow 500!lol .If i was to go for one it would have to be BEC as the noise is awesome and for the sequential box

This vid always makes me want one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1GXe6AhHNU&feature=related

Another from same guy but racing a quick R5!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ0vg5QvlgM&feature=channel

second video is back end of wrexham/markwheel - whitchurch :)

think i know the lad in the 5 turbo ill ask around

[davidfox280585]

best one ive been in was my friends busa turbod bond bug he built was awesome even handled well due to the cage coilovers and superlites

[RJM25R]

my mate had a MK Indy fireblade. really mint build but the chassis is pants compaired to his zetec powered westfield he had before. the bike engined kit cars are harder to drive under normal driving situations. the bump steer on the MK Indy was horrific but it was rapid.


ste

I agree with the above ^^^^^

Having driven my mates, it is very difficult to drive sensibly, and almost impossible to give a "full bore" start on the road because of the clutch and how fast it revs. His car was MK built and they claimed a 3.7 0-60 but that must be on the track! Once moving it was devastating, but from a standing start it wasn't!

The roads are crap around here, and the car was all over the place at low speeds (under 30) and very tiring to drive "hard" for any distance. In fact, apart from an hour on a sunday and driving to kit car shows, it never got used properly!

Having said that I'm looking to buy one over the winter, but NOT bike powered!

[CP]

I'd get myself along to track days- they vary enormously in how good they actually are.They can be flimsy and unreliable. I think it comes very much down to how well they are built and prepared plus how much track/car knowledge the owners have. If it was me I'd go for a radical -I've seen some very nice ones and they are usually the quickest out there but not cheap. You get what you pay for

[skidmarkz]

Stoo,

Im at Castle coombe this sturday, pop down it's a charity event so you can pay to go out in a massive line up of cars.

I will be there in my Caterham SLR, their will also be a 210bhp R400, you welcome to come have a pass ride the prices are like £5 entry then from £20 to £60 for 5 laps in whatever car you choose.

From a mini to a 600bhp Dodge viper GT3

[Stuart]

Dont get a s2 exige, a good friend of mine had one, dissapointing, round a track it was unreal, but god it was poor on the road, slow, loud, bumpy. At least the bike engined kit cars are silly quick on the road!


must be a pish poorly setup s2 then lol

[Paul]

nah, it was crap on the road, no two ways about it. slow in a straight line, loud, bumpy,

[Sloth]

donkevoort d7 bud.

[loggyboy]

S1 exige with either a K20 S/C or duratec :)

I considered an elise, but its only halfway between a tin top and a kit. and apart from the fact its already built, they are no cheaper.

[Stoo]

Mixed opinions :)

I like.

I've prety much got my heart set on the likes of a Westfield Megabusa.
Although, i can pick up a radical for similar money, however not 2 seats :S

Skidz, id love to mate but im back in afghan now til xmas :)