So while cleaning up down at the farm I stumbled across what appears to be a '70-ish Subaru EA61 1100cc-ish engine and matching 4-speed trans that my father was planning on building into a trike. The motor looks to be in great shape, turns over smoothly, and has excellent compression.
So, what do I do with 62hp of flat-4 goodness? Here's what springs to my mind, in no particular order:
-Full-sized (2 seater) or 2/3 scale (single seat) Morgan trike replica, for my daily commute of 23miles when its not snowing. While homebuilt cars aren't known for their aero, the tiny frontal area has to count for something, right?
-Mid-engined with engine in the back or FWD/4WD/AWD with engine in the front Locost variant, with the same goal of high MPG and light weight in mind as the trike.
-Turn the engine sideways in-between a pair of Samurai axles and build a 20mph yard truck. Think Vietnam-era military Mule but easy enough to start and drive that even my wife would use it.
-???
mndsm
PowerDork
4/30/13 8:37 p.m.
Step 1- Find a Wartburg.
Step 2- Hang out with JTwh8
Step 3-????
Step 4- Profit!
Dune buggy or the craziest pit bike abomination you can conger up!
JThw8
PowerDork
4/30/13 9:04 p.m.
I think your father had the right idea, trike.
JoeyM
MegaDork
4/30/13 9:04 p.m.
subies are the go-to swap for upgrading porsches, but 62 hp is probably not up to the challenge. buy aeromotive's berkeley
BAMF
HalfDork
4/30/13 9:36 p.m.
My vote is for full scale Morgan trike.
JoeyM
MegaDork
4/30/13 9:38 p.m.
Oh, Oh, Oh.....I want to change my vote. A morgan type trike rocks. I thought you meant something less awesome.
Build a Fly Baby
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowers_Fly_Baby
Add small turbo, no longer 62 hp.
Mule. Though Sami axles are big money, at least around here.
I vote for a pit/paddock transport vehicle as well. Saw one at the SCCA race at COTA this spring that looked like this, with an VW flat four poking out of the back.
Finding an engineless dune buggy to drop it in might be fun
Combine with my Subaru 360 for epic sweetness.. I need to buy this from you..
All good options, depends what you want.
Keep in mind it might be easy to drop this into a dune buggy meant to accept a VW powertrain.
mndsm wrote:
Step 1- Find a Wartburg.
Step 2- Hang out with JTwh8
Step 3-????
Step 4- Toilet!
FTFY.
(Actually, that's what I thought it said when I first skimmed it. Might've been Freudian.)
I concur with the dune buggy idea. mine is only 25hp and it's still a kick in the pants.