Mini V8? Could it be done, easily?, Thinking outside the box again Options

[Dr Evil]

I remember no too long ago someone posted a bitchen link to a mini V8 made from 2 hyabusa engines. It was a great idea, but out of the price and consideration range for probably all of us. This got me to thinking, though. The hard part is having to cast a block and a crank to fit the hyabusas together. While this engine is by far the bset choice for car applilcations due to its overwhelming power, there has to be another, easier alternative.
I was wondering how hard it would be to take 2 honda V4 1100 engines (pretty common and easy to get) and make the out put of one to the shaft of another. This would remove any need for a contiguous case/crank and yet serve the same purpose. The hondas came to mind because it is what I am familiar with in teh V4 configuration. They would be compact, easy to plumb, high rev, relatively low maitenance, and high in cool factor. Or, how about mating two large V engines together = more tq, lower reving, air cooled (or not). With the ponies that the motorcycle engines are pushing these days, adding 2 togather would give a light car like ours a nice boost and probably be lost of fun.

Any thoughts?

If I had it my way I would mate two BMW K1100 16V engines together in a flat opposed 8 configuration, but thats a bit out of my skills level.

[rick 918-S]

I love this crazy stuff. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

I'm not sure your concept would be best served in a 914 though. I would build a mid engine light weight tube chassis and skin it in aluminum. There are tons of cheap wrecked 1100 cc bike engines out there. Most bikes have great hp but lack torque to get a heavy (by go cart standards) 914 moving. The clutches are not designed for the severe duty required to move a car and passangers.

I would mount the engines sideways, remove the alternator and clutch covers, add double or triple row sprockets and chain the ends of the cranks together. Then the second engine in line you could connect to a drive shaft like the Legend cars do.

[DBCooper]

I love this crazy stuff. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

I'm not sure your concept would be best served in a 914 though. I would build a mid engine light weight tube chassis and skin it in aluminum. There are tons of cheap wrecked 1100 cc bike engines out there. Most bikes have great hp but lack torque to get a heavy (by go cart standards) 914 moving. The clutches are not designed for the severe duty required to move a car and passengers.

Hayabusa and Honda Fireblade engines are pretty common in tube-framed and aluminum skinned Lotus Seven replicas too:

http://www.daxcars.co.uk/rush/reviews/rush_kitcars1.htm
http://super7cars.com/Super7_GSX1300R_Hayabusa.html
http://www.supercars.net/cars/1893.html

And why stop with an 8? A flat aircooled sixteen, now THAT'S impressive!!

 16cylvw_copy.bmp ( 307.62k ) Number of downloads: 176


[huh? Why isn't that image showing up?]

But Doctor, the original question was if making a V8 out of two fours could be done "easily". I think the answer is no. Machining a new driveshaft and block to use the motorcycle heads? Sounds a bit like that Yamaha built Taurus SHO engine, but for some of us to do? Not easy. Then in the V engines there's one flanged or splined crank drive output, and generally the other end of the crank only drives an alternator. That end isn't strong enough to drive or be connected to another engine end-to-end and still transmit any amount of torque that would be fun. You could configure the engines side-by-side and gather the torque with a belt drive to a common shaft, I suppose, but then you've got a real big engine package and are again pretty much out of the "easy" category.