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.

[grantsfo]

Found this on text about possibilities of grafting two Desmosedici RR motors together.

Desmotrentadue RR V8
Two Ducati V4 race engines grafted together
(+3) [vote for,
against]



The Italian motorcycle company Ducati currently produces the Desmosedici RR, a road-legal version of their MotoGP race bike. The engine powering this bike is a 989cc V4 with sixteen valves (sedici=sixteen), desmodromic valve actuation, and over 200 horsepower at 13,500 rpm.
If one were to engineer a V8 engine out of parts from the Ducati engine, it would be perfect for powering small racecars in certain race classes, or possibly a production supercar. This 32-valve V8 (trentadue=thirty two) would displace 1978 cc, or just about 2 liters, and potentially produce over 400 horsepower.

Since Ducati currently engineers their powerplants with 90 degrees between the cylinder banks, and 90 degrees between the crank pins (cross-plane), it would be possible to make this V8 without balance shafts, unlike other V8s made by combining two in-line four cylinder motorcycle engines (see link). Overall, the Desmoventiquattro V8 would have fewer compromises.

The only drawback to this design would be that the increased crankshaft mass would prevent the engine from revving as quickly, and the full 13,500 rpm of the four cylinder might not be reached. One could even re-design this engine rather easily to have a longer stroke, thus increasing the displacement and increasing low-end torque at the expense of high-rpm power.