30 replies to this topic

[Oscar1985]

I've been toying with the idea of a bike engine running each set of wheels. Is this possible? Theoretically this would mean you could split your gear shifter into a 'T' split down the middle, meaning you could change gears on the front/rear wheels inderpendantly or run one engine in neutral. Thus enabaling you to change from RWD to 4WD to FWD all on thefly bysimply being a bit clever with your gears, or running one set of wheels in a higher/lower gear meaning you're able to put the power where you want it.
Is this even possible and would it be a car that would be road legal?
This is just an idea thats been knocking about in my head.
Maybee I need to start saving and Searching for an ideal doner car to start a life ending project?
Your thoughtsare appeciated

[Calman]

There was a clubby estate a few months ago in mini world with two engines. Front was usd as a daily and both for track days

[shorty]

well z cars have a twin hybusa so presume this is possible

[Oscar1985]

I suppose its time to start saving the pennies then, anyone got a spare rolling chassis they want shot of?

[al_reidy]

to drive on the road legally you will have to disengage one engine (

[Oscar1985]

Really? as in running in neutral or dead? how much would a conversion like this cost?

[al_reidy]

Really? as in running in neutral or dead? how much would a conversion like this cost?

from what i can tell they need to have a joined crank to be both providing power to the wheels.
if you look at the ones in the mags you can see how they use clever gear linkages so that one engine can be powered off and in neutral when on the roads.
prime example was about 4 months ago where a twin vauxhall engined clubby was shown, he was chuffed that he still got 35mpg even while dragging the dead weight of the 2nd engine.

[Calman]

As in off. You'll need some sort of 4wd box that can cut in to 2wd aswell thats small enough to be in a mini.

Yur best bet is to email mini world to see if you can get the details of the bloke that done the other one. It was a red clubby estate with 12" wellers.

[Oscar1985]

The idea of using an engine to power each set ofwheels would surly mean doing away with any trick boxes. Using 1 engine/gearbox to drive the front and one to drive the rear! Therefore creating RWD-4WD-FWD all on the move.
Thats the part i like the idea of, then surly to disengage 1 of the engines you just knock it into neutral?

[Calman]

There are various ways of doing it. BUt by doing it your way you'll need to fiqure out the gear linkiage

[al_reidy]

The idea of using an engine to power each set ofwheels would surly mean doing away with any trick boxes. Using 1 engine/gearbox to drive the front and one to drive the rear! Therefore creating RWD-4WD-FWD all on the move.
Thats the part i like the idea of, then surly to disengage 1 of the engines you just knock it into neutral?

that does sound sweet, the trick would be to get each to change gear at the same point but still allowing one engine if you wanted to be left alone.
easier with the sequential bike engines as you could link both sticks as one and unbuckle them to drive on the road.

having different final drives might cause other problems. getting top power out of one engine will cause the other to overrev? equally down shifting could over rev one. how about just down tuning or restricting one engine so that its power curve matched the other engine but just less power. that way it would have predictable smoother power ?

[minidream94]

July's issue has this estate in, if ur interested.

[project mini chris]

There was a Moke with 2 850 engines at Gaydon motor museum with sort of the same principle

[Oscar1985]

The idea of using an engine to power each set ofwheels would surly mean doing away with any trick boxes. Using 1 engine/gearbox to drive the front and one to drive the rear! Therefore creating RWD-4WD-FWD all on the move.
Thats the part i like the idea of, then surly to disengage 1 of the engines you just knock it into neutral?

that does sound sweet, the trick would be to get each to change gear at the same point but still allowing one engine if you wanted to be left alone.
easier with the sequential bike engines as you could link both sticks as one and unbuckle them to drive on the road.

having different final drives might cause other problems. getting top power out of one engine will cause the other to overrev? equally down shifting could over rev one. how about just down tuning or restricting one engine so that its power curve matched the other engine but just less power. that way it would have predictable smoother power ?

That sounds like the way to go Reidy, As I said a 'T' shaped shifter split down the middle 1 side of the T on 1 gearbox and the other side of the T on the other, ok guys we need an engineer of some kind to make this work, i think i know just the man. Would you suggest using Z cars front/rear subframes and kits and bolting to an existing shell, or going for a space frame?

Edited by Oscar1985, 08 November 2009 - 09:05 PM.

[Mattl]

gtms have the engine in the back and the standard mini shifter up front facing the conventional way, the only different part is the linkage rod. So a combination of the 2 would be straight forward for someone with some metal rods and a welder. You would have to use a pin arrangement to be able to disengage one of the engines for 2wd running but thats also easy enough.