jsharpphoto
Coast to Coast
I know there really isn't such a thing as Formula 4, but I don't care. I want to build a car. My father has some history in Formula Vee, which is where I got my idea.
I want to build a small single seater car, powered by a water-cooled motorcycle engine. Imagine if the KTM Xbow had been designed in 1980. Steel tube frame, like an oversized golf cart. I want to use as much motorcycle parts as possible, including spoked wheels.
Here's what I've decided so far…
1. Rear wheel drive
2. Left foot activated clutch, with a suicide shift lever
3. Chain drive
4. I figured I can make an electric-motor powered reverse gear that I can engage/disengage with a handle, that can interact with the chain.
Here's what's undecided…
1. What's the ideal motor for this situation. I've seen the shifter carts with a GSXR motor, I don't want that. Too much power. I was leaning towards a gold wing motor, but that wouldn't work because it's shaft drive. Unless I made some sort of small chain & sprocket system that used the rear axle of the shaft drive to turn what would be the front sprocket. I don't want too much power. I know that's a silly thing, but I don't actually intend on racing this thing. I don't have the time to invest in a real contender of a race car, even if there was a class that I could compete in. I just want to build something fun and ridiculous to ride around in my neighborhood, and occasionally trailer it out to a race circuit.
2. What's the maximum distance I can mount the radiator from the motor. I'm assuming this will end up as rear-engined, but the radiator would be at the front. It works for Porsche and VW, right?
I'm sure I'll have lots more questions, but I wanted to start getting ideas for what motor I should be looking for.
I KNOW THIS IS A DUMB IDEA/ILLEGAL ON THE STREETS/MONEY PIT. But isn't that what doing the ton is all about?
I'll leave you with a little bit of my visual inspiration…
I want to build a small single seater car, powered by a water-cooled motorcycle engine. Imagine if the KTM Xbow had been designed in 1980. Steel tube frame, like an oversized golf cart. I want to use as much motorcycle parts as possible, including spoked wheels.
Here's what I've decided so far…
1. Rear wheel drive
2. Left foot activated clutch, with a suicide shift lever
3. Chain drive
4. I figured I can make an electric-motor powered reverse gear that I can engage/disengage with a handle, that can interact with the chain.
Here's what's undecided…
1. What's the ideal motor for this situation. I've seen the shifter carts with a GSXR motor, I don't want that. Too much power. I was leaning towards a gold wing motor, but that wouldn't work because it's shaft drive. Unless I made some sort of small chain & sprocket system that used the rear axle of the shaft drive to turn what would be the front sprocket. I don't want too much power. I know that's a silly thing, but I don't actually intend on racing this thing. I don't have the time to invest in a real contender of a race car, even if there was a class that I could compete in. I just want to build something fun and ridiculous to ride around in my neighborhood, and occasionally trailer it out to a race circuit.
2. What's the maximum distance I can mount the radiator from the motor. I'm assuming this will end up as rear-engined, but the radiator would be at the front. It works for Porsche and VW, right?
I'm sure I'll have lots more questions, but I wanted to start getting ideas for what motor I should be looking for.
I KNOW THIS IS A DUMB IDEA/ILLEGAL ON THE STREETS/MONEY PIT. But isn't that what doing the ton is all about?
I'll leave you with a little bit of my visual inspiration…