My Gokart/Buggy thing... [UPDATED: 31/5/03 - Pictures Up!]
- Thread starter Cobraboy
- 69 comments
- 2,129 views
- 1,695
Those engines would be perfect. First of all, they dont have gorund pounding torque so it will have less chance of bending your frame. It will be insanely fast, and the rotary has the smoothest power delivery of any engine so traction wont be as much of a problem. And whatever transmission you find, wont be thrashed by the rotary.
Basically the rotary gets the job done without harming the buggy.
And if you get one of these engine, you obviously dont think it will last as long as it would in a car (200,000kms +) so just learn how to enable it to redline at around 18,000rpm.
I saw a 1988 Mazda RX-7 at a car show, and the guy had it revving to 24,000rpm. He had 479hp at something like 17,000rpm and 128ft-lbs at something like 10,000rpm!
I never heard it revv but, if you dont get a sufficient exhaust on your buggy, you will be going deaf.
Go rotary, it fits your application perfectly. Plus its small and will fit.
- 7,402
12 sec Civic, you are right about everything but the redline. DO NOT over rev rotary engines! The RX-7 you saw probably had a race engine or the guy was lying. Rotary engines have a great deal of heat, and the faster you rev, the more heat. You get to a point where the heat level is no longer safe to operate under, and it can melt the softer metals of the engine.
Try revving an RX to and a tad above the redline, you should hear a loud over-revving alarm that Mazda put in there to specificly prevent and let you know that you shouldn't be revving that high.
Still, with a 12A or 13B you will have plenty, too much power really, smooth, and it's a fairly compact engine. I'd suggest sticking with an NA engine, such as the 12A, 13B from the first gen GSL-SE, and the 13B from the 2nd gen RX-7s. You can still have 142(plus or minus, it depends on useage by the original owner(unless you order a rebuild from Mazda))hp, and you won't have the problems that turbos can create.
Just go to your local junk/salvage yard, check out the RXs, and see if you can get any of them running. 2nd gen engines are ideal, because they don't flood nearly at all, they are smoother than the first gens, and they have the most NA power and longest durability.
Try revving an RX to and a tad above the redline, you should hear a loud over-revving alarm that Mazda put in there to specificly prevent and let you know that you shouldn't be revving that high.
Still, with a 12A or 13B you will have plenty, too much power really, smooth, and it's a fairly compact engine. I'd suggest sticking with an NA engine, such as the 12A, 13B from the first gen GSL-SE, and the 13B from the 2nd gen RX-7s. You can still have 142(plus or minus, it depends on useage by the original owner(unless you order a rebuild from Mazda))hp, and you won't have the problems that turbos can create.
Just go to your local junk/salvage yard, check out the RXs, and see if you can get any of them running. 2nd gen engines are ideal, because they don't flood nearly at all, they are smoother than the first gens, and they have the most NA power and longest durability.
- 1,695
You could also make your own exhaust. I would suggest making a very wide open exhaust. Again, to avoid too much low end torque, and give alot of wide open free revvs.
What tranny do you have in mind?
What comes with this kit, and how much did it cost?
My borther tells me that when he was in high school, his grade 12 mechanics class made a buggy very similar to yours, but it was powered by a 1.8L V-Twin from some kind of "chopper" style motorbike. He said it was probably a Yamaha or a Honda engine, and the funny thing, is that he claims they didnt use a tranny, they had to start it and keep the revvs up. he says the engine was connected right the the drive axle!? Seems weird and you could only go as fast as the engine revved!? Oh, well maybe his memory is failing him? Because I dont understand how you could have no transmission?
What tranny do you have in mind?
What comes with this kit, and how much did it cost?
My borther tells me that when he was in high school, his grade 12 mechanics class made a buggy very similar to yours, but it was powered by a 1.8L V-Twin from some kind of "chopper" style motorbike. He said it was probably a Yamaha or a Honda engine, and the funny thing, is that he claims they didnt use a tranny, they had to start it and keep the revvs up. he says the engine was connected right the the drive axle!? Seems weird and you could only go as fast as the engine revved!? Oh, well maybe his memory is failing him? Because I dont understand how you could have no transmission?
Most defineatly.
At the moment I'm looking at a bike engine (I may build a second buggy and go rotary once I get a little more advanced in my engineering skills) and motorbikes engines have gearboxes all in the one unit, so I have to take into account the type of gearbox the motor has before buying it. I'll settle for a 5 speed, but if I can get a 6, I will.
I've just bought the plans for this, my dad can get discounted steel through his work but:
"Complete disassembled Trax II kit, includes all components: Chassis, Axles, Wheels, Tyres, Motor, Torque Converter, Floor Plan, Nuts and Bolts, Rollbars etc. Just needs painting and assembly
Withour TAX: AU$3322.73
With TAX: AU$3655.00" http://www.git.com.au/~theedge/buggies_trax2.htm
I/We will have to fabricate some of our own bits and pieces, but I actually want to do some fabricating.
It may have had an internal centrifugal clutch or torque converter that they couldn't see.
It says on this page http://www.git.com.au/~theedge/buggies_trax2.htm
That it has a 0-60kph time of 6 seconds and with a top speed of 65kph, but thats with a 5-7.5hp motor with a torque converter, so imagine it with a 20+hp motorcycle motor with 5/6 gears. Mmmmmm
It also says that "making the Trax II parts yourself to the plan set will cost approximately $900-$1,200 ($AU) minus Motor"
So, CDN $808-$1,077 roughly when doing it yourself.
and CDN$2,984 if you order everything of them, inc engine (albeit a crappy slow-ass mower motor).
Live mid-market rates as of 2003.02.05 03:10:22 GMT @ www.xe.com/ucc
That it has a 0-60kph time of 6 seconds and with a top speed of 65kph, but thats with a 5-7.5hp motor with a torque converter, so imagine it with a 20+hp motorcycle motor with 5/6 gears. Mmmmmm
It also says that "making the Trax II parts yourself to the plan set will cost approximately $900-$1,200 ($AU) minus Motor"
So, CDN $808-$1,077 roughly when doing it yourself.
and CDN$2,984 if you order everything of them, inc engine (albeit a crappy slow-ass mower motor).
Live mid-market rates as of 2003.02.05 03:10:22 GMT @ www.xe.com/ucc
- 7,402
Hey, I got something you could do for a 2nd buggy.
Go rotary, but put the engine in the front. You could takethe engine and trans out of an RX-7, and put it on the buggy. Then put the seat where the engine is supposed to be mounted in the back.
You would be doing so many donuts!!
Go rotary, but put the engine in the front. You could takethe engine and trans out of an RX-7, and put it on the buggy. Then put the seat where the engine is supposed to be mounted in the back.
You would be doing so many donuts!!
Hmmm, thats not such a bad idea. I'll be doing major burnouts on this one as well. I'm hoping to find something like a Diahatsu Mira and take the front hubs off of it and put it on the buggy so I could put the brakes on (I could have a setup where I could set brake bias) and floor it and do stationary burnouts.
Well, my website is now avaliable to anyone on the net.
http://www.freewebs.com/kiwitrax2 (same host as kosmikfool).
Please visit, and tell me what you think.
http://www.freewebs.com/kiwitrax2 (same host as kosmikfool).
Please visit, and tell me what you think.
You may be interested in modelling your new toy after this cutesy thing:
http://www.daxcars.co.uk/rush/index.htm
Hayabusa + turbo = spin_tires_in_5th
http://www.daxcars.co.uk/rush/index.htm
Hayabusa + turbo = spin_tires_in_5th
Originally posted by Cobraboy
Dax make a Cobra kitset
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the Cobra pictured there was for size comparison only. The Rush is their first -- and so far the only -- product in their lineup.
The Hayabusa is a Suzuki superbike, the GSX-1300R. Probably one of the fastest in the world. A 1.3L inline 4, mucho revs to 175HP, 0-62mph in 3sec., 0-124 in 7.6, and on up to 189mph. Um, fast.
A good engine to work with, though, for a lightweight track car.http://www.suzukicycles.com/sr_03/sportstreet/fr_gsx1300r.htm
- 2,660
if you can, id suggest you get a cr/yz 250cc liquid cooled 2 stroke. they are built to rev,cheap to fix, have 6 speed close ratio gearboxes and if you get a tuned pipe made up, you can have two powerbands. its more than enough power to kill yourself with.
josh is right, if you want to fang it offroad, youll need a suspension set up. id recommend you set up some kind of monoshock rear end. go to a bike wreckers and see if you can find a roadbike frame with the rear end intact, take it home and chop and weld.
i had an offroad buggie as a kid but it was a datsun 180b with the roof, doors and anything else that could be cut off cut away. it was flogged to death and i mean flogged. i never used the clutch unless i felt the need to get the single spinner diff howling in the dirt. great little car.
josh is right, if you want to fang it offroad, youll need a suspension set up. id recommend you set up some kind of monoshock rear end. go to a bike wreckers and see if you can find a roadbike frame with the rear end intact, take it home and chop and weld.
i had an offroad buggie as a kid but it was a datsun 180b with the roof, doors and anything else that could be cut off cut away. it was flogged to death and i mean flogged. i never used the clutch unless i felt the need to get the single spinner diff howling in the dirt. great little car.
