best motor, I need opinions here

I want to drop a cycle motor/ gearbox/MFH chain into Tamiya's Caterham (Lotus Super7) model.:smokin:
Something I will turbo-charge,make 4WD and use paddle-shifters with.
What model do you suggest that would make the most plausable and cool-looking motor. V config or inline, air or watercooled. I was thinking about the Hyasbusa but it doesn't look all that bad-ass out of the frame. Maybe air-cooled (fins) with oil coolers and a small intercooler. Something I would consider is a motor with lots of aftermarket engine details if it exist.
I know my cars but not my bikes. Suggestions?

A couple choices might be the Honda CB1100R or maybe the KR1000F race bike engine. Either one would look best with some turned funnels on the carbs.



Mark

Plausible is not going to have a cool looking motor in a 7. The very fastest Caterhams ever (the JPE and Superlight R500) had 2 liter inline 4s that put out 250hp, and could keep up with the McLaren F1 (600+hp). Any more power than that would be useless- and would hurt the handling because of extra weight. It would be like putting a Hayabusa engine into a Vespa scooter- no point.

If you want something cool looking, build a 'Rotus'- a 7 with a Mazda rotary. Otherwise superbike engines (Hayabusa and Blackbird) are great options.

Thanks to both for your inputs. I'm just tired of seeing the same 7 model built the same way. I figure the only real jump could come from lowering the weight and making it AWD. I'm using 4 RE20 Gotti front wheels/tires all around. I would prefer to use inboard rotors/shocks for Foose-like looks and of course less unsprung weight :grinyes:. I want to clean up the kit car look of the JPE model. I've always liked the bike-powered DSR's in SCCA. Like big shifter karts with lots of cool engineering. .
The Renault V6 without turbos would be amazing, but it's just too wide to fit. I chopped a FW14b Renault in half...it all too conventional.
Having gone through most of the WIP treads so far and looking at the topstudio detail kits, the air cooled is now out. I also have "all" the F1 parts from all the various kits to upgrade with.
Of course I have to invent a box to change the chain drive to shaft for the rear wheels and also go forward to the front diff. Thank god it doesn't have to work!

I have seen a photo somewhere that had a shaft attached where the engine drive sprocket would normally go. Therefore the output shaft of the motorcycle engine could be in the centerline of the car and have a shaft from the output to the rear end of the car.


Mark

Of course I have to invent a box to change the chain drive to shaft for the rear wheels and also go forward to the front diff. Thank god it doesn't have to work! Well most people use the existing gearbox from the donor bike and attach the prop shaft to a modified chain sprocket.

Do a search on Caterham bike conversion to find sites dedicated to the conversion. One such site I found is http://biketransplant.tripod.com/ (see the build diaries for real life conversions).

Thanks to both for your inputs. I'm just tired of seeing the same 7 model built the same way.

you obviously missed this (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=724432&highlight=lotus+7+group) then.

From the combinations offered i assume you are working on the large scale version.
You want different. Why not go hybrid. Try a 250 bike engine, or...

Ya come home from work and there's all kind of cool stuff to see. Thanks one and all. I had not seen the fun group build, or the links to the real site.
The AWD to me is the one thing I have not seen. It makes sense (to me) to reduce the weight by dumping the engine/transmisson and replacing it with a hi-tech turbo of small displacement. The turbo is just to have enough torque to break 4 285-13 F1 tires. I feel no need to turn a big project into an even bigger project. So the Top studio kits/various F1 parts and the MFH chains are the smart, quick way to make a hi-tech 7.
I ordered both the Zx-rr and rc211v kits. I'll use both to plan. While the honda motor seems great, it's exhuast and turbo setup might be too clumsy.
Thanks again, I'm halfway through with a BRM P201 build. It will be my first WIP thread.

Well most people use the existing gearbox and attach the prop shaft to a modified chain sprocket.
Oh... I mean the gearbox that came with the bike engine.