General Putting a bike engine in a Sei?

[Renrut]

For once not a day dreaming 'will it fit thread' but here's what I was up to last night:

Apols for the rubbish photos, my camera phone is rubbish in anything but noon daylight.

This was just a trial fit to see what mounts I need to fabricate. Aiming to have it properly mounted before the end of the month.

 

[Ffoxy]

I like these projects, part of me wants to do similar!

Which bike engine is it? Big bike engines can have loads of power but tiny torque figures from the 4 pot ranges, different story for a V twin but I guess the Cinq is light enough to carry that off...

Should sound awesome though! Custom zorst by any chance to make the most of the melody?

 

[Renrut]

Its a Honda RC51 SP-1 Engine. So 998cc and 130+bhp (this particular one was dyno'd at 140+ after some powercommander tweaks).

Torque shouldn't be too bad, its peak torque is at 8,000rpm and is a similar figure to the original FIRE engine. With it geared down to a sensible top speed it shouldn't be much worse than the 1108cc FIRE at low revs around town.

I'll be going with standard exhausts for the moment as they're cheap (£5 each!) and tbh it will still sound great compared to the original.

What I will say is that anyone thinking of doing this sort of thing should bear in mind that to get to this stage (engine not even bolted in yet!) has taken 3-4 nights a week 4hrs at a time for the last 2 months with the odd full saturday thrown in for good measure. I reckon I'm not half way through yet.

 

[Ffoxy]

And you're lovin it lol! Keeps you out of the house and the pub, with something new and different at the end...

The end... thats where most people lose enthusiasm, I recall re-shelling and renovating my Healey way back now... when it was 90% done it was hard to focus and push on to the end and fit all the finishing touches... but it was really worth it when done... God I miss that car now...

 

[Renrut]

And you're lovin it lol! Keeps you out of the house and the pub, with something new and different at the end...

Of course I am

From the work so far I can see why so many half done projects are floating around. People have a great idea, get most of the bits to do it, do the easy jobs, then realise they'll have a load of hard ones to do before the job is done, they do a couple but theres still a few more to do and thats when they stop wanting it. I think the hard job is not the technical expertise even but actually keeping at it when it gets difficult.

 

[Ffoxy]

Of course I am

From the work so far I can see why so many half done projects are floating around. People have a great idea, get most of the bits to do it, do the easy jobs, then realise they'll have a load of hard ones to do before the job is done, they do a couple but theres still a few more to do and thats when they stop wanting it. I think the hard job is not the technical expertise even but actually keeping at it when it gets difficult.

Spot on... thats when decent friends can help, if not with the work just poppin over and giving moral support helps. It can be a lonely time doing a one-off project, but West Mids isnt too far away, hope to get to see the mint-finished article around sometime!

Good Luck, dont give up and dig deep!

 

[Renrut]

Spot on... thats when decent friends can help, if not with the work just poppin over and giving moral support helps. It can be a lonely time doing a one-off project, but West Mids isnt too far away, hope to get to see the mint-finished article around sometime!

Good Luck, dont give up and dig deep!

Cheers! I imagine I'll be out around shropshire way quite often when its done, far more interesting roads than near me, especially the rat runs between dudley and telford.

Out of curiousity was it a Healey Sprite you were restoring? How long did it actually take? I was looking at getting one before the Sei came along but got scared off by the rusty ones and the ones that had been badly supported when the sills were replaced

 

[sei16v]

Tasty looking project!! I wanted to do a similar conversion, as it would be a similar amount of work as my redtop seicento.. But as i know nothing about bike engines, it put me off!!

The other thing that put me off was the MPG that a motorbike engine will have in a 4 wheeled car...

Any ideas what you think it will be like?

 

[Ffoxy]

Cheers! I imagine I'll be out around shropshire way quite often when its done, far more interesting roads than near me, especially the rat runs between dudley and telford.

Out of curiousity was it a Healey Sprite you were restoring? How long did it actually take? I was looking at getting one before the Sei came along but got scared off by the rusty ones and the ones that had been badly supported when the sills were replaced

I travel the rabbit run 3 times a week at least so I''l keep my minces peeled lol!

Yes it was a Healey Sprite Mk4, re-shell with one from Heritage. I did everything to it, spent a fotune but it only cost me £650 for the boxes of bits (yes in stripped down form ) including the new shell... Bargain. But not stripping it myself was a ballache when I was re-building it, all done outside under a car-port with a 1 ton jack and some ramps... god knows how I did it! Took me 2 years... winters were hard but so was I lol! They do rot out horribly but TDH 685F was Waxoyld heavily all through... I wonder if its still running about....

 

[Renrut]

Tasty looking project!! I wanted to do a similar conversion, as it would be a similar amount of work as my redtop seicento.. But as i know nothing about bike engines, it put me off!!

The other thing that put me off was the MPG that a motorbike engine will have in a 4 wheeled car...

Any ideas what you think it will be like?

I think you're to blame tbh, as it wasn't until you started your redtop sei that I thought maybe I should get my finger out and actually go and do it.

I knew absolutely nothing about bike engines until I started this project, I've never even owned a bike! My older bro is acting as technical consultant for it as he extensively track days them and was racing them at one point. He had 4 engines in the garage and his wife convinced him that he didnt really need them all

The Honda twin is known as a bit of a drinker and rarely gets above 40mpg in the bike so I'm expecting about 30-35 in the car. Which shouldnt be too bad for a car with near ~200bhp/ton.

I travel the rabbit run 3 times a week at least so I''l keep my minces peeled lol!

Yes it was a Healey Sprite Mk4, re-shell with one from Heritage. I did everything to it, spent a fotune but it only cost me £650 for the boxes of bits (yes in stripped down form ) including the new shell... Bargain. But not stripping it myself was a ballache when I was re-building it, all done outside under a car-port with a 1 ton jack and some ramps... god knows how I did it! Took me 2 years... winters were hard but so was I lol! They do rot out horribly but TDH 685F was Waxoyld heavily all through... I wonder if its still running about....

If you're curious you could stick its reg into the DVLA online tax checking thing, that'll tell you if its still registered and taxed or if its been scrapped.

This project is being done outside on the driveway because of my narrow alleyway I can't get a car into my garage, so I know exactly how much of a ballache that is.

 

[sei16v]

I think you're to blame tbh, as it wasn't until you started your redtop sei that I thought maybe I should get my finger out and actually go and do it.

I knew absolutely nothing about bike engines until I started this project, I've never even owned a bike! My older bro is acting as technical consultant for it as he extensively track days them and was racing them at one point. He had 4 engines in the garage and his wife convinced him that he didnt really need them all

The Honda twin is known as a bit of a drinker and rarely gets above 40mpg in the bike so I'm expecting about 30-35 in the car. Which shouldnt be too bad for a car with near ~200bhp/ton.

Thought it would be a lot worse than that, il be watching this thread!! Cant wait to see it up and running!!

 

[sei16v]

Any updates on this? Im avoiding engine swaps for the time being.. and watching this thread.. but it hasnt moved

Need some nice updated pics lol

 

[craigb244]

yeh dont give in on this... because... you owe me a drive in it

 

[Renrut]

Sorry for the lack of updates, but fear not I won't be giving up on this one! Weather and being busy with lots of less interesting stuff like home improvements and work

However I've managed to get a little bit done in the last few weeks although missed my engine in by halloween deadline by a good month+.

I've been building up the cradle the engine will sit in so I can have some nice simple engine mounts. So I mocked things up in the garage where its warmer, and dry.

As you probably don't want to see the detail of my rather shabby fabrication skills I'll do a blue peter here:

Last night I made some progress mounting the diff onto the engine via the swing arm mount.

this picture gives a better via from the top:

That should make it easier to get the shafts lined up, along with get good chain alignment. It still needs some more welding doing on it (those clamping points aren't fully welded on yet!) plus a top mount that will hang off an chassis mounted cross bar (which isnt in the car yet!). I've also noticed that my diff carrier is binding so I'm gonna have to take that apart again and work out whats going on, looks like my clamping system needs to be more 3 dimensional.


So loads of work still to do before it goes into the car, and even more work once its in to get it all running, but its still chugging along and thats the important thing. I'm doubting if I'll have it ready by my birthday (feb) but I should have it done by the summer.

 

[sei16v]

looking good so far!! are you using the square tubing from bnq? If so, its crap and expensive.. i learned that the hard way lol...

For a much better deal on it, (and if your local to there) try mattersons in coventry (think thats how its spelt)..

You can get sheet metal, tubing, angle and allsorts of iron for a really good deal. But it comes in something stupid like 7 metre lengths, so you neet to take a saw with you Think the stuff i bought tubing wise was 3mm thick wall, for like £20ish...

Still glad its not been left!!

 

[Renrut]

You're right B&Q is rubbish and very expensive these days. This stuff came from an online delivery place in 6m lengths (Metals4U I think it was). something like £14 for 6m x 38mm x 1.6mm round tube. But i did order about £120 worth of steel that time.

1.6mm ERW is used by the kit car boys and seems to be strong enough in those diameters, using 3mm steel plate to reinforce any areas of stress like mounts etc. The box section is also 1.6mm and 25mm x 25mm.

There is still a long list of jobs to sort on it but keeping my focus on doing a little bit at a time.

 

[Yazza54]

My dads mate has just fitted a Honda Blackbird 1100cc intoo.......


A Reliant Robin!!!!

 

[sei16v]

So how are you mounting the engine then? Are you building it all onto a removable frame and then it simply bolts into the sei? Or are you building the car to support the engine (as in the other way round)...

Also have you sorted out reverse yet? Think from memory you can get around it with a starter motor on the rear cog somehow.

 

[Renrut]

My dads mate has just fitted a Honda Blackbird 1100cc intoo.......


A Reliant Robin!!!!

A braver man than I.

 

[Renrut]

So how are you mounting the engine then? Are you building it all onto a removable frame and then it simply bolts into the sei? Or are you building the car to support the engine (as in the other way round)...

The first one. I'm building a cradle onto the engine, and then simply bolting the cradle into the car. Much easier as the engine mounts are rather complex on the bike and I want something simple.

Also have you sorted out reverse yet? Think from memory you can get around it with a starter motor on the rear cog somehow.

I've obtained one of these:

Its a caravan mover with a sprocket drive. It looks to be a truck window wiper motor so should be powerful enough to drive the car. I'll just have to rig up a simple way of engaging it to the chain when the car is stationary, probably a lever and a button