Chassis changes made possible with bike engine

[Blackbird]

First real post in this forum .

 

I don't know how many of you folks surf the locost USA forum so I'm posting the same post here as well.

Thought I'll share an idea I had with you.

After studying Jeff Underwood's website (I bet I'll score well in the test :lol: ) and driving Martin Keller's locost I came up with something that I think I will incorporate into my build.

 

Since the R1 output is pretty far off to the right, there is really no reason that I can think of that prevents one from making the pedal box wider and get *maybe* enough room for a dead pedal.

The dead pedal is very useful in performance driving, at least for me.

 

Also, since there really isn't a car transmission in the tunnel, the whole thing can be narrowed down a good bit and be gained as space for a good competition seat that I'd be happy to install.

 

Here's a pic borrowed from Jeff's site that I marked a line where all the tubing of the left side of the tunnel can be shifted to (thanks Jeff!).

Of course all triangulation will be carried over to the new location of the tubing.

I do know that because I'm using the miata diff I will need to make the rear part of the tunnel wider.

 

Your thoughts are welcome!

 

Moti

 

http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/697038485_TransTunnelMod.jpg

[slngsht]

I don't know why any of the bike guys haven't incorporated a hand clutch into the shifter anyway, to do away with the clutch pedal altogether. We had this setup in our Formula SAE car in the late 80's and it worked fine. With the clutch pedal gone, you can put a dead pedal in its place, and you can also very easily learn left foot braking. Just my .02

[Blackbird]

I'm planning on paddle shifters so a hand clutch isn't going anywhere there.

I do know how to left foot brake well but since the hand clutch isn't happening anyway it isn't going to help anything, I think that having a dead pedal in the extra width possible is a good solution.

 

I also have a feeling that the hand clutch will work fine until you find yourself spinning out and then your foot will go for the non-existent clutch pedal and not your hand to the clutch handle and now your car has just stalled in the middle of the racetrack...

 

If the option of putting a dead pedal in is just a small change in tube locations away, why would you want to learn how to drive again ?

 

Moti

[slngsht]

I'm planning on paddle shifters so a hand clutch isn't going anywhere there.

I do know how to left foot brake well but since the hand clutch isn't happening anyway it isn't going to help anything, I think that having a dead pedal in the extra width possible is a good solution.

 

I also have a feeling that the hand clutch will work fine until you find yourself spinning out and then your foot will go for the non-existent clutch pedal and not your hand to the clutch handle and now your car has just stalled in the middle of the racetrack...

 

If the option of putting a dead pedal in is just a small change in tube locations away, why would you want to learn how to drive again ?

 

Moti

 

Left foot breaking is worth learning. I don't do it personally, but I've seen some very successful drivers put it to good use.

 

with paddle shifters, the clutch would just be on a dead stick rather than a shifter.

 

Anyway, if that's not something you'd consider, I'm not trying to talk you into it . I don't see why your idea wouldn't work.

[R1 Seven]

Agreed, that you could make the foot box larger with a BEC if you choose to go LHD. You could even do it if you went RHD because the engine would be best offset to the left more to counter the driver's weight and for better driveline angles. Another thing that the BEC affords is the ability to triangulate the engine bay more to increase the rigitidy due to the positioning and smaller size.

 

Mazda - I have no desire to do a hand clutch. I have always driven with a clutch at my foot. My instincts are now set in stone...if I were to have a spin and need to put in the clutch...I am going for the floor. If a spin happens, the clutch needs to go in ASAP to prevent the engine from spinning backwards. On many of them spinning backwards will kill the starter.

[slngsht]

Agreed, that you could make the foot box larger with a BEC if you choose to go LHD. You could even do it if you went RHD because the engine would be best offset to the left more to counter the driver's weight and for better driveline angles. Another thing that the BEC affords is the ability to triangulate the engine bay more to increase the rigitidy due to the positioning and smaller size.

 

Mazda - I have no desire to do a hand clutch. I have always driven with a clutch at my foot. My instincts are now set in stone...if I were to have a spin and need to put in the clutch...I am going for the floor. If a spin happens, the clutch needs to go in ASAP to prevent the engine from spinning backwards. On many of them spinning backwards will kill the starter.

 

Is this something specific to BECs? I mean the possibility of the engine actually spinning backwards after a spin? I never heard of that happening, but I guess it can.

[Blackbird]

Never heard of that happening either, car engines would just stall.

 

Moti

[R1 Seven]

 

Is this something specific to BECs? I mean the possibility of the engine actually spinning backwards after a spin? I never heard of that happening, but I guess it can.

 

Yes. On some, it is the way that the starter engages with the starter ring. Of course you don't see it happen much...'cause the clutch pedal is right there where people instinctively hit it. :ack: It happens in racing and high speed spins, and it likely has to do with how mechinically sensitive the driver is as well. They even make starter savers for some dwarf car applications.

[slngsht]

I guess I'm used to a big hunk of metal for the engine, so it's not so easy to get it to stop spinning and reverse directions.

[R1 Seven]

That could have something to do with it...