Blue-Lines Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 ...anything that is a one off is likely to be costly, time consuming and result in more time off the road though. If your a Honda man perhaps arch motors still have the jigs to make some blackbird engine mounts etc. Engine off fleabay for circa 600 quid, dry sump and reverser off the shelf from nova, that and a few other bits and bobs and your away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilg Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I think bike engined caterhams are cheap once you've got one installed or buy complete but i suspect it's quite an expensive job to convert from a car engine , just as it is expensive to convert a k into a duratec. The engine is relatively cheap on a blade or blackbird as you say but once you add £700-00 for a reverser, £ 1200 to £1500 for a dry sump, special props, bespoke exhaust , gear linkage, lectrics, mounts for engine, radiator, etc etc it soon mounts up. Not to mention a £1500 Nova gear set which you'll surely need ( apart from Busa) . I suppose though you have your car engine and gearbox to sell in part ex . I'd buy one already done. Brilliant once you have one though. Cheers Neil PS i keep wondering about getting my Blackbird turbo charged by the nice chaps at Holeshot but at present the wife's finding other avenues for my spare cash!! 260 bhp in a 430 kg car does sound fun though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Wilson Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 If your a Honda man perhaps arch motors still have the jigs to make some blackbird engine mounts etc. Engine off fleabay for circa 600 quid, dry sump and reverser off the shelf from nova, that and a few other bits and bobs and your away From Nova themselves: We do not have a full parts list for the Blackbird as it went out of production a long time ago ... They're still selling the 'box, though. Caterham had a clearout of Blackbird dry sump parts a while back. Complete dry sumps do come up on the second hand market from time to time, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Quoting Blue-Lines: The BMW S1000rr engine for example produces 193bhp stock, buzzes up to 14k and produces 83ft/lb torque Yes but isn't this engine the boxer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 No, it's a shaft drive IL4. IIRC it's what BMW call a 'K series'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Wilson Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 No. It's chain drive. I think this engine will very popular. I've certainly got my eye on it for when the 'bird goes pop Edited by - Laurence Wilson on 6 Dec 2011 07:39:58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Yes, you're right, all the other BMW Ks are shafties, but that one is a chain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Quoting Blue-Lines: ...anything that is a one off is likely to be costly, time consuming and result in more time off the road though. If your a Honda man perhaps arch motors still have the jigs to make some blackbird engine mounts etc. Engine off fleabay for circa 600 quid, dry sump and reverser off the shelf from nova, that and a few other bits and bobs and your away I reckon I'm up to about £4,000 so far. The engine is in and running, so is the new diff and propshaft, and all the electrics work. I may yet fork out for a new floor and tunnel, and I will probably pay someone to make a nice-looking hole in the bonnet. No reverse box and no drysump (I will be paying for a baffled one however) - one of the reasons for choosing the R1 was that it is used in lots of sidecar racing outfits and doesn't need a drysump. Edited by - charlie_pank on 6 Dec 2011 11:42:08 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Most estimates are in the 4k-5k range, I hear. Not cheap or easy, but there you are. Certainly all the tales you hear of "bought a scabby one, got a few bits off Ebay, tarted up the chassis, threw it back together, cost about £200, oh and a tenner for new oil" are just pub talk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodda Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 What differential final drive ratio are you BEC owners running please ? Also what use does your car get please (sprint/ hillclimb, circuit racing, road ?) I am interested in circuit racing use. Many thanks Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilg Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 The differential is a bit of a tricky one i think. Mine in the Blackbird is a 3.22 or thereabouts and is geared at 11 mph per 1000 rpm in top on 205 13's . I do top out on the rev limiter on some circuits like Snetts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodda Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Many thanks Neilg - very useful info. Robmar has told me he uses a 3.14 with his 'Busa and tops out around 128 mph - which would be somewhere like Snett or Silverstone I guess. Any others please ? Thanks Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivaan Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 My R1 is a 3.17. You might find the gear calculator here useful. The Locost site quiet useful for BEC stuff. Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative bluenose Posted December 7, 2011 Area Representative Share Posted December 7, 2011 3.14 in mine. Apparently ford fitted them to a diesel Sierra briefly so they are fairly rare. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmar Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Charlie - that is cheap ont he conversin so far Dodda - FYI that was at goodwood, might even have been with a tail wind 😬 rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodda Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Very many thanks to all for your help. Clive - that is an excellent spreadsheet - many thanks for the link. It looks like I need to start a shopping list for parts that I am going to need Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Engine ECU Wiring loom Diff Propshaft Sprocket convertor Gearshift-mechanism Clutch & Accel cables Exhaust manifold Rev counter Plumbing Sandwich plate for oil pressure & temp gauges Baffled sump New Dashboard? I also found I needed a new A-frame (mine was bent and rusty) and I may yet decide on a new floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboylaw Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Charlie, I still have that old bonnet if you need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Yes please, I'll probably want it just after new year. Should I come and pick it up in the barge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboylaw Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 No probs mate, surem nip over when you like, you can get the compressor as well if you need it still. Just let me know when you plan to come so I can make sure I am in. I am off until 6th Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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