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Originally Posted by deezee
Why do you want low fuel usage from a sports car? What kind of MPG are you looking for? Why does the engine need to be specifically light? I understand wanting to build a car, thats why I started building mine (with the engine out of a FWD Escort)
Maybe you'd be better off with a motorbike engine if you want light. Although you'll only manage 30 mpg with something like a Triumph 3 cylinder. I believe the whole engine AND gearbox only weighs in at modest 70kgs but it gives you 100 plus BHP.
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Sounds mad, right?
The main thing is, I really want to build my own car, really like the looks of the 7 style cars, and power isn't an issue for me for two reasons:
I'm rarely going to use a track, so the car only has to be capable of road-legal performance, and I wrote a car off almost two years ago, since which I've been the most tame driver imaginable
Although it is a good point that it will probably be disadvantageous to use that engine, I think I am living with my head in the clouds a little!
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Originally Posted by Snapper
If this is your preferred engine then it's all about a gearbox.
You need to find a rear wheel drive gearbox that is light and will compliment you lack of power with ratios that will get you off the line but also give you economical and usable 5th gear.
Bellhousings can be adapted usually with a spacer that has bolt hole that mate with the engine and the box.
Flywheels can be drilled to take full clutch kits or you search the manufacturers to find a plate that is the right diameter for the cover and also has the right spline for the gearbox input shaft.
Anything can be engineered but is it really worth it?
Having built and been involved with many kit builds I would not fixate on an engine then try and make it fit at any cost, smaller engines often return less mpg on the road than bigger ones driven reasonably.
You can fit any Ford engine from 1100 crossflow to 2.0L Zetec straight on to a Ford MT75 or Type 9, easily for little cost.
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Thanks for the information mate, that's pretty much what I was looking for - again, it's true that I'm probably looking at too much work/cost for no real gain - what kind of mpg would you be looking at from the regular 1.6/1.8 choice?