100 Hp Mini buggy is getting closer to the finish line................

[skip68]

I've been building this for my son (and I, LOL) for a couple weeks and finally got the swing arm extended, shocks relocated and the motor is in.     Really testing my welding/fabricating skills.     

[Fred]

Don't let it get to you. Some of us are just better at it than others.   

[Mike DC]

What kind of engine is that thing, anyway?

Looks like a fun project.

[skip68]

It's a Honda CBR 600 sportbike engine.    Should be a fun ride.         

[mrsskip68]

Guess who is going to be the first victim/driver/crash test dummy,..........yep the skipenator! Must be super safe, before i let my first born drive it!

[JB400]

 too chicken, huh?   How dangerous could it be?


Don't blame you really.

[ws23rt]

It's a Honda CBR 600 sportbike engine.    Should be a fun ride.         

It looks like a hemi to me

[twodko]

This is prime.....

"How dangerous could it be?" 

Have fun, be safe or...........face Lisa! Just sayin'

[68coronetGLwannabe]

Better put some wheelie bars on that thing. We built one once with a Yamaha 250 engine, it went straight really fast but wasn't easy to turn.  Looking good though. 

[skip68]

Got it to fire tonight.   Woohoo.  At least I've got the wiring right.   Soon.  Very soon.   

[JB400]

 

[mrsskip68]

Anybody know of a good life insurance agent?  need it before, test drive day for chuck! 

[Tilar]

I want to see video of this things maiden voyage. 

[mrsskip68]

DAM, THAT THING IS LOUD! Holy guacamole! Im deaf now!

[472 R/T SE]

I hope the brakes work the best.   

[skip68]

This motor in this little mini sand rail is EXTREMELY OVERKILL.   Jesus, what was I thinking?     

[JB400]

If you thought about it, you wouldn't have done it.

[skip68]

It's actually like driving a 1100-1200hp Charger.  Power to weight ratio.   Pretty much just plain stupid I guess.    It will beat my neighbors Corvette and my other neighbors Challenger.     Video will soon fallow.   

[skip68]

More wiring work, MORE frame support and lights.  

[JB400]

Looks pretty good 

[472 R/T SE]

This is a 107 Hp buggy I'd like to have.  A while back a commercial came on for a smaller Razor & I told the wife I wanted one.  It shocked her & she wanted to know if I was serious.  She said fine & dandy but if I get one & crash it, I needed to crash it good & hard.  None of this half ass (paralyze worthy crashing) crashing, do it & do it right.  But she loves me...really.   

[skip68]

Man that looks like fun.   I'll crash it with you and we will do it right.
      What's the price tag on one of those?    I just got access to a CBR 1000 (180hp) motor and am going to build another bigger buggy.    I have to hurry because Lisa's insurance policy runs out in 90 days.     

[Mike DC]

 
All those 4-wheeler vehicles, Razors, UTVs, Polaris . . . seems like they are replacing what the original Jeeps were.   A 1950s flat-fender Jeep is so much smaller/simplier/lighter/cheaper than what modern street-legal Jeeps & trucks have gradually grown into.

   

[mrsskip68]

 
All those 4-wheeler vehicles, Razors, UTVs, Polaris . . . seems like they are replacing what the original Jeeps were.   A 1950s flat-fender Jeep is so much smaller/simplier/lighter/cheaper than what modern street-legal Jeeps & trucks have gradually grown into.

   

I fully agree!! Do ya want a rock crawler or a desert duster? 

[472 R/T SE]

Skippy, we can go in halfsies.  Those bad boyz are up to $19,999.

They come as 4 seaters' so we can put the hags (I mean our better halves  ) in back.
Problem is petite as Lisa may be, I don't think there would be enough room for her once my wife got in.  We'd prolly need you to weld up a set of wheelie bars too.

We used to have just an absolute blast out on the sand dunes.  Some of the crap we used to do, surprised someone never got hurt like me before.  We used find a small little area, set boundries & turn off our lights & start looking for each other.   


6 days away from being a decade since that fateful day I gave chase after a friend who sprayed me with sand.

[skip68]

Been awhile but starting to work on the death trap again. 
Got the wires extended for the ignition and gauges, mounted the gauges and have the radiator zipped tied in place for making and welding brackets for it.   
Getting closer.   

[472 R/T SE]

Nice job Skipster. 

When I was back home there were a few of us that would get together & go to the Little Sahara Sand Dunes.  After the 1st trip & a run through the sand drags my buddy with lots of $$ was hooked.
He bought one of those CBR1000 you talked about.  He ordered it brand new & pulled the drivetrain for a home made 3 wheeler.  I never seen it, just the bare frame of the CBR.

[472 R/T SE]

Here's a buddy's 3 wheel monstrosity.  He had the record down in California & Glamis Dunes going UP Competition Hill for the longest time.  It run on alcohol plus the turbo.  Then they had another one that had NOS plus the turbo.
It was crazy, when he got on it the rear tires would get skinny like the Top Fuel rides.

[skip68]

Thank you sir.  Man that 4 wheeler looks like a scary ride.  To much for me. 

[skip68]

Well, it's been a long time since I started this and lots of things going on and the buggy was set aside for awhile.  Finally cleaned out my garage and have been working on this thing so it can run and it does.  
This little thing is fast as hell.   Too much for the size.   It's basically a first and second gear only toy.  At about 55 MPH it's kinda sketchy because the front end isn't made for speed.   Shakes a little bit.  It does right around 50mph in first gear at 13,000rpm.  The power comes on at about 8,000rpm to 12,500rpm and it's a tire spinner.   I've been having a blast driving this thing and it's quicker than any car I've ever driven.  

I'm going to teach my son how to drive this this weekend hopefully.   I've already told him that you can't hold the throttle wide open for more than a few seconds because it can get outta control in the blink of an eye.   I've almost lost it twice and I'm used to speed and sliding.  

Anyway, I'll see if I can get Lisa to take some pictures tomorrow.    

[Steve P.]

Must be super safe, before i let my first born drive it!

In that case your son will N E V E R drive it..   

[67440chrg]

It looks like a blast. Keep up the good work.

[A383Wing]

wondering if yer life insurance is all paid up?

[Steve P.]

   I'm used to speed and sliding.  

Skippy, video games don't count!!!!   

[skip68]

   I know Steve.   But I win trophies on video games so I must be awesome right?      
I'm going to see what's up with the front end tonight.   Hopefully it's just bearings.      
Then I'm going to regulate the throttle to 4,500rpm or so with a special chip that I control.   That way my son can't get outta control and end up dead.  

[ws23rt]

You could do what dodge did with the hellcat.---A red key so you could kill yourself and a black key for your son so he may live to reproduce.

[Steve P.]

Hahahahahahaha.....

How'd you do??

[Ryan.C]

maybe a rev limiter to keep it below its power band

[skip68]

I'm putting a metal chip/plate on the throttle stop at the gas pedal with a pin.       I lost control yesterday and went through my neighbors yard.      
No damage other than my pride.   I was warned and have seen many videos on YouTube what a go kart can do with sport bike motors and am now knowing this is not a toy for an inexperienced teenager.   

[skip68]

These are the cutest little disc brakes I've seen.    
The front bearings and bushings were loose so no big deal there.  It's still nothing that I'd feel comfortable driving over 100MPH in.   Not even 60mph except for short blasts.   I also went through the carbs so it runs perfect.   Still have some shifting linkage issues to work out.  

[ws23rt]

What this reminds me of are dune buggy kinda things from the 70s.  An old memory was that 450 Honda engines worked out rather well but 750 Hondas were too much engine for the size and type of--of vehicle?   My thought at the time was the control of such a thing is in the hands of the operator.
The center of gravity and balance are issues that either add to, or take away from the fun of pushing the engines to do what they do.

[skip68]

Well, I know it goes 70mph now.      
Still major front end shaking.  I've played with alignment but doesn't seem to help.   The right front shock seems to be bad and I'm thinking that's the major cause.   It's as if I'm getting wheel hop with the front wheels.   Either way, it's not designed for high speeds anyway so I shouldn't be pushing it.       
Man, talk about a cheap thrill.   

[ws23rt]

I know what cheep thrill is all about.  I have a 73 Kawasaki Z1.  It had a high speed wobble that was felt out of the blue at high speed and could shake out false teeth if one had them. To recover from that was a challenge in logical (non panic) fast thinking.

[skip68]

You got that right.  Head shake at high speed is a scary feeling.   That was a big bike for 1973.  Here's the specs on this crazy buggy engine.   

[ws23rt]

I'm all over it ---Bigger and more is good but never enough   My 472ci hemi motorcycle speaks to that. Beyond useable power but fun to play with.

[skip68]

 

[skip68]

Just doing some math and this motor puts out 2.7 hp per cubic inch.     that's like having a 440 with 1200+ hp.      
Shifter and clutch are relocated and working great. 

[JB400]

I'm curious as to the power/weight ratio 

[ws23rt]

You might think about getting a Michelin tire guy suit that fits in that roll cage.

[skip68]

It's right around 425-450 lbs.     so that's 4.5 hp per pound.      sounds high but I guess that's right.   

[Steve P.]

Just doing some math and this motor puts out 2.7 hp per cubic inch.     that's like having a 440 with 1200+ hp.    

First, where are you getting the HP numbers from??

Next, time for a calculator, buddy.. 440 X 2.7 = 1188. Not 1200 PLUS !!   
Either way, it's a long ways from the 6HP B&S I had on a cart many years ago.. 

[skip68]

It's right around 425-450 lbs.     so that's 4.5 hp per pound.      sounds high but I guess that's right.   

Sorry I was wrong.      
It's about a quarter hp per pound.    

[skip68]

Okay Steve, it's 100hp and 36.5 cubic inches. 
That comes to 2.74hp per cubic inch. 
Times 440 = 1205hp.     
Now go read your birthday thread