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[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

That's been my opinion for some time: modern cars are far too fast to be fun. Hell, bigger engined old cars can be less fun than the smaller engined variants. My last Capri was a 2.8i with a tweaked 2.9(fitted because it solves the 2.8engines major deficiencies), and I regularly found myself missing the turning into my road because it would effortlessly do 90mph in a 30 limit. It was faster than I am, and that's one of the main reasons I sold it.  A 2.0l can still be driven hard, but not exceed the speed limit by too much. Plus, it can easily be made to drift around a large roundabout with all four tyres just starting to let go at about 60mph until you get dizzy. Or arrested


The Caterham 160 is a good example along with original Mx-5s or the GT86, is it really any less fun than the mental versions at 3 times the price?


Once I get back on my feet financially, my plans have changed from a 3.0l V6 engined hot rod(that I didn't have the facilities to build, and was already a downgrade from the 360Mopar that was my original plan) to a simple '27 track T with a 1300 Jimny engine. I reckon a budget of £4k should see a nicely finished car that looks like a traditional '50s example but is fully usable. Hell, the 1.3 Suzuki engine has about the same amount of power as the flathead V8s that were often fitted to such cars back then!

Hayabusa?

Bike engines in road cars are horrible. And as I wrote, I don't want a lot of power. So a 1.3 Jimny engine will give 80bhp for about £500 complete with the management and 5speed RWD gearbox.

Usually because they have too little torque to shift too much weight. I'm pretty sure a Hayabusa develops more torque than a 'breathless' 1.3 Jimney.

[Nick W]

Bike engines in road cars are horrible. And as I wrote, I don't want a lot of power. So a 1.3 Jimny engine will give 80bhp for about £500 complete with the management and 5speed RWD gearbox.

Usually because they have too little torque to shift too much weight. I'm pretty sure a Hayabusa develops more torque than a 'breathless' 1.3 Jimny.

It's about 40% more but at twice the revs. Considering that even a large bike engine is hopeless under 4,000 rpm that's not really a help.
And I'll repeat: I'm not building  a race or even track car.  I want a usable car with a traditional small  hot-rod look, the American equivalent of a British  '50s special like a Lotus. Even with a (small) I-beam front axle and live rear, if the thing weighs 600kg I'll be disappointed. Using a modern, small(physically as well as capacity) engine and gearbox will help achieve that.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Bike engines in road cars are horrible. And as I wrote, I don't want a lot of power. So a 1.3 Jimny engine will give 80bhp for about £500 complete with the management and 5speed RWD gearbox.

Usually because they have too little torque to shift too much weight. I'm pretty sure a Hayabusa develops more torque than a 'breathless' 1.3 Jimny.

It's about 40% more but at twice the revs. Considering that even a large bike engine is hopeless under 4,000 rpm that's not really a help.
And I'll repeat: I'm not building  a race or even track car.  I want a usable car with a traditional small  hot-rod look, the American equivalent of a British  '50s special like a Lotus. Even with a (small) I-beam front axle and live rear, if the thing weighs 600kg I'll be disappointed. Using a modern, small(physically as well as capacity) engine and gearbox will help achieve that.

I could be wrong but I believe that Kevin's Westfield weighs about 650 KG (dry)

[Kevin Wood]

I could be wrong but I believe that Kevin's Westfield weighs about 650 KG (dry)

It weighs that much wet, with tool kit and ready to go. Minus driver.