Would it take a rotary engine?
Alternatively, a small Pinto
How does a Wankel(they're not rotaries, which are obsolete aero engines) make for a cheap, drivable car
Gearbox is big too. Be interesting to try one in a Seven type car though.I was going to use a Pinto, T9 and Sierra diff/driveshafts/hubs/brakes when I got the 'car' 20+ years ago. But that was when a 2.0i Sierra/Granada was <£100. And I already had some of the bits. Now a knackered Pinto is at least £500, and you won't find a similar gearbox for under £250. Even a pile of injection parts in a box is £100(there's such a box next to all the spare Metro/MGF parts
). Pintos, which I like a lot, aren't small!
They're long, tall and heavy. T9s are pretty underwhelming, and only really make sense if they come attached to the engine. I would spend £2k on the drivetrain without even trying. Current indications are that I could have a rolling chassis with the large mechanical parts for £1000.Other requirements:It's got to run unmodified management. That starts to rule out later engines, although cost does that too. Exhaust on the passenger side is a big plus.An adapter to fit the gearbox will be necessary, but the clutch, flywheel, starter motor etc have all got to be standard parts. K-series crank sensor drives off the flywheel, and there are variations which need to be considered.I don't want to make an exhaust manifold. Exhaust system will be tucked up within the chassis rails, where it's out of the way and not visible. It will exit under the NSR wing for the same reason: no matter how you dress them up, exhaust pipes sticking out the back of the car are ugly.Hydraulic clutch for space reasons, although that's not hard to retrofit. I'm not a fan of concentric slave cylinders, but it would make sense here.Radiator needs to be tall and narrow, which is the opposite of modern stuff. I'll just have to practice my aluminium welding.Whatever I use, it will need a custom propshaft. But they're sub £200 using all new parts.It's going to need IVA. I've downloaded the manual and need to read it. Most of the technical requirements I would be fitting anyway. Some of the other problems - like rear seatbelt installation, interior protrusions etc - will be avoided by not having them.The biggest single issue with IVA is the glass all needs to be safety marked. It's all flat, so that isn't the enormously expensive problem that custom curved glass is. I have the entire windscreen, including the fold out frame, for a pattern. Rear and side glass to be bonded. None of them are large. Hopefully I'll be able to buy doors, as making them from scratch will be a lot of work. Electric windows and modern flush internal handles solve a couple of minor problems. There are compliant exterior handles available for 30s style cars. I have a complete Metro body loom. It's simple, easy to fit, and has everything needed but nothing that isn't: lights that are already on multiplugs, heater, wipers, engine fan, alarm, sensibly located fuse box, properly terminated earths. Remote central locking and electric windows are allowed for, all that's needed is another plug into the fusebox. If I do that right it will provide the additional safety locks required for suicide doors - I've a friend who has speed related ones on his Y if he ever needs to IVA it after nearly 30 years on the road. Another reason for using a Rover engine is that it just plugs in, and gives the required immobiliser I have a Metro steering column, steering wheel and stalks.
Brakes will be entirely MGF: 240mm discs, vented at the front(really not necessary on a 800kg car), solid at the rear with integral handbrake. Effective, neat, compact and cheap. If I use the pedal box, master cylinder and servo everything will match. I can buy discs and pads all round for less than replacing the missing brakes on the Capri axle I have... Friends are due to scrap an F soon, which will provide the calipers. Handbrake lever. Cables. Etc, etc for the cost of giving them a hand.Steering rack will be narrowed Capri(I've got one)/Escort(I can scrounge one) which are essentially the same. I'd narrow my spare Metro one, but I need to move the steering arms to the front and it won't work. Well it will work, but turn the wrong way. That's fun for driving games, but not for a usable car Trim will be a headlining, door cards, carpet and seats. I need to practice sewing. Should have got my aunt to demonstrate some stuff before she went home at the weekend. Plenty of soundproofing will be needed; it's all single skinned.
Seats need to be narrow to fit, and small to look right. If Metro/MGF/Fiat 500/Lupo/I10/whatever won't work, I'll build some 3/4 size Recaro copies.