126s were never imported were they?
126s were never imported were they?
In reply to imirk:
Looks like they must've wound up in the UK... In my quick googling, it kinda looks like their primary market was Poland (!?)
I'd never heard of 'em 'til quite recently, and I've never seen one.
Sadly no.
F500's use a "spec" Hoosier 10" tire. If you'rebuilding a Challenge car, you could probably find take-offs for cheap.
43101 18.0 x 6.0-10 C2000 F500 6.2" 18.1" 57.0" 6" 6" 8.1" R25B, R35A
43105 18.0 x 7.5-10 F500 7.5" 18.3" 57.5" 7-8" 8" 9.5" R25B, R35A
43110 19.5 x 6.5-10 F500 6.5" 19.4" 61.0" 6" 6" 8.2" R25B
43120 19.5 x 7.5-10 F500 7.5" 19.5" 61.2" 7-8" 8" 9.5" R25B
They are bias ply, tho, and not DOT legal if that matters...
ditchdigger wrote:turboswede wrote: Seems like the ideal solution is to move the wheels forward to gain the necessary room.Suicide front end on a microcar?I kind of like it but....no. They will be going way out. Looking at european hillclimb cars as inspiration
Longer control arms generally help stabilize camber curves, plus the car would be less likely to roll over as well :)
I am intrigued by your information, sir and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. :)
how about doing a body stretch on the car....maybe 3-6" from the firewall forward. Enlarge wheel wells, fit larger tires, etc..
ransom wrote: In reply to imirk: Looks like they must've wound up in the UK... In my quick googling, it kinda looks like their primary market was Poland (!?) I'd never heard of 'em 'til quite recently, and I've never seen one.
Large numbers (like, several million) were built in Poland under FSM.
Much looking forward to seeing Vespa/Motorcycle craziness
Here's one with, of all things, a Harley motor. I think your 600cc idea makes more sense.
Now that we have the shell we can start taking measurments and see how it will all fit together. One note of caution from Allan Staniforth immediately lept out from my memory as I was looking at the footbox area. Something about making sure suspension mounting points will not intersect with parts of the driver, as it might be ideal for geometry the driver will certainly protest if that rod end has to go through his shin. It is so very tight in there!
Behold! $75 worth of French manufactured italian microcar.
It had been sitting underneath a tree since it was parted out in the mid 80's. I have the title that was last signed off in 1968!
That's OK. We were going to remove those anyway 
Actually I am happy that it is as far gone as it is. I would hate to be tempted to restore it. I feel no guilt about what we are about to do. It has everything we need and not much that we don't.
The battery drawer bits are mostly there and what is missing is so very easy to build so I am thinking about making it functional again since it is one of the defining oddities of the 400
Now remember my 850 makes an Aveo look like a minivan. The vespa is 2 feet shorter and almost a foot narrower.
So how does one figure out the FMV of something like this?
Early 106hp GSX-R600 motor. Not a very desireable unit. Only has 4000 miles on it but was pulled out of a wrecked bike in 98 and has languished in various garages since. It was a "Take this thing home or I am going to scrap it" gift from my father.
Ransom is 150 miles north of me so it is my job to build a rotisserie and remove the rotten bits. Take very accurate measurments and then we can do some chassis engineering via the internets.
I will start a build thread here once metal starts to fly.
I know nothing about Gixxers, why is that engine non-desireable?
Cool project, good luck!
Maxxis makes an ATV tire that many have used to race Pikes Peak Hillclimb, it's called the MS02 TT and comes in several compounds and 18x6-10, 18x8-10 and 18x10-10. I can't seem to open the Hoosier catalog on my computer but they have race tires in all kinds of crazy sizes, with and without tread.
Yokohama A048r comes in a 175-13" size. Not DOT legal in that size.
This thread is way cool. Needs more 'busa, though...
:)
Does it need to remain a 2 seater? because a single center seating position might be bad ass.
ditchdigger wrote: So how does one figure out the FMV of something like this?
my guess is weight as scrap steel minus 6% for iron oxide content...
imirk wrote: Does it need to remain a 2 seater? because a single center seating position might be bad ass.
It would. It would also make weight biasing a bit easier but you have to remember that this thing will also be a fair weather runabout. It will be insured, street legal, licensed, titled and used regularly.
I am getting ahead of myself here but I did some experimenting with flare making last night. A random sheet of steel in the brake bent to ~60 degrees and then into my cheapy HF shrinker.
I can totally do this! This steel is 12-14 gauge and way too thick for what I am doing so it only came in so far. With 18ga I know I can do it.
Need tires to match the flares to.
Yokohama A032r's are available in 175/50 13, however that size doesn't have a DOT stamp, though the rest of the sizes do. You import them from most of the classic mini parts places.
Way back in the stone age (like, early 1970s) those of us into Minis commonly used 20x8.0x10" 4-ply trailer tires. These were commonly available in a variety of ply specs, all the way up to absurd stiffnesses, but that size in a 4-ply worked pretty good on 10x6" industrial caster steel wheels - even had the Mini bolt circle, and were dirt cheap.
Grip would probably be pretty uncompetitive by today's standards - would be better off with the short 13" R-comps. Just providing an unusual alternative.
In reply to ditchdigger:
Wow, one heck of a starting canvas there. Hopefully, the flares will help the spacing needed for both end suspensions. While you point out that the car is much narrower, in the end, you may end up with it being pretty close.
Lots of fun work to watch. 
In reply to 4cylndrfury:
The Vespa came with paperwork and a price tag. The engine is the $?? item.
Fortunately, outdated sportbike engines tend to go for $small, but we still need to figure out an appropriate value.
From Wiki said: Kawasaki Triples were air-cooled, and the crankshafts were pressed together. This made it possible to cut an engine apart, press up extra sections of the crankshaft, re-weld different sections of the cases, and make multi-cylindered motorcycles. The ignition system and carburetors had to be redone. Four-cylinder 1000 cc H2s were known to exist.
You should put this in the car. 
Except with 6 cylinders.
There are some pretty quick 10" tires out there as well. Just throwin' that out there.
I think the Harley engine above would be problematic, since it's air cooled. The GSXR engine may be easier as it has oil cooling and you could hang the oil cooler out in the breeze, but I think you need to find a water cooled engine so you don't have to come up with some sort of elaborate cooling duct/fan system.
This motor is water cooled. Not sure why the casting has stylized fins on it. It is a 93 GSX-R600W The first of the watercooled gixxers.
Actually picked up the radiator for it today 
In that case, it sounds like a good choice. 
I was thinking it was the older style.
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