caterham

[beachbum_jon]

does anyone on here know anything or know anyone personally that has built one of those caterham kit cars?

my senior shop class is planning on putting the it togather and i am buying the parts so i pretty much say what we use for certain parts, like the motor i plan on using a 4g63 with a 16g

[thrash]

if you haven't already, you might want to look for "locost" web sites. Various people have logs of their "locost" builds online.

Caterham's aren't (or at least aren't exclusively ) kit cars, iirc - there's a US and Canadian dealer network for Caterhams. Caterham holds the official license for the original Lotus Super 7 design.

The locost is {the/a} build-it-yourself Super 7 clone. Is that what you guys are buildling?

In any case, the most interesting Caterham engine choice i've heard of is the hayabusa engine. I beleive the vancouver caterham dealer sells ready-to-go hayabusa powered cars. The high rpm, high revving, high HP, low weight of that engine is a logical choice for a car that will weigh under 2000 lbs. In caterham spec i think they have it setup with a 10k redline, 6 speed sequential transmission, and about 160hp.

Another good choice is a 4AG, preferably a 20 valve of course, but any 4AG is enough "go" for a car that light.

An F20C would be a great choice except that iirc, they spin backwards, so you might be limited to other honda components as well?

I'd be a little shy of using a turbo engine in one (assuming you were talking about a turbo 4g63). I think the high rpm, linear HP, instant throttle response you get from a small NA engine suits the car better.

A rotary might also be a good choice.. even an NA one.. essentially any engine of 100hp or more will make something this light into a rocket... so you can focus more on size, weight distribution, ease of packaging, what you can make it hook up to tranny and axle wise... etc.

[beachbum_jon]

well thanks for the info, the only reason i want to use a 4g63 is because i have the parts laying around to put one togather, that and they have more than enough power for what im looking to do. i got the idea from an old car and driver mag where they tested 4 different locost kit cars, one guy had a turbo motor out of a miatia pushing 260hp

[weshole]

I seen the same article. Actually alot of the locost cars that use the miata driveline. It seems to be easy to find donor cars to get the parts from.

[Afsil80]

x2 on using the 'busa engine.

I saw quite a few Caterhams in action in England, some had S/C'ed 4 bangers, 5 and 6 cylinder turbos, and one that had the 'busa engine. All of them were moving pretty fast, but the latter left the best impression.

I think a 4G63 would work, but how would you work out the transmission, since all cars with the 4G aren't longitudinally(sp?) mounted? Could go RB.

[KA-T_240]

Turboed Busa motor

[beachbum_jon]

i think it would work with a 4g,...i looked at some engine bay pics of conquests with the 4g swap done to them...and bascially one could get all the mounts needed...it shouldnt be that hard

btw, how much is a busa motor if i decided to go that route...?