RE: Driven: bike-engined Fiat 126 Bis

[renorti]

sounds lovely,and looks fun. but did't seem that quick on the road,loads of revs but not much speed

[Bencolem]

Great project but I must be getting old because my first thought was imaging crashing at speed in that(!) and my second was that its a shame the exhaust is so obvious...

[MadDog1962]

number1nesta said:

I want one. I just wouldn't be able to resist destroying BMW's and Audi's.

Exactly. Freaking awesome fun :-)

[Huff]

Steve Evil said:

Looks like a lot of fun, but as someone who previously looked at BECs, the common theme for them seems to be cars for people that deep down would like a bike, but love to make excuses about why they couldn't have one.

No, I don't think that's the case. Sticking a bike engine in a good, light chassis makes even something seven-a-like up to 100KGs lighter, and that, along with the free sequential box, makes the result ...biddable in a way that totally evades car-engined versions of the same thing even though they often have more power. The key is making a BEC of something very light in the first place.

Yes, I have one, and after 18months the Fury makes me grin like a child; corners and brakes harder than I ever managed on a bike, too.

[mybrainhurts]

Nuts...

[Deano_BMW]

bartselephant said:

I can't say that Mr Schofield can't drive, clearly he can , but to get 1st, 2nd and 3rd podium places during his FIRST year of racing makes me think that he's built a great overall car, instead of a beast dominated only by the engine.

It makes a "paltry" 212bhp, and at about 600kg, there are lighter bike engined cars out there, so he shouldn't really be as quick as he is. However! Whatever Mr Schofield has done, it does seem to get the power down, go, handle and brake better than most other racers in it's category (and a few other categories too).

Now if he ever wanted to help build a road car.......



Umi

the man has mapped a few of my cars in the past, he really really knows his stuff. Driveability is what its all about and his mapping has it by the bucketloads.

[Steve Evil]

Huff said:

Steve Evil said:

Looks like a lot of fun, but as someone who previously looked at BECs, the common theme for them seems to be cars for people that deep down would like a bike, but love to make excuses about why they couldn't have one.

No, I don't think that's the case. Sticking a bike engine in a good, light chassis makes even something seven-a-like up to 100KGs lighter, and that, along with the free sequential box, makes the result ...biddable in a way that totally evades car-engined versions of the same thing even though they often have more power. The key is making a BEC of something very light in the first place.

Yes, I have one, and after 18months the Fury makes me grin like a child; corners and brakes harder than I ever managed on a bike, too.

I can see all the merits for it, hence why I was looking for one myself for a while. My sweeping generalisation clearly doesn't count for you either having spent your time with bikes, but for the most part I've found that it's people who always comes out with the "No, I couldn't have a bike, I'd kill myself" line that you tend to find owning BECs.

[g4ry13]

Looks great fun, i'd buy it if I had the money spare or get one made up. This one posted earlier's nicer although maybe a bit less subtle. I take it these cars don't have reverse gears on them? I'd probably want a roll cage or something in it to make it safer, I don't like my chances in a stock Fiat 126 in an accident.

[MarkRSi]

Want.

[Agent Orange]

Steve Evil said:

I can see all the merits for it, hence why I was looking for one myself for a while. My sweeping generalisation clearly doesn't count for you either having spent your time with bikes, but for the most part I've found that it's people who always comes out with the "No, I couldn't have a bike, I'd kill myself" line that you tend to find owning BECs.

I'm not sure that not wanting to die is a bad trait.

[Steve Evil]

Agent Orange said:

Steve Evil said:

I can see all the merits for it, hence why I was looking for one myself for a while. My sweeping generalisation clearly doesn't count for you either having spent your time with bikes, but for the most part I've found that it's people who always comes out with the "No, I couldn't have a bike, I'd kill myself" line that you tend to find owning BECs.

I'm not sure that not wanting to die is a bad trait.

Exactly the attitude, who says that just because you get on a bike that you're going to die? A typical BEC isn't exactly the last word in safety.

[Agent Orange]

Steve Evil said:

Exactly the attitude, who says that just because you get on a bike that you're going to die? A typical BEC isn't exactly the last word in safety.

As an ex-biker. Not you - it's the other people on the road that'll kill you.

[mikeveal]

There's an awful lot of codswallop being spouted by the anti BEC brigade on this thread. Those who have driven and owned a BEC can easily spot those who have not.

Myth: Bike engines have no torque and BECs need to be revved to go.
Truth: Between 2K and 7K rpm, a decent BEC with a modern 1000cc lump will provide lotus Elise like acceleration. Between 7Krpm and the redline, all hell is unleashed!

Myth: BEC clutches are digital.
Truth: They can be set up to be as progressive as a normal tin top.


Myth: BECs eat clutches and gearboxes.
Truth: You may need to upgrade the clutch springs to prevent wear. £70 should do it. Gearboxes get broken only when over enthusiasm is met with a lack of mechanical sympathy. It was common on older bike engines, but doesn't happen on more modern units.

Myth: BEC gear changes can be a bit clunky.
Truth: Actually that ones true. The more slack in the drive chain, the worse it can be.

Myth: BECs are buzzy.
Truth: It's entirely down to how you select your gearing. At 80Mph, my car is doing about 7000rpm in 6th. Around town, or on a B-road there's no problem at all. Motorway driving is tiresome, but my car wasn't built for long distance cruising.

Myth: BEC owners would really prefer a bike.
Truth: Can't speak for the others, but bikes just aren't my thing.

[gibbon]

You wouldnt get traction to get anywhere near those performance statistics.

[ragezx14r]

Steve Evil said:

Looks like a lot of fun, but as someone who previously looked at BECs, the common theme for them seems to be cars for people that deep down would like a bike, but love to make excuses about why they couldn't have one.

Thats spot on for me Steve. After losing a leg on a bike and deciding to give riding up. After many boring months i discovered BEC's could be converted to hand clutch.

Fist i bought this reverse trike. 105BHP ZX6R in 300kgs. Geared to 120MPH and didn't stop 'til it got there.


Didn't end well though as i ended up rolling it and writing it off



Next up was a Westfield Megablade, which for some reason never liked the hand clutch conversion and after its 5th clutch went i sold it on converted back to foot clutch which it perfomed as it should

After that i bought a Rage Buggy.

That started with a fireblade engine, when that blew i upgraded to a ZZR1400. That ended up blowing after 2000 miles so i sold that on on its third engine.

I then discovered ELAP Mobility's Duck Clutch conversion for manual gearbox's. I now have that fitted to my Ariel Atom. 300BHP of reliable supercharged Honda Vtec power.


The point of this post is that i've been there and done it with BEC's and i won't be going back.

[gibbon]

EDLT said:

That is more custom-made racer than it is a Cappuccino, it even has the suspension from an A1GP car.

Really? I find that VERY hard to believe.

[jaik]

gibbon said:

EDLT said:

That is more custom-made racer than it is a Cappuccino, it even has the suspension from an A1GP car.

Really? I find that VERY hard to believe.

I don't know about the suspension, but it has an A1GP steering wheel

[ukmike2000]

I LOVE this Fiat!

[GarryA]

gibbon said:

EDLT said:

That is more custom-made racer than it is a Cappuccino, it even has the suspension from an A1GP car.

Really? I find that VERY hard to believe.

Its true, it is also part space frame chassis.

[cookie720]

How did they do this? I want to do it to my Fiat 126p.....What parts do I need? The post says something about a GT4 Diff etc....Can someone explain to me how to build this thing?

Also about motorbike engines, are they all a similar size? I wouldnt want to cut into the back seat wall. Im looking for the cheapest I can find but I have alot of time to sit and study all my options. What about a ZZR1100?