Anyone dropped an Audi R8 V10 into a Caterham/Westfield

[wca]

Just an idle thought at the moment but interested to know if it has happened yet

[MKnight702]

To honest, I doubt it would fit. The modern double overhead cam V engines are very wide, short, but wide.

You could drop one into an Ultima or maybe Spire GTR.

[Gingerbread Man]

Weight becomes your biggest problem I believe. It becomes a boat anchor come a corner.

[anonymous-user]

Can't help, and don't tend to wander over to this part of PH much, but the thread title reminded me that there is a long-running thread on PH about a guy who out an Audi a BMW V10 into an Exige. He had to lengthen the chassis and bodywork slightly, but only sightly.

Here you go: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=122...

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 9th April 08:34

[Stridey]

Would this be more up Donkervoorts street? (Dutch builder of Sevens that have 'forked' massively in their evolution from 7 importers, to builders,. They use Audi engines.

[Farlig]

2 Ducati Panigale 1299 engines on a common crank/case would be my ideal engine...
tiny, lightweight, v4, 10,500rpm, 410bhp, 214 ft-lbs, nuff said.

[framerateuk]

Aside from the sheer size of the engine aside, wouldn't a donor engine from a front engined car make more sense?

[HustleRussell]

Kind of flies in the face of the whole Lotus/Caterham philosophy.

[coppice]

Eh? Why on earth would you want to? I think the late Colin Chapman's personal revlimiter would break at the thought . Sevens are about lightness and power to weight - an R8 V10 has about 370 per tonne- the more bonkers Sevens are 400-500 plus already. So you add a hugely heavy engine and drive train, hacking the body about to make it fit- you need bigger brakes to make it stop, and bigger tyres etc , etc. Car becomes nose heavy etc The Westfield Seight was an attempt at this approach and I have yet to see one beat a normal Sevenesque car in speed events .

[Equus]

There was, of course, once a Jaguar V12-engined example of the Marque that Shall Not be Named. (but whose logo was a man with a bow and arrow).

Their whole raison d'etre was to create skin-crawling abortions, though.

[Mort7]

Back in the early 90s there was a club member featured in Low Flying, who had fitted a Rover V8. It looked like something from Mad Max. No idea how it went or handled.

There was also a feature on someone who had fitted the engine and gearbox from a Sierra 4x4 to give permanent 4WD with a 30/70 front to rear split. It was said to handle like it was on rails.

Edited by Mort7 on Sunday 10th April 12:35

[andy97]

And there was the SEight that originated in Kingswinford.

[Equus]

Yep, lots of Rover V8 engined cars have been built: Westfield, Dax, Luego (amongst others). Even Sylvas... and the standard Sylva is so small that it makes a Caterham look a bit bloated and lardy.

There have also been a number of Chevy LS-engined 'Seven' types.

[MKnight702]

The reason that the Rover or Chevy will fit and the Audi won't is that the older engines have a single central camshaft and pushrods, making the engine very compact. Something that cannot be said for the Audi wideboy.

If you want to spend a shedload on an unusual engine, what about the Hartley H1? Two Hayabusa blocks siamesed into a V8. That fits into a Caterham (as the designer used his Caterham as the mule).

[AWRacing]

You need a Radical Macroblock V8, should easily fit (L 546mm x W 513mm x H 440mm).
I have a feeling it might cost more than a new caterham though...

[Smollet]

What a bizarre idea.

[Snapping]

I remember caterham having a small run of V8 powered cars called levante. I forever see one for sale by sevens and classics, looks rather mad and beyond my driving skills.

I wonder if greater gains could be made trying to reduce weight further, maybe time to strap a helium balloon to the car.

[coppice]

But the V8 in Levates (and the V6 in another well known bonkers Seven) wasn't some humungous 5litre thing designed to push 1700kg Audi and Lambos along . I would love to know why the question was asked..but it isn;t that unusual . On several occasions people have said to me why I don't I put a Rover V8 in my R400(sometimes adding that his mate is going to do this . Right, yes.)My answer is how long have you got ?

[Mike Biddle]

I have a naturally aspirated (there were supercharged versions as well) RST V8 (Yamaha cylinder heads on custom bocks/crankcase/crank)in my S3, the motor weighs 93KG including flywheel and 7.25" clutch, alternator, and all induction equipment, so very light compared to a "standard" V8

Currently it process 355 HP @ 10K RPM.

To say its a tight fit would be a massive understatement, but it's quite nippy too.

[AWRacing]

What sort of price was that engine, and what gearbox is it mated to?