Looking for a shop to finish hayabusa-powered car build
Discussion
Hi All
I have an unfinished track-car build I need completed and I'm looking for the right place to have this work done. Anywhere in Europe is possible for me, I can have the car and engine transported there.
Maybe someone here knows the right people? Glad for any tips on who to talk to.
The goal is a fun (and somewhat retro) trackday car (no need to be road legal or approved for any race series) powered by a turboed hayabusa motorcyle engine.
Let me elaborate:
A few years ago I bought an old 1989 Mercedes 300E to use as a disposable trackday car. I removed the interior, had a half-cage, harnesses and sparco seats put in. I also replaced the rear and rear side glass with macrolon for weight reduction. Another mod where the brakes and disks to a more powerful system.
After a lot of track-day fun, I decided I needed more power (surprise) but did not want to change the car as I really like this old mercedes and with the AMG-Style front and rear bumpers plus my black-underseal paint job it kinda has a cool 90ies touring-car vibe.
After looking into various transplant options and V8 crate engines, a friend suggested he could install a hayabusa engine via chain drive over the rear axle. Since he's a car mechanic who also builds race-bikes that seamed like a good plan and I was exited to do the project with someone locally. I bought a fully built stage 3 turbo hayabusa engine from holeshot racing with dry sump and oil cooler as well as a MBE 9A4 ecu.
Unfortunately, my mechanic has some events in his life that lead him to loose his workshop and move in a different career direction, so that I'm now sitting on an unfinished project. This is where I hope you might come in. There seems to be no one in Switzerland or around with real experience of installing bike engines who would offer this as a service. As the UK is famous for kit car and race car engineering I-m hoping to find someone on pistonhead who can point me in the right direction.
Here is the current status/material to work with:
A 1989 Mercedes 300E in good, rust-free condition, with it's interior and the original engine removed and a roll cage welded in. It also has sparco seats and 4 point harnesses – I already have 6-point ones ready though and may want to change the seats for FIA-approved ones (the current ones are more for street use)
A strengthened hayabusa engine with stage 3 turbo kit installed, dry sump kit
A full fiberglass EVO 2 bodykit to give the finished car the right look
Fiberglass front wings for additional weight reduction
to do:
Install engine – either as planned in mid-engine configuration of if easier as FR with a custom driveshaft. I'm open for any suggestions for this project.
Figure out a way to cool the thing (an intercooler was included from holeshot but will be made to order once dimensions are known)
Install a shifter (for me, an up/down lever with mechanical linkage is fine)
Fabricate an exhaust system – ideally variable db level depending on track limits or simply a sub 90db solution.
Install the EVO 2 body kit (not mandatory, I can also do that myself)
Widen the track to fill the new evo wheelarches (easiest is probably wider tires/wheels)
Further lighten the car where possible. I could not track down glassfibre pieces other that the wings, but you may have ideas. The front side glass for example is still glass and electrical... maybe plexi with a slider will work.
Change or modify suspension (lower, more track-focused)
remove original dashboard and replace with a lighter, race-focused but (this is important) analogue configuration. (I prefer analogue dials to a digital dash as I'd love to keep an old-school look). I obviously need a rev counter, a shift light, oil pressure and temp, water temp, maybe air to fuel ration? - ideally also a gear indicator (I think there are very simple motorcycle aftermarket ones that just register the up-and down movements of the gear-leaver).
Extend the rollcage forward to full rollcage (or completely replace with a new one? Not sure how well the current one has been done)
Maybe also install a reverse gear? We were thinking about using an old starter-motor as electrical reverse...
Plus whatever you would recommend for a) safety – shut-off switch? Fire extinguisher system? I do want to pass track day scrutineering and I also want to make sure I have the needed safety equipment / built-standard to minimize risk in case of an accident.... and b) added retro-coolness. I have no wish to be historically accurate but I'd love to go for a 90's DTM-look and feel.
As you can see, this is very far from a standard build! If I can find someone who has the capability for such a build I'd be happy to talk details and project cost.
PM me or post here with your suggestions
And YES, it would be smarter to install that engine in a smaller, lighter car - I get that. but as this is meant to be for fun, I really want to try to make it work in my Mercedes...
I have an unfinished track-car build I need completed and I'm looking for the right place to have this work done. Anywhere in Europe is possible for me, I can have the car and engine transported there.
Maybe someone here knows the right people? Glad for any tips on who to talk to.
The goal is a fun (and somewhat retro) trackday car (no need to be road legal or approved for any race series) powered by a turboed hayabusa motorcyle engine.
Let me elaborate:
A few years ago I bought an old 1989 Mercedes 300E to use as a disposable trackday car. I removed the interior, had a half-cage, harnesses and sparco seats put in. I also replaced the rear and rear side glass with macrolon for weight reduction. Another mod where the brakes and disks to a more powerful system.
After a lot of track-day fun, I decided I needed more power (surprise) but did not want to change the car as I really like this old mercedes and with the AMG-Style front and rear bumpers plus my black-underseal paint job it kinda has a cool 90ies touring-car vibe.
After looking into various transplant options and V8 crate engines, a friend suggested he could install a hayabusa engine via chain drive over the rear axle. Since he's a car mechanic who also builds race-bikes that seamed like a good plan and I was exited to do the project with someone locally. I bought a fully built stage 3 turbo hayabusa engine from holeshot racing with dry sump and oil cooler as well as a MBE 9A4 ecu.
Unfortunately, my mechanic has some events in his life that lead him to loose his workshop and move in a different career direction, so that I'm now sitting on an unfinished project. This is where I hope you might come in. There seems to be no one in Switzerland or around with real experience of installing bike engines who would offer this as a service. As the UK is famous for kit car and race car engineering I-m hoping to find someone on pistonhead who can point me in the right direction.
Here is the current status/material to work with:
A 1989 Mercedes 300E in good, rust-free condition, with it's interior and the original engine removed and a roll cage welded in. It also has sparco seats and 4 point harnesses – I already have 6-point ones ready though and may want to change the seats for FIA-approved ones (the current ones are more for street use)
A strengthened hayabusa engine with stage 3 turbo kit installed, dry sump kit
A full fiberglass EVO 2 bodykit to give the finished car the right look
Fiberglass front wings for additional weight reduction
to do:
Install engine – either as planned in mid-engine configuration of if easier as FR with a custom driveshaft. I'm open for any suggestions for this project.
Figure out a way to cool the thing (an intercooler was included from holeshot but will be made to order once dimensions are known)
Install a shifter (for me, an up/down lever with mechanical linkage is fine)
Fabricate an exhaust system – ideally variable db level depending on track limits or simply a sub 90db solution.
Install the EVO 2 body kit (not mandatory, I can also do that myself)
Widen the track to fill the new evo wheelarches (easiest is probably wider tires/wheels)
Further lighten the car where possible. I could not track down glassfibre pieces other that the wings, but you may have ideas. The front side glass for example is still glass and electrical... maybe plexi with a slider will work.
Change or modify suspension (lower, more track-focused)
remove original dashboard and replace with a lighter, race-focused but (this is important) analogue configuration. (I prefer analogue dials to a digital dash as I'd love to keep an old-school look). I obviously need a rev counter, a shift light, oil pressure and temp, water temp, maybe air to fuel ration? - ideally also a gear indicator (I think there are very simple motorcycle aftermarket ones that just register the up-and down movements of the gear-leaver).
Extend the rollcage forward to full rollcage (or completely replace with a new one? Not sure how well the current one has been done)
Maybe also install a reverse gear? We were thinking about using an old starter-motor as electrical reverse...
Plus whatever you would recommend for a) safety – shut-off switch? Fire extinguisher system? I do want to pass track day scrutineering and I also want to make sure I have the needed safety equipment / built-standard to minimize risk in case of an accident.... and b) added retro-coolness. I have no wish to be historically accurate but I'd love to go for a 90's DTM-look and feel.
As you can see, this is very far from a standard build! If I can find someone who has the capability for such a build I'd be happy to talk details and project cost.
PM me or post here with your suggestions
And YES, it would be smarter to install that engine in a smaller, lighter car - I get that. but as this is meant to be for fun, I really want to try to make it work in my Mercedes...
To be honest with you I think your idea would just throw money away. Your car and engine combination does not make sense, yes you have a high reving high HP engine but it has no torque, you will need a lot of torque to get that lump moving.
It must be simpler and cheaper to put a V8 in it, i run a Hayabusa car that weighs in at 420kg and you notice the lack of torque and with no flywheel giving the clutch any inertia it will be a b
h to drive.
It must be simpler and cheaper to put a V8 in it, i run a Hayabusa car that weighs in at 420kg and you notice the lack of torque and with no flywheel giving the clutch any inertia it will be a b
h to drive.I guess you are right... Should have gone with a V8 swap. 
But now I'm sitting on a £12k engine with 550 BHP but no torque - No idea how to sell this or trade vs a V8 ... but I guess I could find a suitable lightweight car to put it in!
Any suggestions? I don't like the caterham/westfield-style cars too much but something like a RAW Striker Poenix would be pretty cool. I love a more classic styling
But now I'm sitting on a £12k engine with 550 BHP but no torque - No idea how to sell this or trade vs a V8 ... but I guess I could find a suitable lightweight car to put it in!
Any suggestions? I don't like the caterham/westfield-style cars too much but something like a RAW Striker Poenix would be pretty cool. I love a more classic styling
Araantonak said:
I guess you are right... Should have gone with a V8 swap.
But now I'm sitting on a £12k engine with 550 BHP but no torque - No idea how to sell this or trade vs a V8 ... but I guess I could find a suitable lightweight car to put it in!
Any suggestions? I don't like the caterham/westfield-style cars too much but something like a RAW Striker Poenix would be pretty cool. I love a more classic styling
Phoenix, Fisher Fury or J15But now I'm sitting on a £12k engine with 550 BHP but no torque - No idea how to sell this or trade vs a V8 ... but I guess I could find a suitable lightweight car to put it in!
Any suggestions? I don't like the caterham/westfield-style cars too much but something like a RAW Striker Poenix would be pretty cool. I love a more classic styling
I have to agree that putting that motor in that old Merc would be a total waste of money.
Araantonak said:
I don't like the caterham/westfield-style cars too much but something like a RAW Striker Poenix would be pretty cool. I love a more classic styling
The Caterham is the classic, the Striker is a more modern take on it? That said I think your engine would almost be wasted in a 7 bodied car.If I was in your shoes I'd seriously look at:
http://westfield-sportscars.co.uk/showroom-brochur...
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