Engine Ideas for off road buggy

[Jono FD3]

Guys, I\'m coming to a blank on this... I know the usual suspect is a bike engine, but this is going to be for my nephew who is 12 at the mo. basicaly he wants to learn to drive & dropping a car engine in this as he will get to grips with clutch & throttle control & reversing...

Basicaly I want to keep it less than 1300cc, front wheel drive (as it\'s going to be mid engine) but the important thing is I\'d like to stay away from injection if poss.... or if I have to go down the injection route, it has to be simple to wire up! LOL as I realy can\'t be arsed to faf with electrics!

Cheers
Jono

[redgti]

swift gti engine (1.3 and 100bhp + rev really well), most swifts are rotten as anything so maybe get a whole car cheap. however is injection so you will have to deal with that.
 
however maybe a bit extreem for a 12 year old

[Jono FD3]

Could always lock it out to 3 gears for him & five for me & his old man!

[TiddlesRX7]

Mini engine seems like the obvious choise to me. or maybe something out of a Mk1 or 2 Fiesta.

[Jono FD3]

Like to keep the engine alloy to keep the weight down as the buggy only comes in at about 350kg so would be a shame to put a lump of pig iron in the back!
as much as I like the A-series from the mini, they are heavy old lumps... thing is I have a 1275 turbo lump in the garage, but weight is the big issue!

Jono

[TRIND-FD]

My 12 year old son wants a car we can do as a project for when he can drive, We are going for a suzuki cappuccino. 650cc just after christmas. I reckon that would be a good engine choice for your buggy.
 
Keith.

[Jono FD3]

Very expensive & they are rear drive

[TRIND-FD]

Very expensive & they are rear drive

 
Forgot about that lol
 
 
Keith.

[STU13 B]

1.4 Nova Sr? My mate had one when i was 17. Had twin webbers etc. Mind u that broke down every week.
 
Id be half tempted 2 make it RWD, then he would learn alot about car control when it steps out.
 
Sounds like a nice project tho, any pics?

[Ada7]

Obvious choice from me would be a beetle engine. Plenty of them about and easy to maintain. Just not made for FWD though

Adam

[Jono FD3]

You bunch of muppets! the engine needs to be FWD (or rear/mid engine rear drive car)as it is going to be mid mounted in the buggy making it rear wheel drive

[STU13 B]

Haha, was gona say, surely it would be completely pointless otherwise!

[Jono FD3]

all sorted... just been given a Mk1 Clio 1.2 for free! Suspected head gasket failure but nothing we can\'t sort out..... although it does men I will have to do some wireing

Jono

[PhillipM]

Obvious choice from me would be a beetle engine. Plenty of them about and easy to maintain. Just not made for FWD though

Adam

This, there\'s shedloads of parts available cheap because about 40,000 buggies have already been made out of chopped up beetles.

[davehg]

why not use a honda lawnmower engine like they use on indoor karts?