From Jacks Dad !!! .....

I have a 'Robin Hood 2B' kit car, similar in looks to the Lotus 7/Caterham/Westfield style 2-seater. It is fitted with a moddified 2.1 litre Ford Pinto engine driving the back wheels. The engine has had over £1000 of mods by its previous owner and it now puts out just under 170 bhp at the flywheel - considerably better than its original condition when it came out of a 1987 2.0 Sierra.

Many different engines have been fitted to Robin Hoods, including some engines normally associated with front wheel drive such as Vauxhall Red-Tops from the GTE's, or mid-engined Toyota MR2 etc etc.

The factory that makes the kits even fitted one of their early demonstrators with a 5.3 V12 Jag engine just to prove it could be done and to prove that the chassis was up to coping with such power - albeit the donor engine had to be dismantled on the bench and then rebuilt into the engine bay - but it did go in !!!!!

Due to the fact that I would consider 20mpg to be good - I usually get around 16-18mpg !!! - I am looking to upgrade mine to a more modern engine with a good punch and able to be tweeked in power output without having to spend silly money to achieve it.

Q1. Does anyone know of an Octavia VRS engine being coupled to a rear wheel drive gearbox for use in a kit car??

Q2. Has anyone actually done it?

Q3. What sort of price is a full Octavia VRS engine from a breakers complete with its necessary auxiliaries and management system?

Q4. What sort of cost is involved in boosting the output?

Any advice would be very welcome, even if you tell me not to do it !!!!

Thanks

Mick (Jacks moderately irresponsible Dad)

a mapped vrs lump in a kit car would be epic!!

As for the rest of your questions.. pass.

theres my input lol

I work directly opposite robin hood kit cars . Always some interesting motors there.

If i were you, i'd go for the 2.0 YB lump found in the sierra / escort cosworth. 220bhp standard (depends which lump, 2wd, 4wd 200 block). Easily see 280bhp with a few simple mods. Plenty for a robin hood!

Edited 30 May, 201214 yr by Liam-6

I haven't seen any, apart from 4WD golf MK1 or MK2 conversions. I think Formula Palmer Audi used them in their track cars with about 400BHP iirc.

If you can have any engine, the 1.8T would be awesome, but I can think of better ones. Alfa Romeo V6 or VW VR6 turbo for exmaple would be awesome, but would cost a lot to get more power.

Edited 13 June, 201214 yr by rk696

I think this should sort your engine management.

Not cheap though

http://www.qpeng.com/products/vag_plug_and_play_engine_management_kits/18t_20v_plug_and_play_kits.html

Not sure what gearbox U could use

Following this thread with interest..... As i'm considering stripping my car and using the engine/gearbox/brakes etc. and fitting it all into a Lotus Elise chassis with a view to keeping it as a track car.

Jabba had a big turbo'd Elise a while back, would be interesting to know what power it had, chassis weighed less than half a ton....

On that basis I could be close to 900bhp per ton!!!

Steve

Think the elise has the full engine and gear box dropped in.

Heard mention of the standard ecu being fitted in and part of the instrument panel being in there with a key stuck to it for the transponder. Not really needed as shark can remove the coding, why not give them a ring they know these engines inside and out and are usually free with their advice

Sent from my GT-I9100. Not a Crapple!

Q1. Does anyone know of an Octavia VRS engine being coupled to a rear wheel drive gearbox for use in a kit car??

Q2. Has anyone actually done it?

Q3. What sort of price is a full Octavia VRS engine from a breakers complete with its necessary auxiliaries and management system?

Course it's been done

Following this thread with interest..... As i'm considering stripping my car and using the engine/gearbox/brakes etc. and fitting it all into a Lotus Elise chassis with a view to keeping it as a track car.

Guy a? pro alloy is running a 600 bhp oné lol fast is not the word lol

Its an easy conversion also you jíst need the pro alloy chargé cooler

Jabba had a big turbo'd Elise a while back, would be interesting to know what power it had, chassis weighed less than half a ton....

On that basis I could be close to 900bhp per ton!!!

Steve

Dont forget the dutch Donkervoorts are using the 1.8T 5V lump. So there should be a gearbox for rwd.

The engine itself can be used out of an Audi A4, 1.8T as well as the 2.0T(F)SI, as they are mounted lengthwise.

... Lotus Elise ... pro alloy is running a 600 bhp oné lol fast is not the word

Course it's been done

Best air filter location i've seen on a 1.8T :p haha!

Current FIA Formula 2 cars use the Audi 1.8 20vT engine. They run 425bhp, with 500bhp available with a push-button overboost feature.

Loads and loads of RWD kit cars have been using the 1.8 20vT for years.

If it were my car I'd probably go for a Japanese N/A engine, probably Honda or Toyota. Less electronics, better throttle response. Yes you can probably get more power from a 1.8T, but for the type of car it's going in N/A would be my choice.

Couple of mates recently used Kawasaki ZZR1400 engines in cars. One in an MNR kit car, one in a spaceframe'd mini.

omfg snow that is a machine and i cant see your thinking ;-)

doable

thanks for all the posts and comments, im sure it will have helped the old man in one way or another!

I now NEED!!!!!!! a Lotus Elise...........................................Thanks Snow!!!