26/06/2012 12:30 | By Sean Carson, contributor, MSN Cars
The 10 greatest bike-engined cars

Z Cars Mini

Z Cars Mini (© Z Cars)
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The original Mini was famed for its clever packaging - the Zcars iteration is no different. It's actually a spaceframe chassis with a four-cylinder superbike engine installed behind the driver powering the rear wheels. With a wheelbase that short and all that oomph, oversteer will likely be the dish of the day.

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8Comments
A Bloke (Yours is not the ONLY Truth)
27/06/2012 22:28
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I put a Honda 750 engine into my Fiat Tipo.

But that was just to take it home and fit it into my Honda 750.

 

Does this count ?.

 

Peace.

Peter Mender (PCC45)
27/06/2012 21:22
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Some time ago I heard of someone who fitted a Honda 750cc motorcycle engine into a mini. The idea was to compete in 750cc class car hill climbing.  Well the story goes that he fitted the engine and then fitted a supercharger.  When the time came to start the car all seemed ok.  That is until the vehicle was put into gear.  It appears that motorcycle engines run in the opposite direction to normal car engines.  The hill climb car had five reverse gears and one forward gear.

A Bloke (Yours is not the ONLY Truth)
27/06/2012 22:25
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There is an obvious point missed here.

The sheer compact efficiency of a bike engine can also return phenomenal MPG with ample real-world performance and reliability.

Car engine designers could learn a great deal from the bike boys (and visa-vera), but closed minds are doomed to repeat their mistakes.

 

Peace.

Mike Kelly
28/06/2012 17:16
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Why not just buy a bike? Friend of mine put a Hillman Imp engine in a Norton Featherbed frame, quite a common occurrence in the late 60's. Norton engines in Hillman Imps was not such a good combination.
G8YMW Sneath (G8YMW)
27/06/2012 23:09
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The Morgan 3 wheeler has been on the go for donkey's years. The earliest had a V twin with exposed valve gear (J A P  engine?) In the 70's and 80's they used the Moto Guzzi lump
stuart dickson
27/06/2012 11:12
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you missed one of the best, the rocket, made by the light car company.

 

anthony clarke-grenfell (marmaduke3)
28/06/2012 21:47
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my grandfather built cars at brooklands and beyond check him out John Granville Grenfell affectionately known a Jack he is on the net cheers
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