Akpilot's Roadster

[Akpilot]

Well I've been busy taking apart Zogsters X-Roadster and I'm finding lots of rust. Seems this car was sitting a long while rusting away and a body man did a paint job and put bondo over rust just to paint it. Well here is what I've been finding.

Ak

[Akpilot]

More on the tear down

[Akpilot]

I'm going to pull the body off the frame and needing to brace up the body before hand. I was wondering how high off the frame the body usually sits? Is it the same distance as the inner fender rubber? From memory it seems to be about 1/2".

Ak

[jamesw]

OK - so now you know all about your car. And it's not that bad. That is typical rust but nothing extreme. And with Bob2's floor pans and rockers you are set.

It will take time and money but it could be much worse.

Good luck and have fun!

James

[notoptoy]

I agree, the rust doesn't really look all that bad from the pictures. Great project good luck and keep it moving along so you can enjoy the ride!

[Akpilot]

Jamesw

Please don't get me wrong, not complaining about anything but old man rust, had my share of run-ins with my 1971 cj5 to the point I purchased a fiberglass body for her. But yea I'm having fun, plan is to do a motor swap, put in floor boards and then drive this summer. Then when winter comes back around do a complete body restoration. Like I said in my intro I must be doing something in the garage or I go stir crazy.

Ak

[Tacomaboy 1]

I copy that.

[Akpilot]

Aside from the 12" of snow that dropped Friday night, I was able to spend a few hours gutting the interior. Working toward getting the body off the frame.

Ak

[Akpilot]

For the past 10+ years I have been building dune buggies and just finished a side X side in my spare shop time. About a year ago myself and son, who is a senior in High School, were looking for a project we could do together and drive on the street as the buggies don't get used all that much with both of us working. We stumbled on a 2011 wrecked Hayabusa and purchased it. Originally we were looking for a Austin Cooper or Morris Cooper to put it in but they are few and far between, plus shipping to Alaska was putting that on hold. Then Came along this little Roadster and the wheels started turning. Since joining this site I really like the SR swaps and how nice that would be. With my son still pulling for the Busa we figured the deciding factor would be if the busa fits then we'll move forward, if not then we'll get a SR engine and trans for this car. Here is our work so far

Ak

[Akpilot]

I've been wrestling with the two ways to do this swap, forward facing engine and transverse mounting. The easiest will be transverse and that's the way I doing it. Ultimately the thought of long chains killed the forward mounting plan, although it would have been the most efficient power transfer and gear ratios would be cheap and easy. I purchased a drive shaft mounting flange for the bikes output shaft from the UK and the inline reverser from Sinister Sand Sports. There will be two drive shafts one from the engine/trans out put to a inline reverser mounted in the X bracing and then a shaft to the rear end - well that's the plan anyway.

Ak

[Gregs672000]

Wow, I don't think I have ever seen a motorcylce engine transplated to a Roadster before! BTW, my floors looked the same when I got my car. The top of the frame is a cap that can be fixed.

[Alvin]

insanity! 200hp/115tq, but 1500lbs more to move!
Should be fun to rev to 11krpm

[Akpilot]

Wow, I don't think I have ever seen a motorcylce engine transplated to a Roadster before! BTW, my floors looked the same when I got my car. The top of the frame is a cap that can be fixed.

Greg, Yea the top of the frame will easy, kill the rust in there and cap over. Been thinking of how to slow/stop the interior of the frame - what have any of you done to do this? I been thinking of putting in the three part gas tank sealer. Pour it in and let it coat everywhere, just a thought. I'm definitely welding caps on the front frame rails to stop water from entering.

insanity! 200hp/115tq, but 1500lbs more to move!
Should be fun to rev to 11krpm

I'm hopin' it is not 1500lbs more to move than the bike - this little beast should be a couple hundred pounds lighter than with the old engine/trans. Anyway I rode in my brothers 1500lb sand car and it was a impressive. So yea I should be fun!

I'm just glad you all haven't banned me for the is blasphemy I'm creating.

[Alvin]

I'm hopin' it is not 1500lbs more to move than the bike - this little beast should be a couple hundred pounds lighter than with the old engine/trans. Anyway I rode in my brothers 1500lb sand car and it was a impressive. So yea I should be fun!

ahh this is true....you won't be using a standard, 5-speed transmission!

I'm just glad you all haven't banned me for the is blasphemy I'm creating.

meh, just have fun. Working on/driving a roadster is better than just talking about one.

[Akpilot]

Good Roadster day, my old engine and transmission has a new lease on life. A guy in Houston Alaska has a 1969 2000 that wants my engine so he can run the car while he rebuilds his engine. Also he wanted it to see what it looked like - I guess he has two engines in multiple boxes and not sure what is what at this point. I did tell him about this site so hopefully he'll come in and join the fun.

Ak