How about fitting/converting to 4x4?

[Buggybloke]

I was reading an article the other day about a 'Twini-Mini', where someone had fitted a 2nd engine and box to the rear of a Mini Cooper, with surprisingly good results, also of a 'Twini-Moke', similarly equipped. Then I thought, how about fitting a 2nd engine and box to my Blitz2?, at the front?, I was puzzling my brain to think of a way round the resulting 'unlinked' front and rear transmissions, and sort of came up with the idea of moving my current manual 1275 engine and box to the front, (3.44:1 diff) and fitting another 1275 engine in the rear, but with an auto box on it....is there an auto box with the same ratio final drive? I assume it would be ok to just leave the auto box in 'drive', except when reversing, or just using the front engine. Would the auto box just change to suit what the front engine was doing?, or would it end upgrading itself apart somewhere in middle? .... Could of course just use BOTH engines when only off-road in the sloppy brown stuff. It wouldn't be true 4 wheel drive as such, but all 4 wheels would be driven, if and when required,... Does anyone have any more thoughts or ideas on this hair-brained idea?

 

[Steves2580]

I've seen this done in a mini, but not yet in a Blitz!!
Sounds like a belting idea!
One of my ex evening class students was on the design team for the development of the first Audi Quattro twin engined rally car!
He told me that their car had a manual up front and an auto in the rear!
As long as you select neutral on the auto while using the manual engine on its own, you'll be fine!
The auto box will select the correct gear for the speed of travel, when you accelerate you'll get power from both units!!
Go for it, it will be a fun build.
Steve.

 

[Danny]

sounds like an interesting build...

wonder how the road tax works on twin engines....

 

[Buggybloke]

Well there's three options there, a) don't tell them, and only use both engines when 'off-road', and b) ask at Post Office, and declare total cc's of engine size, which would be approx 2.7 ltr, and pay whatever is due amount for that size engine. And c) if you are lucky enough to have an old enough Pre -'73 donor vehicle, have it as tax exempt, (only if previously SVA'd and used enough of donor cars parts to warrant using its original registration number, sadly my Blitz is 'A'' prefix, and I don't think it is old enough.... Was just thinking too, if a K series can fit in the back of a buggy, one in the front also?..... Omg! That would be seriously quick if it was a 1.8 VVC lump each end! Ooo oh!

 

[Lilspeed]

only use both engines when 'off-road',

I've heard of a few twin engine cars over the years, several minis, the twini moke, a twin VR6 Golf and the same in a Polo and the twin V8 ice cream van on Scrapheap Challenge, and I'm sure that I read/heard somewhere that it's illegal to drive on the public highway with two engines driving different wheels.

Great idea though, I bet it'd be loads of fun in a muddy field! 8)

 

[Phaeton]

***cough*** Prius

Alan...

 

[Buggybloke]

Apparently not illegal in U.K. But it is illegal in some European countries, and a Prius only has 1 engine, accompanied by an electric MOTOR, not technically an engine, since it is not combustion driven....

 

[Lilspeed]

***cough*** Prius

Alan...

Well I had to check, but it turns out the Prius is FWD only! But now you mention hybrids Alan, the Lexus hybrid 4x4 thing has electrickery driving the rear wheels so there's a chance I was spouting cr@p there! ???

 

[Mini Mad Max]

I imagine you can have 2 engines aslong as they power the same axel, as i've seen a Z-cars twin motorbike engined mini friving the rear wheels. Don't know whether it was road legal though.
Max