Messages

31

Non-Moto / Car project ideas

« on: November 05, 2012, 05:19:01 PM »

Nice vw dogger

Yeh, it's one of your faster beetles.

Cool pictures of the Whittington Brother's car.  I'm more used to seeing the "93" car they fielded along
with little brother Dale:

A little K3 trivia for you.  If you look closely, see the body panel in the back that fills the gap between
the rear bumperettes?  That panel was removabale and many teams didn't run them because they would
get torched and melt during a race:

Is it an original Kremer

The car was/is a 1980 factory 935 (chassis number 00024) that was converted to a K3 later that same
year.  The Kremer brothers either bought 935s from Porsche, converted them and sold them, or teams
bought their own 935s and took them to Kremer Racing for conversion.  Or, you could buy a complete
conversion kit from Kremer and do the work yourself.  There were several versions of the 935.  The
factory cars, Joest, JLP, Kremer along with the odd one off.  Porsche lost interest in group 4 and 5 racing
around '79 and turned their attention to the ill fated Indy car engine.  They kept making customer 935s,
but the long tail "Moby ****" car was the last factory backed 935.  The Kremers are the best known
because they were the most dominate. 

This car was damaged extensively in the crash - all four wheels were ripped off and all four corners were
demolished.  The central body tub, interior, fuel system, fire suppresion system and air jacks are still
intact and in good shape.  The restoration is very slow going mostly due to cost.  The good news is there
is a lot of interest in vintage and historic race cars, so most parts are available.  The next item I need is
the transmission.  It's a model specific four speed that is mounted upside down to optimize the halfshaft
angles.  I found a company that restores and sells them.

The plan is to "drift" from two to four wheel racing.  I'm not getting any younger and MX is notoriously
hard on the body.  Since this car has a "pedigree", it's eligible for the many Historic race events that are
held each year.  I'd like to race some of those and whatever vintage class it falls in to.  I have already
completed a couple of "how to drive a race car" schools and I plan to put something together to compete
with and develop the necessary skills, until this car is done.

Love the sound of those Porsche boxer sixes.

Me too, especially when that sound pins you to your seat.

dogger

 

32

Non-Moto / Car project ideas

« on: November 04, 2012, 09:20:58 PM »

If you're into turbocharged cars, I'm hip deep in a 1980 Porsche
935 Kremer K3 restoration.

The car was a write off after a crash at the 24 hours of Daytona,
I bought what was left of it a few years ago.  The drivetrain was
removed so I had to start from scratch with the engine and
transmission.

I found a shop in Europe that specializes in this kind of work and
they built me a new engine using a combination of OE, aftermarket
and reproduction parts.  Spezial Motorer will build anybody one of
these little monsters, all you have to do is take out a second
mortgage on your house to pay for it 

The engine is a 3.2L 935/80 with some "upgrades" and produces a
little over 950 bhp at a turbo boost setting of 1.6 bar.  Normal "race"
boost is 1.4 bar, which would yield around 800 bhp.

Due to parts availability and cost, I expect this project to take
2-3 years to complete.  msmola2002 is right about bikes being
cheaper.  The mechanical injector pump for this engine cost more
than my CR500.

Here's a video of the power certification dyno run done on an
identical engine.  The guy in the video is named Micke, he owns
the shop that does the work and is one of the best IMO.  All
the crap surrounding the engine is there to feed the intercoolers
and provide paths for intake and exhaust.  The engine is much
more compact in the car. I've attached a picture of just the
engine below the dyno video.

Admittedly, this is not the budget project gpnewhouse7 had
in mind.  Come to think of it, I can't think of a way any car
can be restored to anything above demolition derby quality
for less than a bike.

dogger



 

33

General Two Stroke Talk / CR500AF update

« on: October 30, 2012, 03:45:53 PM »

Is that the Blackfoot Honda out of Calgary, Alberta?

Yes it is.  They had a good, well funded satellite team with some
talented riders and a back door deal with Factory Honda for some
"works" parts.  TMR built the engines for them and those engines
were reportedly very close to the Team Honda engines according
to riders that had the opportunity to ride both.

because its had 12 more years of development

Interesting thought.  I remember talking to some of the folks at
Honda about this same subject years ago.  They said at the time,
the current design piston port engine had been developed about
as far as it could be.  Some of the engine builders I worked with
said the same thing. 

I am always bagging on Honda for ruining the CRs with the case
reed engine, but it may have been a case where funds and R&D
were being diverted to the fledgling four stroke program and the
case reed design never got a chance. 

If all of the R&D Honda normally put into an engine had been
devoted, the "RC" may have developed into another big power
arm stretcher like so many of it's predecessors instead of the
last place bike stinking up all the shootouts.

dogger

34

General Two Stroke Talk / CR500AF update

« on: October 29, 2012, 11:23:26 PM »

First, thanks to you both for the good word.

just wondering where you get the 54-56hp claim from?

Those claims come from dyno runs performed by Tom Morgan back in the
day.  This engine is a copy of the engines he built for Heath Voss and Co.,
when they were riding for Blackfoot Honda.  The dyno numbers were in the
53-55 hp range on race gas.  I have added oxygenated race gas (not legal
in AMA pro racing), which is good for 1 to 2 additional hp, so I'm upping the
number to 54-56 hp.

the new KTMs only make 51hp

Only ,  That's a big number from a stock production engine  The stock 00-01
CR250 engine only produced 47 hp in comparison and it was the king of the hill
at the time.  FWIW, it cost me almost as much as a new 250SX to build this
engine, but like my 500, it isn't a budget build.  Adding horsepower and
reliability doesn't come cheap.  Besides, what's the point of going through all
the trouble of building a two stroke conversion that's down 5 hp to the
competition?  The goal is to produce the fastest, lightest and the best handling
and suspended 250 two stroke on the track - whatever it takes or cost.

dogger

 

35

General Two Stroke Talk / CR500AF update

« on: October 29, 2012, 08:07:04 PM »

Aren't the Honda frames a 7000 series self hardening alloy whereas the 6061 you would normally treat to T6?

Yes, Honda uses 7075-0 Alloy for the frame rails and extrusions and 6061-T6 for the various brackets and engine mounts.
The "0" state for the 7075 results in a tensile strength of 40,000 psi.   The "T6" state for the 6061 yields a tensile strength
of 42,000 psi.  That's the exact same combination I'm using.  The goal is to maintain the same strength and flex to preserve
the OE chassis dynamics.  That's not the case when you replace a tube cradle with a solid billet piece. 

I recall reading in DB magazine about a 2000/1 CR250 AF conversion, who did that one?

Not familiar with that test since the 2000/01 CR250s were already "AFs".

Will you try out the SmartCarb?

I may try one down the road.  Right now, I'm using a PWK S with TPS and a power jet.  The carb electrics will be run
with a Vortex digital, programmable IC.

This engine is a carbon copy of the engines TMR built for me back in 2000-01.  Those engine produced mid 50s
hp on VP MR2.  MR2 is no longer being produced so I switched to Renegade SX2.  The SX2 is a close copy of MR2,
so I'm expecting similar results.  54-56 hp in a bike that should have a dry weight under 200 lbs - If the smartcarb
claims are true, mounting one would be complete overkill on a bike like this.

dogger

36

General Two Stroke Talk / CR500AF update

« on: October 29, 2012, 01:20:11 AM »

Looks like you have an amazing piece of work there. Thats gotta be pulling 55+ at the rear minimum

Thanks a bunch!  Don't know what it's producing at the rear wheel, but it's enough to put a big
grin on your face.

I 'm thinking of possibly making a longer link, about 2mm, but then I need to mess with dropping the forks and or offset clamps.

Unfortunately, changing the length of the pull rods will not move the shock further from the case.  Because the dogbone position is fixed, longer
pullrods will only rotate the dogbone counter clockwise.  All this will get you is a change in the vertical axis for the shock (lower your seat height).

How much meat is in the case at that area where you coped it?

There is about 5mm.  Here's a picture:



My Ti shock spring is rated at 5.3kg/m.  It's the same diameter as a 5.8 kg/m steel spring.
Radiusing the case should work as well for your bike.

Is this the build that is posted on the cr500riders site?
if so are you still doing a CR250 conversion in the near future?

Yes, it's the same bike.  I'm working on that CR250 project right now.

I am using a 2009 CRF 250R frame and adding a copy of a 2007 CR250 cradle.
I'm taking this conversion up a few notches.  I used a handheld laser scanner
to scan the 07 and 09 frames and the 00 CR250 engine.  The plan is to do all
the design work using CAD (SolidWorks), then produce the new cradle rails
and engine mounts with CAM.  After a lot of digging, I finally sourced the radiused
corner square metric tubing that Honda uses for the cradle.  The engine mounts
will be reproductions of the OE Honda mounts using 6061 Aluminum stock.  I'm
using the hoop from an 07 CR250 donor frame, but the CRF hoop will work just
as good.

This conversion is proving to be much more difficult than the 500, partly because
of my insistence on no billet frame members, and partly because the CR250 engine
shape is more difficult to adapt.

Here's a couple of pictures of the 00 CR250 engine I built for the bike:





If you have any questions, PM me.  I'll be happy to fill you in.

dogger

 

37

General Two Stroke Talk / CR500AF update

« on: October 27, 2012, 08:18:32 PM »

I ended up finding a Ti spring from a different manufacturer (RCS), that had the same OD as a
steel spring.  Even with that, I had to radius the case.  To do that, use a grinding disc the same
OD as the spring and run it off the center line of the case, I took off 2mm.  Remember, that
part of the case is not part of the transmission seal, just surrounds the swingarm pivot bolt
passage.  After grinding, hit it with 320 then 400 grit wet sandpaper and finish with WD40
and a Grey or Green Scothbrite pad to return the surface back to normal.

Here's a picture:



dogger

38

General Two Stroke Talk / 167lb CR125

« on: October 18, 2012, 08:46:00 PM »

If you are a Motocrosser, and don't plan on racing Pro, let Roger's words be a lesson to you. LOSE WEIGHT!

Very true statement.  Unfortunately, it can get expensive in a hurry.  There are a lot of weight savings opportunities on a
modern MXer, but most of them come from swapping existing material for something lighter (and more expensive).  I can
knock off around ten pounds from a bike by putting it on a Titanium diet - cost averages $600 a pound.  Carbon fiber is not
all that practical for MX, high cost and fragile in comparison to plastic.  There is also the danger of chasing weight over
reliability and even safety.  A good example of this is swapping in Titanium fork springs.  The springs will save you just over
a pound and last about two motos before they are worn to their fatigue limit.

Another thing to consider is we are comparing apples to oranges with some of this.  Joel and Roger's Suzukis were air cooled,
conventional forked and dual shocked.  My stock production 73 CR250M is substantially lighter than any of the water cooled
Hondas with linkage suspension and upside down forks.  The point is, if you water cooled those bikes, added 14" travel forks
and linkage shocks then reinforced those spindly frames to handle the added stress and loads, I doubt they would come in
under 200 lbs even with all the exotic material.

dogger

39

General Two Stroke Talk / the Bull$hit press just pumped out another gem

« on: October 15, 2012, 10:05:10 PM »

Pathetic. " title="Angry" class="smiley">

Honda and guisuckme can deny that the world economy and four strokes stink all day long,  that doesn't
change the facts.  This is a page out of the FIA playbook for open wheel auto racing with a twist.  There,
the young talent is started in karting, then ushered up the ladder in various formulas where the best can
score a F1 ride and the rich just buy one.

Honda's involvement smacks of desperation to insure the four stroke status quo by any means necessary.
I recently read an article in Dirt Bike where the author was talking about the increasing resurgence of two
stroke.  He said the Japanese are watching KTM take a bigger and bigger slice of the market, but aren't
able to respond due to their economy.  I believe that as the world economy improves, the Japanese will
reconsider their "four stroke only" approach - all except Honda, which will get left behind due to arrogance,
and deservedly so.

dogger

40

Technical / Splitting the cases - DIY?

« on: October 13, 2012, 12:02:44 AM »

Is this something I should try at home or take the bottom end to a shop?

If you are confident in your wrenching skills, you owe it to yourself to give it a try.
Make sure you have a proper service manual (one from the manufacturer is the best),
case splitting tool, flywheel puller and a gasket set.

I've done several post on various forums detailing the process with lot's of pictures.
Here is a link to one that shows the process on a Honda CR500 engine:
http://www.allthingsmoto.com/forums/f-235/cr500-engine-build-pictorial-part-1-a-50432/

You can get a very good deal on the case splitter and flywheel puller from Rocky Mountain
Cycle under their Tusk brand.  These are good quality tools that won't cost a small fortune
like some of the "name" brands out there.

Once you've done it, you'll see it's not hard.  Also, that new ability will give you a better
understanding of how your engine works as well as save you money down the road.

dogger

41

General Two Stroke Talk / 1973 Elsinore cr250m

« on: October 10, 2012, 04:15:31 PM »

Google up Paul Stannard he should be able to find that Hodaka for you.

Thanks 2T, I'll check him out.

dogger

42

General Two Stroke Talk / 1973 Elsinore cr250m

« on: October 09, 2012, 03:25:57 AM »

That is a fine example of a CR

Thanks!  She's my pride and joy.

Each of the bikes I restore for myself comes with a set of memories.  I
always run Maxima 927 in the "Elsie" to try and match the smell with the
unique "sound" of these bikes, kind of a total sensory experience.

Some of the best MX memories I have come from this bike and the chrome
tank Super Rat I started out on - I would like to find and restore one of
those someday.

friend here has a 125 on a wooden plinth in his lounge room

That's taking it to a whole new level.

dogger

43

General Two Stroke Talk / 1973 Elsinore cr250m

« on: October 07, 2012, 05:21:44 PM »

Thanks!  Here's a before picture 



Probably not the best candidate for a restoration.  At least I saved it from the scrap yard.

As one of the first few hundred produced, the bike came with a forged crankshaft.  Production was ramped up so fast that some of
the tooling wasn't complete, so the very early bikes came with forged vs cast crankshafts.  You can tell the forgings from the holes
in the crank halves:



dogger

44

General Two Stroke Talk / 1973 Elsinore cr250m

« on: October 06, 2012, 05:06:07 PM »

Some interesting thoughts from everyone.

I remember when the Elsinore'e first hit the scene.  Before, everyone would laugh at you if you pulled up
to the line on a Japanese MXer.  Not that there were a lot to choose from, basically the TMs or a modded
DT.  Shortly after they started appearing, the Hondas started winning races and by the next season, the
starting line was littered with them.  Sure, they had problems (just like all the other bikes), but parts
were cheaper and easier to get and I believe that was the big difference.  Race bikes of that era broke
a lot and most of the people that raced them weren't rolling in money (like me).  The $1000 cost of
admission was hard enough - that was a lot of mowed lawns. But the Euros cost quite a bit more and
the parts were expensive and never in stock, at least where I lived.

I had to put in a new top end once a month because of the sand rich environment I raced (FL). Instead
of ordering and waiting for pistons and rings that may or may not arrive before the next race, I wandered
down to my local Honda dealer and picked them up for half the price of the Husky parts I used the year
before.  That was the game changer for me. 

I had a lot of fun and won a bunch of races on my Elsinore.  It fit me like a glove, had a great engine,
alloy rims on Mag hubs, a stout Chrome Moly frame, great brakes and decent suspension right out of
the box.  It also made me a Honda fan for life. 

The CR250M was the first bike I wanted to restore when I started doing that kind of work.  Here is a
picture of my early "73" with a forged crankshaft:



The bike is OE except for metric sized tires.  It is my most prized bike, and the restoration I put the
most "blood, sweat and tears" into.

dogger
 

45

General Two Stroke Talk / wish bone for service honda cr500?

« on: September 30, 2012, 09:55:31 PM »

Is there a disadvantage to 450's?

The 450 frame will work fine.  The CRF250 frame is about the size of a CR125 frame
and that makes for a nice compact package with a bunch of power.   I think that's
the appeal - at least it is for me.  You think you're sitting on a CRF250R until you
go to start it

Contact Glen Stoffers at 209-480-7900.  He sells all the parts you need to convert a
CRF450 for $800.

dogger