My old racecar was once a rotary-powered spridget (the preceding owner
changed it back to A-series). From the butchery that was done to that car, I
can't say I like the idea, but that could be just a function of a DPO.
Dean King (South Australia) competes regularly in a rotary powered sprite.
It
goes like the clappers but the weight distribution isn't quite right and he
still
gets out-handled by conventional sprites on a tight track like the short
track at
Winton. On fast tracks however....
A very popular conversion now is the Toyota 4AGE motor. You can fit a 20
valve
version of this motor that puts out about 100kW (at the flywheel). The
balance of
the car is quite close to a standard spridget and so it handles very well.
You do
have to make additional room up high (a big bump in the bonnet/hood). KG
Engineering have made a SC/CR gearset for one of the RWD toyota 5 speed
gearboxes. This is a setup that Jeff Smith uses for racing. The car has the
straight-
line performance of a BIG $$$$ top race sprite but is a mild and reliable
standard
motor. The only problems he had related to the gearbox before he had the
SC/CR
gearset made.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: J6879758@emu.bendigo.latrobe.edu.au
<J6879758@emu.bendigo.latrobe.edu.au>
To: spridgets@autox.team.net <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: Tuesday, 28 July 1998 12:37
Subject: rotaries
>At the risk of much abuse from the purists, I am wondering if anyone
>has heard of a sprite or midget with a rotary engine?
> They (rotaries) are very popular in australia with small car
>enthusiasts and I would think that with the spridget's low weight, a
>rotary would make for a potent little roadster.
>I have seen many rx powered cars blitz big V8's off the mark.
>
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