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In response to some discussions on the FB page about the use of period correct / vintage engines as an alternative to the currently accepted 212cc GX200 or 48V / 3kW electric engines I'm creating this discussion.
To clarify. The current guidelines state the following...
Current official advice is to build in accordance with the guidelines.
However. The question has been raised
And I cannot disagree.
The current build advice is not likely to change any time soon, not until we have at least a bit more experience of running events under our belt. But at the very least we could look at how the approval to run an alternative engine is managed
So by way of explanation there's a few things driving the current guidelines:
Of course, we are still a little way off of holding public events, so to a degree all of the guidelines are a moot point at this point in time. There will be lots of opportunity to run at private events where the hosts might not be that bothered about such things. But, our outlook is a little bit longer term and so we are trying to work towards a more unified approach to CycleKarting where there are some basic guidelines in place that allow anyone to race at any event and make organising public events much easier.
So this discussion is aimed at trying to figure out how we can cater for vintage engines.
Some immediate ideas spring to mind...
Discuss...
To clarify. The current guidelines state the following...
Engine: 6.5hp Honda GX200 or clone or electric motor (48V, nominal 3kW, 5kW
peak). Engines may be modified but power is limited to 10hp. Maximum capacity is 212cc.
Rarely, approval may be given to use an alternative engine where the selection is necessary to capture the essence of the inspiration car, but not in any circumstance where this results in more power
Current official advice is to build in accordance with the guidelines.
However. The question has been raised
"What about a 1929 200c 4.5hp engine? Surely that is more in line with the ethos of what CycleKarting is about".
And I cannot disagree.
The current build advice is not likely to change any time soon, not until we have at least a bit more experience of running events under our belt. But at the very least we could look at how the approval to run an alternative engine is managed
So by way of explanation there's a few things driving the current guidelines:
- We've adopted the guidelines from the US / UK scenes as they have heaps more experience than we do at this time
- Getting insurers to insure events is a big challenge. So having all entrants conform to a recognised set of guidelines is essentially a requirement
- It is a similar story with council confidence for public events. Officials like a quantifiable risk
- Determining the actual power output of some random unknown engine merely by looking at it is essentially a branch of voodoo, so it is currently much easier to simply exclude anything that isn't a GX200.
- These are CycleKARTS and not CycleCARS. As such they are based on go-KART mechanicals.
Of course, we are still a little way off of holding public events, so to a degree all of the guidelines are a moot point at this point in time. There will be lots of opportunity to run at private events where the hosts might not be that bothered about such things. But, our outlook is a little bit longer term and so we are trying to work towards a more unified approach to CycleKarting where there are some basic guidelines in place that allow anyone to race at any event and make organising public events much easier.
So this discussion is aimed at trying to figure out how we can cater for vintage engines.
Some immediate ideas spring to mind...
- Cars with vintage engines must submit a dyno pull sheet to demonstrate that engine power is below the prescribed maximum
- There is an age limit to the engine.
- The rule should not be a loophole to exploit.
- The rule should be the exception not the norm
Discuss...
Mick
set the type of the post as
Discussion — 10 months ago
Some further thoughts on this...
There are a number of vintage industrial engines from the period which are almost like a 1920's version of the GX200. They are for the most part 4 stroke single cylinder and various capacities. Power ranges from 2hp up to about 8hp. They were made by manufacturers like J.A.P. and B.S.A. often in large numbers for the war effort and then subsequently sold into circulation. They often come up for sale at farm sales.
The power of these units is fairly easy to validate and often stated on the nameplate.
The suitability of this kind of engine would still need to be determined as many don't rev as high as a GX200 but many would make a good looking period alternative to the GX200 whilst not exceeding it in power.
Food for thought perhaps
There are a number of vintage industrial engines from the period which are almost like a 1920's version of the GX200. They are for the most part 4 stroke single cylinder and various capacities. Power ranges from 2hp up to about 8hp. They were made by manufacturers like J.A.P. and B.S.A. often in large numbers for the war effort and then subsequently sold into circulation. They often come up for sale at farm sales.
The power of these units is fairly easy to validate and often stated on the nameplate.
The suitability of this kind of engine would still need to be determined as many don't rev as high as a GX200 but many would make a good looking period alternative to the GX200 whilst not exceeding it in power.
Food for thought perhaps
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