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I've been noodling around the idea of building an old formula-style front-engine single seater. Perhaps a bike engine, transverse leaf upper suspension mounts. I did a rough sketch with a locostish style chassis- any thoughts, critiques? Was thinking triumph spitfire rear end - radius arms and rear links for lowers.

Howdy!
There's nothing at all wrong about the concept. I'm building a front engine, single seat copied vaguely after a Mallock Clubman. If that's what you want to build, keep tinkering on the idea until you make it work... With the drawings you posted, it's hard to critique anything. What size tubing are you using? Does your wheel/tire package work with the suspension design, especially uprights and pickup points? Do you have enough triangulation to prevent flex in the engine compartment or cockpit area? The sketch looks pretty good, just not detailed enough to really comment on.

Hang in there, keep after it!

JDK

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom

Thoughts. ..

Spitfire rear suspension. Awesome! Up until you hit the dreaded point of "wheel tuck-under" common to swing axle type suspension.
I controlled it to a major degree with a rear swaybar on mine. Still had a whoops moment once in a while though

Transverse leaf on top (in front?). Hmmmm, might work but which direction does the arc go?
If it arcs upwards then it seems to me that compression would induce positive camber if the lower arms are flat at rest.
Take a look at the Fiat 850 front suspension, you might get some ideas there.

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"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

This is the look I was going for - although I think the alfettina might be more of a ladder frame - two main tube design. My thoughts were more with a locost type chassis with 1", 14ga tubes. Target weight would be around 850lbs. I'd love to use a triumph 955 triple for the engine - my logic is they have a decent amount of torque for a bike - 147hp and sound wicked. Here's my inspiration (600cc powered....

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"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

You have an opportunity to make something decent and locost.

If I was doing it ...

Find an older cheap straight six engine with a simple gearbox and go from there following any of the 50's GP cars.

One might consider an Alfa Romeo Alfetta (and other Alfa models) 4 cyl with the transaxle up the back to resolve seating and gearchange problems and the engine itself looks very traditional with twin Webers/Dellorto's hanging off the side.

Use a Dedion rear as was used by a few back then and I'm sure one could incorporate the leaf spring without it actually and dangerously being the upright locating arm - lot of romance about those times but facts are they were pigs and killed a lot of drivers..

Yo, Tin Man!
Boy-Oh-Boy, that little red racer is gorgeous!!! I would love to see one of those created, in here or otherwise... Keep us updated.

Like Cheapracer pointed out, a straight six would be a great powerplant, especially an older one that you could hang sidedrafts off of. Or even an American "hot rod" style I6, with three deuces. (Hard to fit under a hood, but it'd look cool as all hell!) Maybe an I4, more easily packaged length-wise, same "look". A crossflow Ford a-la Formula Ford would look good, but might be pricey...

Ah, just read your post about a bike engine... Hmmmm... Not my area, but I'm sure it could be done. Inline 4 bike motor????

If you go with Spitwad rear suspension, do be careful of that famous camber jacking problem Jack points out... She won't corner right with one tire folded up under the boot... Perhaps something out of a Honda CRV or some such more modern IRS would work a bit better.

Any-hoo, good luck with it, and keep us posted!!!

JD Kemp

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom

Jeep 4 liter!!!!!

Parts juggling (oem parts that is) can increase displacement to 4.5 liter (well, 4.6 if you juggle really well) and give Herman Munster sized torque ratings.
Lots of available info about it too. .......

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"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

Don't forget the venerable slant six. Tripple webers will help to keep the height down, not to mention the cool-factor. Lots of speed items and a bullet proof engine.

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

VERY cool idea! Of course, there WAS a straight 6 motorcycle engine from Honda in the '70s - a gorgeous engine, and light too. All us older guys will remember them. The bikes themselves were a bit of a "flexy-flier" (a willowy frame & and engine with lots of torque don't mix well), but the engines were strong, long-lived, and spectacular - a lot like a 1930's 6-cyinder Offenhauser.

There are still some out there. Interesting idea?

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Scratch building, at continental-drift speed, a custom McSoreley-design framed, dual-Weber 45DCOE carburated, Zetec-engined, ridiculously fast money pit.

http://zetec7.webs.com/

Not just bullet-proof, BULLETPROOF Holy cow, talk about high nickel content, them things are tough.

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"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

I've been thinking about building a very similar set up, though a little more modern than the Alfatina. Had started to look into building a Lotus 16/Lola Mk 2 style car with a bike engine. The only thing that stopped me was where to keep it and where to drive it. Plus finding a suitable diff. I was thinking of poaching a Sh&^fire diff and building custom rear hubs or finding some GT6 rotoflex rear uprights. I'm sure you could make the spit rear swing axle work just fine, there were a couple methods of keeping the wheels from folding under. Some of the FVee guys use "Z" bars, and there was one Spit that used to race locally with some limit straps made of high strength cable. Both methods keep the rear end in check.

Almost forgot, a friend is building a 1 1/2 seater with the Alfa straight 6. The cars looks very cool, 16 wire wheels, Alfa grand prix car styled body, cycle fenders etc. If i am allowed to take some pics, i'll post them.

+1!!! The 4.0L H.O. is a great power plant to be used with a short manual or automatic tranny. The trans usually bolts right to a transfer case so you might have to do some mods to run a slip yoke off that.

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2007 R1 Powered Mid Engine Street & Track Car
Build Log: viewtopic.php?t=4970

Wouldn't a 2wd Cherokee or Wrangler make it easier since there would be no transfer case?

As a bonus the solid front axle would fit this style of car.

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-Andrew
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BTW, South America had quite a number of Hot Rod cross 1950's GP cars using American 6's, search for them to get more ideas ..