British-Cars.org

Welcome to the DMR Site for British Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite General - But will it fit in a Spridget?

http://www.motusmotorcycles.com/kmv4.html
Trevor Jessie

maybe, with a chain drive to the rear axle...
Norm Kerr

Looks very nice. Wonder what it would cost....
Alex G Matla

No need Norm, look at the pictures. I can see provisions for a back plate and flywheel.
Trevor Jessie

"will it fit in a Spridget?"
Trevor, send me one, and I'll let you know ;o}
Phil
Phil Burke

History says that BMC had a V-4 for MG in the works way back when, but it didn't amount to anything. Think I read that in David Knowles' "MG - The Untold Story."

As for the one linked above, what a jewel...

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

Rather have the little 6inline BMW uses for some touring bikes
Onno Könemann

Go for it treavor... I want to see you suceed with that set up...that would just be awsome... I love how the do the cly, kinda like a motor cycle cly. And a big wow factor on the crankshaft...thats art

What 5 speed trans are you think about to mate up

That is really nice

Do you know if its air cooled or is it water cooled

It sure looks like a nice coupling and fit in the midget
Prop

I'm sure this has been on here before. It was a concept then, and with the same photos and apparently about to go into production. That was several years ago and I see it is now showing as "available from 2012".
Jam tomorrow!
Guy

just remember that Ford had a V4 (the "Corsair V4") in the early '60s that has been universally described as unacceptably harsh, because of the harmonics inherent in a V4 configuration. It was later extended to a V6, which was famously successful.

BMC studied it for the MGB, but abandoned the idea for the same reason.

Its harshness is probably more acceptable in a motorcycle (the vibrations), and modern computing power may have helped find ways to dampen them.

Once these guys actually get their bike into production, someone could try it and find out, and report back to us about it...


Norm
Norm Kerr

Norm. Ford had two V4 engines, a British one which was garbage and a German(Cologne) one with a different V angle which was OK. This was the one that Saab used in their 95 and 96 models.
The British one had a balance shaft to try to harmonise the natural imbalance, but never quite managed it and as you said was quite harsh. They put them in Transit vans and pickups too. It had a fibre timing wheel which had a habit of stripping all its teeth, much to the detriment of the rest of the engine, The Ford Essex V6 also had the same fibre wheel.

Bernie.
b higginson

you can tell its made in america. Still uses pushrods and two valves per cylinder! 160hp from 1650cc, thats amazing! We only managed that power from an 1800cc K-series 20 years ago...

Enough being cynical, on the upside it does look very shiney!

Malcolm
Malcolm Le Chevalier

I think it is an attempt to have balance torque, reliability, and size. How many Rover K-series engines are fitted to motorcycles?
Trevor Jessie

I feel compelled to put in a word for the v4 corsair.

I had a 2000E for about a year. And I really liked it. I didn't think it was as bad as described here.

I will confess though, I was young, easily impressed, and had the corsair after my Austin Metropolitan 1500. :)

I later had a 1500 Consul Capri, and apart from my sprite, it's still the favourite of all my once owned cars.

But I had a good year or so of fun from my corsair. :)
Lawrence Slater

yes, I thought after I posted that someone would say you don't get k-series bikes, I mentioned it as the original post said 'will it fit' and we know a K-series already fits.

It is a pretty torquey engine, I will conceed that!

Cheers,
Malcolm
Malcolm Le Chevalier

EDIT: that said, BMWs K1600GT with a 1650cc straight six is even cooler and puts out 175Nm of torque.

Right... I don't really know what point I'm trying to make anymore! Back to the darkened room...

Malcolm
Malcolm Le Chevalier

Have to admit that 97bhp per litre seems a bit low. I demand at least 140.
http://www.h1v8.com/page/page/1562069.htm
BH Harvey

It is not all about peak HP. It is about usable HP. It is interesting that the KMV4 is supposed to be on the market next year, but there are no dyno graphs on the website.
Trevor Jessie

This thread was discussed between 01/11/2011 and 02/11/2011

MG Midget and Sprite General index

This thread is from the archives. Join this live forum now