8 Wheels, 2 Rotaries and Gullwings: eBay “Other Makes” has Peaked
We’ve come to one of these “end of the internet” moments. When tipster Jeremy sent us this home-fab contraption, we thought “ugh…more ill-fated Fiero/VW based kit cars…”. Having read the description, we’re quite certain there’s no kit to do this. This octo-wheeled leviathan sports Wankel Power. Actually, double Wankel power! The front suspension(s) are generic GM short/long arm and the rear sports double-Jag IRSs. While obviously conceived in a fog of absinthe laced with peyote, the most shocking part is the remarkably good level of workmanship on the chassis. Seriously.
Jump.
Most notably, the square-tube chassis looks beefy enough to carry a single-wide mobile home. That’s like 3×3″ heavy-wall tubing, with welds that look like they were done by someone with skill. Notice the braking set up: two dual-bowl master cylinders. The wiring also looks like it has some thought put into it (i.e. the wires aren’t all black). Based on the seller’s description, it’s mostly built with two of everything:
(2 sets) GM style front suspension(2sets) Jaguar rear suspensionHolley fuel pump (GPH110)(2) Mazda Twin rotary engines put together(4) MSD ignitions (S200)(2) Gas TanksPlexiglas windowsCorvette Steering Columnfull set of led gaugesCustom made aluminum seat pansCarbs (Dellorto 5388)Racing Beat intake manifoldsingle rack-en pinion steering
(Blanket SIC, by the way). Unfortunately, conjoining two vehicles into one compounds complications exponentially. There’s a shifter poking up, but the seller makes no mention of a transmission in the listing. Hopefully it’s not something explained by “oh yeah, you just need to…”. Additionally, it’s not obvious what’s going on with those Jag diffs. Looks like there should be a short shaft connecting them, but that means one of them needs to have a double-pinion set up…not common for Jags.
Least surprising of all, it’s not running “yet”, and has no title whatsoever. Bonus points to anyone who can ID the windshield (and maybe greenhouse?) donor. Oh, and in case you’ve already tried all the hallucinogens and avante-garde theater in the world and have leftover money to burn on absurdity, the current price is a $1,056.
Costum made car from scratch – eBay Motors
(SIC)
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Asplode!
This was somebody's dream car come to life. I'd hate to buy tires for this.. thing, but if you can win it near the current bid, it's probably worth at least that much in parts.
Heck, the frame is probably almost worth that much in scrap steel
I thought "the detentions are 204in long x 81in wide x 40in tall" was the winning sentence, but I was wrong.
"I have not tried to start or drive this car, it does need to be towed"
You haven't even TRIED? I mean, even an unborn child knows the damned thing ain't gonna run and probably won't even start, but you haven't even tried? Turn in your man card, sir.
Oh, he's tried. "have not tried to start this car" is eBay-speak for "I know damn well it doesn't run, don't ask me if you can come and test-drive it, because you can't. You'll be lucky if it rolls and you can tow it."
For just over a grand, you could probably recover your investment selling off the frame for scrap steel. On the aspirationally-a-car side, I'd be wary of whatever jury-rigging he's done to combine the two Wankels. An R26B that setup is not…
From the looks of it the frame alone has to be a couple of tons. It has a rather industrial look to. Probably appropriate since this will always be stationary.
I want to live in a fantasy world where I buy this and prove that I'm the guy who can actually turn it into a capable, running automobile.
Unfortunately, that world does not exist, and I'm not sure any such guy exists in this real world.
Fortunately, I am sane enough to know it.
Windshield is from 1970s F-body? Headlights are Chevy S-10.
I would have guess C3 or C4 Vette for the windshield.
Yeah, after I posted I started thinking that too. Definitely in the right neighbourhood anyway.
Headlights look like standard rectangular sealed beams to me.
I see no reason at all why this couldn't be made into a vehicle that actually moves under its own power. Steering and stopping is another matter . . . . But hey, if Leno can make the Tank Car work, somebody can make this leviathan work!
BTW,
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Eliica2.jpg" width="500">
Well, as far as that goes,
<img src="http://www.american-automobiles.com/images/Reeves-1911.jpg" width="500">
and this one hasn't even hit $3,200.00 yet.
That’s really thinking out of the box. Tahkns!
a36pc0 rladfxywuvye
We should do a post on all the cool things this
<img src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/GMC-eBay-Motors-item-200541125827-end-time-Nov-15-10-093544-PST-Mozilla-Firefox-11102010-94734-PM.bmp.jpg">
will fit in.
That's being done as a running series called hooniverse.com.
hahahaha!
I went with my better judgement and didn't post a picture of a women who's honor is being compromised by a large phallus.
If the car were a bit wider you could dump the iffy rotaries and throw in some nailheads just for shits.
<img src="http://ll.speedhunters.com/u/f/eagames/NFS/speedhunters.com/Images/Rod09/Cars/Tommy%20Ivo/4MotorTop.jpg">
Of course you'd have to make that an order of four to preserve your awesome quotient, the nailheads are just a tad more mainstream.
Naw, it needs four rotaries . . . out of Citroëns!
I see your 4 rotaries and raise you 5 Ford GAA's!!
…..uh can we get a picture of that, Google? pronto.
<img src="http://members.tccoa.com/392bird/mustangmock1.jpg" width="500">
<img src="http://www.puccimanuli.com/upload/images/super/FAM-Merlin-Engine-Model-5.jpg">
A LeMons team is trying to buy this thing, heh.
Seriously? ohgodyes!
http://forums.24hoursoflemons.com/viewtopic.php?i…
"2.1: Vehicle Eligibility: Entry limited to mass-produced, four-wheeled vehicles legal for US highway use at the time of their manufacture…. Individual waivers may be granted…."
Waiver or no? Place your bets.
I raced against a way more than 4000 lb hearse in LeMons, so I know that waivers exist
Oh, sure, it's just that this would require a waiver for (1) mass-produced, (2) four-wheeled, (3) legal for US highway use at the time of [its] manufacture, (4) acquired and prepared for a maximum of $500, and it probably doesn't even have an (6) original, manufacturer-stated curb weight. All that's just to get it past rule 2.1. The only part of that rule it has in its favor is that it isn't a Peterbilt, Zamboni, sidecar, or golf cart.
I mean, I think it's sufficiently awesome to waive all this, but it certainly is a [brace yourself for this one] stretch.
Looking through the thread at LeMons it looks like it's got more than a waiver… it's got staff endorsement!
Judge Phil – "This would be the greatest LeMons car of all freakin' time!"
Nick_LeMonsHQ – "OK, we've decided that any team that brings this car will get free entry. You are required to retain the fundamentals of the design–8 wheels, twin rotary engines, etc, etc.
I figured I'd throw that out there because SpeedyCop might actually do it."
A think a waiver is much more likely than this car achieving "drivable" status.
They've obviously sourced the rack en pinion steering from something French.
At least it's not a Rack'n'Pinion. Though that would be an awesome name for a strip club.
It's too bad strip clubs are banned in Saskatchewan – I could make a friggin' mint running a club with that name.
OH GOD. No strip clubs over there? No wonder it seems like all of Saskatchewan is over here in Alberta.
Yup, no 'gentlemens' club' in the Soviet Republic of Saskabush. As far as I can reckon, it's been that way for 15 years or so.
Not that I mind, really, it saves me a few hundred per year compared to when I lived in BC, although there's a few places in BC (namely Abbotsford) that have them banned.
And Saskatchewan is in Alberta right now to watch the Stamps get stomped by the Roughriders on their way to the Grey Cup. Hopefully team management sees fit this year to keep the 13th man off the f***ing field. *sigh*
I truly appreciate the desire of the builder to creats something unique. Hell, I cannot weld, paint, or manufacture my own parts. But, be that as may, the real question is why? Why eight wheels and 2 engines? There is some obvious mechanical talent by the builder but the direction of the build is what I am questioning (judging by the low price point so did he eventually).
Mechanical talent, yes. Engineering talent, no.
Maybe it's my wide eyed optimism, maybe it's the 4 mill st. stock's I've had to drink tonight, but the only major problem I see with this is the fact that the differentials are facing each other, as in, if you were to somehow connect them, one would go forward, and one would go backward…
Unless the guy swapped the gear on the diff… either way, this is super awesome, and I really want it, and could probably afford it. What I couldn't afford is the divorce. anyone have a couch and some garage space in the Niagara Region?
Check the LeMons thread linked above.
SpeedyCop (LeMons GOD) is putting together a team. Pitch in.
If the greenhouse is built as stout as the frame appears to be he might not even need a roll cage.
What is the going rate for a 4 rotor Wankel? I know it is no R26B but it is a 4 Rotor. Maybe this guy is too Hoon for the Hooniverse?
He would have had to mate two or three 20b's to get the title "too hoon for the hooniverse".
Lets mate two R26B's and call it a day, An estimated 1400hp from a 5.2L 8 rotor Wankel? Yes please, and I will have mine with extra turbos…
Well, I mean we could stop at 8… Or http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/9562/12rotor2.jp…
The great thing about rotaries is due to their modular nature, the only custom bits you'd need for that to actually work would be the crankshaft, fuel rail, and engine management.
Everything else would be off-the-shelf. You'd probably need to beef up the cooling and oiling systems to get any semblance of reliability but how hard could that be…
Cockpit looks to be very Bradley Gt -esque.
You know, as a child one of those little sayings that I mixed up was "he made it from scratch". See, for a long time I said it "he made it from scraps".
I think this is the first time that my misunderstanding of a common saying works better than the actual saying.
Perhaps the greatest vehicle ever produced?
Read on some other site that Speedycop has purchased it. http://speedycop.com/
Has LeMons jumped the shark?