Space frame mini Honda Blackbird.

[davidanastas]

I have been hillclimbing a space frame mini, with quite a fair share of sucess.
The power unit is a 1999 injection Honda blackbird taken out to 1200cc using wiseco pistons, ported head, race exhaust manifold,and balancers removed.A baffle plate is fitted to look after surge. I notice the blackbird engine is hardly used in uk WHY>
Has anybody used a blackbird before? what power can one expect to make.
Recently I took part in a circuit race, but on the last lap (a 10 lapper)the engine lost power and went rough suspected bearing failure. Water temp was a steady 85deg. but the oil temp was creeping up to 135deg. I have an oil cooler fitted and use Motul 15/50 semi synthetic oil.
If the crank is ruined I will need a replacement unit ,or should I go for a different motor. ZX 12 or Busa ? I want to stay in the up to 1300cc class,
What do you recomend? Preferably I would like to keep the Blackbird as this would save all the installation hassles fitting a different motor.
Does anybody know of a strong Blackbird race engine.
Please Help if you can.
David MALTA.

[steve brown]

I seem to remember that the blackbird engine will pickup on No. 3 if the engine sees any surge, (do you run slicks?) due to the way the engine is designed; I’m sure No3 bearing feeds the cams?, sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong, But I’ve seen two motors go that way in the early days of the Caterham black-bird powered cars I would go down the busa route (and I have!) loads of tuning parts available......dry sumps, swinging pick-ups etc and power from 180bhp to well sky’s the limit!

[davidanastas]

Thanks for your fast reply,what would a 2005/7 busa engine cost me, complete with ecu loom etc ,I am on a very limited budget as I am now retired.

[davidanastas]

DSC1004115012 [8 x 12 Lustre].jpg

DSC1004115178 [8 x 12 Lustre].jpg

Pics of my Mini

[talbot]

Great looking mini, always a fan of the "super minis" as they where called in Aust.
My father hillclimbed a superchared sports sedan for about 15 years in the 70 to 80s.
You will have to stick to a 99 to 07 busa because the 08 are 1340 cc, you should be able to pick one up cheaper now because every one is wanting the late model 08 busa.
ZX would also work cant seperate them on the track.

[davidanastas]

Thanks Talbot, I too have been racing mini's since the 70s, and have owned a dozen examples over the years from 850cc to downton 1293 road cars , gr.5 kad racers etc. this is my latest baby . T45 chromemoly spaceframe by roll centre Lotus Elise uprights/discs & calipers, elise steering rack & column elise pedal box. Avo coilovers rose jointed chromemoly wishbones & anti roll bar.
Honda Blackbird mid mounted . Chromemoly swinging arms bike 4 pot calipers& discs. Quaife LSD ford escort mk4 pot joints and shafts. Superlite split rims 7.5"front &9.5" rears on slicks.
Body is bolt on fibreglass shell, front end is my design as are the rear arches.
windows are polycarbon. weight is 420kgs.
The handling is very positive and needs to be chucked about like a kart.
The plan is to bring the car up to FIA spec. and attempt International Hill Climb events in Italy. Those beautifull long mountain roads.
I am now 61 and have been racing minis since the age of 18, I still think i can
squeeze another few years, so that is the reason for the planned up dates.
If you would like to see more photos, go to FB. David Anastasi or Grimaldi Team Malta.

[steve brown]

nice looking car with a great spec!

you are going to be looking at about £1,500 to £2,500 for a busa motor i found this one on ebay for 2k
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUZUKI-GSX-130...item5adb2f1e97

check out www.extremeengines.com and www.sbdev.co.uk/ to make to go faster!

[darcia1]

Great looking car Talbots dad was very well known for his super minis painted vitamin c.... talbot can also throw one of these around quite handy id say....though now defected to the open wheelers ... You guys in Malta are quite impressive did you go to sicily last weekend w josh and joe.... as part of the team.....

[shortie2]

I rallied a darrian with a mid mounted blackbird engine in similar spec to yours, when i first raced it the crank failed on the first event (and it did have a slightly higher capacity baffled sump too) as dry sumping wasnt an option the new engine was also fitted with an accusump (connected into the main gallery under the generator) and the oil cooling modified using a take off sandwich plate under the oil filter instead of the bypass system on the pump which only cools oil from the oil pressure releif valve back to the sump.
In this form it was still going strong till i sold the car on
sorry the quality is crap but you will get the idea http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...3868252076722#

[davidanastas]

Hi Darcia1 I am Joe's brother and Josh's uncle, Its a family thing here my sister's son and husband are also playing the same game. No unfortunatly I had to miss Scicily last weekend as the blackbird decided to run a bearing and i was undergoing surgery.