Wankel Engine in an Amphi

steve reich · Jul 29, 2005

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Michael

Do you really think one can connect the output of the Wankel with the land/water transmission and maintain the proper configuration? I assume a frame of some kind could be made to mount the engine. Where does the exhaust come off now. Any chance of a simple J-tube as is currently on the Amphi?

As far as your comment: "The only thought I really have is how that would affect the value as it would no longer be original. The project seems quite feasible."

The real value of the Amphicar is the fun one has with it, especially if you plan to be buried at sea in it. One can always keep the old parts should someone want an original.

-Steve

'64 red (AMPHICR)
'64 red (I SWIM 2)]
De Mar,CA

Joe Biscone · Jul 29, 2005

have you considered an 1147cc triumph engine? it fitsinand bolts right up to the trans peerfectly!!. . .

<blockquote style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">----- Original Message -----
From: "steve reich" <steve.reich @SBCGLOBAL.NET="">
To: "Amphicar-Lovers" <amphicar-lovers @YAHOOGROUPS.COM="">
Subject: [amphicar-lovers] Wankel Engine in an Amphi
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2005 16:06:43 -0700

Michael

Do you really think one can connect the output of the Wankel with the land/water transmission and maintain the proper configuration? I assume a frame of some kind could be made to mount the engine. Where does the exhaust come off now. Any chance of a simple J-tube as is currently on the Amphi?

As far as your comment: "The only thought I really have is how that would affect the value as it would no longer be original. The project seems quite feasible."

The real value of the Amphicar is the fun one has with it, especially if you plan to be buried at sea in it. One can always keep the old parts should someone want an original.

-Steve

'64 red (AMPHICR)
'64 red (I SWIM 2)]
De Mar,CA
</blockquote>

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aetal · Jul 29, 2005

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Hi Steve

I see you are in Del Mar. I am in Northern CA in the Bay Area. maybe next
year I'll come south for a swim in. I agree that the old parts can
be put back to make it original again for a resale and I would keep them
for just that purpose if I did a project like that. This is a just
the old argument between whether it is better to keep a car
original or upgrade to a hot rod. It is just personal
preference.

As for making a rotary fit seems to be more a function of cost as
an adapter plate and new flywheel would have to be made for around $800.
That was an estimate I got when I was thinking of having one made for a
Mazda engine for my NSU Spider. I do not see why a rotary engine could
not be mounted to the Amphicar transmission they are mounted to other
kinds of transmissions for racing. I think special exhaust tubes would
have to be made instead of the J tube but that is minor in
relationship to the whole project and really not that expensive

I do not know think designing a frame for the engine would be much of a
problem, .A rotary is lighter than a traditional 4cyl engine and has less
torque as the rotors rotate smoothly rather than go up and down. It does
not take much to bolt it down securely . My Ro80 which has 2 rotors and
is a little bigger than the 13B has 4 bolts connecting to the
transmission and just a bar going across the front of it with 1 bolt at
each end 6 bolts total. The rear held up by the transmission which is
bolted up. This is the opposite arrangement for my NSU Spider which
has a bar with 2 bolts under the engine holding it up and the
transmission is held up by being bolted to the transmission. Basically it
won't take much effort to design a good stable motor mount
system.

If you really are thinking about doing this, the easiest thing night be
to speak with an expert rotary mechanic. You could take your Amphi to him
and he could suggest what could be done.

In my NSU Cub we are fortunate to have one of the best rotary mechanics
in the country Jose Rodriquez who is also a rotary racer and
experienced in making custom racing engines so a project like this should
be no problem for him. If this is a project you are thinking about, I
could take my Amphi over to him in about 2 months and get his opinion, I
am doing work on it between other projects right now,.

Something I do not know and would be real concern is how ell the
transmission would hold up if mounted to a rotary. A rotary runs at a
much higher rpm that the Triumph engine. It idles at 1100 rpm and at high
speed can easily reach 6000 rpm. I have no idea how that would affect the
longevity of the transmission. Perhaps someone in the club has had
experience with high revving engines

Michael

At 04:06 PM 7/29/2005, you wrote:

<blockquote type="cite" class="cite" cite="">Michael



Do you really think one can connect the output
of the Wankel with the land/water transmission and maintain the proper
configuration? I assume a frame of some kind could be made to mount
the engine. Where does the exhaust come off now. Any chance
of a simple J-tube as is currently on the Amphi?



As far as your comment: "The only thought
I really have is how that would affect the value as it would no longer be
original. The project seems quite feasible."



The real value of the Amphicar is the fun one
has with it, especially if you plan to be buried at sea in it. One
can always keep the old parts should someone want an original.



-Steve



'64 red (AMPHICR)

'64 red (I SWIM 2)]

De Mar,CA



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gtpeterp · Jul 29, 2005

Theres a company called Mazdatrix in Signal Hill, CA. I'm not sure how
far that is from you, but the might be able to answer your questions,
especially if you take the car down there. I've bought parts from them
in the past and they are quite knowledgeable.

Peter

--- In amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com, "steve reich"
<steve.reich@s...> wrote:
> Michael
>
> Do you really think one can connect the output of the Wankel with the
> land/water transmission and maintain the proper configuration? I
assume a
> frame of some kind could be made to mount the engine. Where does the
> exhaust come off now. Any chance of a simple J-tube as is currently
on the
> Amphi?
>
> As far as your comment: "The only thought I really have is how that
would
> affect the value as it would no longer be original. The project
seems quite
> feasible."
>
> The real value of the Amphicar is the fun one has with it,
especially if you
> plan to be buried at sea in it. One can always keep the old parts
should
> someone want an original.
>
> -Steve
>
> '64 red (AMPHICR)
> '64 red (I SWIM 2)]
> De Mar,CA

David Chapman · Jul 30, 2005

Re: Re: Wankel Engine in an Amphi

<table bgColor="#ffffff">
Noooohhhh

You don''t want to be doing that. The way to go is hybrid technology - probably Toyota or Honda. The powerplant would work well in Amphicar, about 80HP so useful on land but not uncontrollable. It is often split so petrol drives the front wheels and two electric motors drive the rear wheels. You change this so the petrol engine drives the rear wheels through the standard Amphicar land transmission but you drive the propellors from the electric motors. 

Benefits: 
Silent on water - how cools is that - can hear what people shout, hear the waves and the ducks...
Opens up more water, especially lakes, as Amphi becomes an Eco friendly electric boat.
If props are electric powered it is easy to control them individually. Amphicar becomes very manoeverable, can turn tight corners like normal boats. 
Unlimited water range, as batteries get low you can charge them by turning on petrol engine - this uses less fuel anyway than standard Amphicar.
Hybridpetrol engines are super efficient and run cool. 
The battery packs can be moved to get the weight distribution correct - you actually don't want to loose too much weight from the rear of Amphicar or it becomes nose-down and doesn't work well in water.
I'm seriously going to do this one day, probablynot for 5 years or so as by then my boys will be old enough to help - possibly as partof asenior school project.

David C in the UK
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Al Heath · Jul 30, 2005

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>> Dave Chapman pondered...

<tt>>> The way to go is hybrid technology - probably</tt> ...

I like this idea but it is still a little difficult getting the right cost effective donor vehicle...

Al

Wankel Engine in an Amphi

steve reich

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Joe Biscone

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aetal

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gtpeterp

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David Chapman

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Al Heath

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