of all the suggestions so far I think the RX7 rotary is the coolest

 

A good light, and smal dimension wise motor (and powerful motor) for a dune buggy could be a t-bird turbo coupe motor. You can make these motors put out some major numbers and they are a very versitlle motor too with many applications.

 

250 was a 6 cyl ( i have one sitting in my shed) ford used the 255 v8 in the early 80's mid-sized LTD's

 

are we talking all cars or just domestics?

there are some tiny tiny displacement RWD cars that came out of japan, i know some old corollas were RWD and had like a 2.0 or a 2.2 liter dohc engine, there are always rx-7s, those dont really have a set displacement though.... rotary engines.. but they are small, 90-94(ish) nissan 240sx's were 2 liter engined rwd

fieros... 2.5 liter 4 cyl

lets not forget the SVO mustang, turbo 2.3 liter

im sure there are tons more, but i dont feel like thinking about it anymore

 

Actually it was the transmission that was the problem in the taurus, not the engine. The engine had too much power for the tranny, and would twist the bellhousing off ruining the threads in the block. Also there never was a carbed taurus. They were all fuel injected.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rusty91ranger
[B]are we talking all cars or just domestics?

there are some tiny tiny displacement RWD cars that came out of japan, i know some old corollas were RWD and had like a 2.0 or a 2.2 liter dohc engine, there are always rx-7s, those dont really have a set displacement though.... rotary engines.. but they are small, 90-94(ish) nissan 240sx's were 2 liter engined rwd

actually my brother had a RWD corola with a 1.8 litre

fieros... 2.5 liter 4 cyl

this was based on an engine chevy developed in the early 60s for the ChevyII.the fiero was RWD, but also mid-engine, so it has a transaxle like a FWD. the 2.5 was a good little engine, but in the fiero it only held 3 quarts of oil, which hurt its reputation.

 

I don't know if GM made a 302 or not but they did make a 301, 305, 307 and a 327. The GM is not to be confused with the Kaiser (Jeep) 327 Vigilante that is quite arguably the most reliable of the Jeep built engines of the 60s. Jeep also used Buick 350s in the late 60s. My point being there many dispacements that can occur by several manufacturers and have NOTHING in common. Good example is a Chevy 400 and Ford 400 and another is the Buick 300 v8 and the legendary Ford 300 Straight 6.

 

O.k. how about some tiny Fords, 122 4banger from the Pinto -X24or the 140 from the 1974 Mustang II (not to be confused with the Vega 140), or the 1975 Pinto 170.8 ,
Then there's the 200 straigt 6 out of a 1976 Comet, then there was the 1981 Mercury linx 97.6...I can't take it any more!

 

Approaching it from what you might actually find in a junkyard or sitting around somewhere for sale, I think Chevette had the smallest motor out of any 1980+ RWD car. 1.6 gas, 1.8 diesel. Diesel only came with an automatic and was a real dog to drive. Smallest V-8 I know of that I have driven is in the Chevy Monza.

> Citation
FWD 2.5 I4, 2.8 V-6

> Buick and Olds made a small aluminum V8 around 1963-1965
> but I cBan't remember the size, around like a 235 on the Buick.

Actually, I think it was a Chevy aluminum block, maybe 500 built, to qualify the Impala for racing assocations. A 283 iron block was popular and was the base model V-8 in Impalas.

The smallest motors in rear wheel drive cars come from overseas, 50 cc, because you did not need a driver's license in a lot of countries overseas for that engine size. Usually look like three wheel trike cars.

Being a Ford board, you might want to look at a mid 60s V-8 221 ci or 260 ci V-8 Falcon. They had funky transmissions if memory serves me right, though I think you probably could bolt up a C-4 to them one way or another.

This does not mean they are superior in weight or power to a 289 or 302. You can find a nice 302/C4 in many Mustang IIs. Which is dune buggy size.

 

I believe the Buick aluminum V8 was a 215

chevy, combined some aspects of the 283, and 327, and made a 302 for the original Z28

 

Early HONDA cars came in two engine sizes - one was a 350 cc twin, the other (the BIG motor) was a 600 cc.

I have no info on the early BMW Isettas, or Messerschmitts.

 

Isetta:
1955-1962 typ250: 1cyl, 245 cc, 12 hp/5800rpm
1956-1962 typ300: 1cyl, 298 cc, 13 hp/5200rpm
1957-1959 typ600: 2cyl, 582 cc, 19.5 hp/4500rpm

Messerschitt:
1953-54 typ KR175: 1cyl, 173 cc, 10.9hp/5250rpm
1955/64 typ KR200: 1cyl, 191 cc, 10.2hp/5250rpm
1958-61 typ TG500: 2cyl, 493 cc, 19.5hp/5000rpm

You'll find some Messerschitts in Virginia City / Bonanza Ranch

Jens

 

did the Isetta use the same engines as the BMW motorcycles?

 

No, they didn't. I only know the 2 and 4 cylinder Boxer engines for BMW Motorcycles.

Jens

 

they also made a single in the 50s

well they do now too, with the "F" series. Good name huh?