Have oil and air ever mixed in a hot rod?

[mika]

The great airhead hotrod thread reminded me of people putting the R100 engine in earlier frames. Most were going to be used in hack rigs. I was gone from the club at the introduction of the oilhead. Did people ever hotrod an airhead frame with an oilhead engine?

Just wondering.

 

[BUBBAZANETTI]

i've looked and looked and never found one online or elsewhere, but i always liked the idea, although i think it would only reveal the performance limitations of the airhead frame/front forks more, maybe upgrade to ohlins and a paralever from a gs airhead and you'd have something pretty sweet...........

 

[kbasa]

I think the oilhead motor is too tall.

 

[lkchris]

i think it would only reveal the performance limitations of the airhead frame/front forks more ...

That's further reveal, of course!

OTOH, I find these 'limitations" fun and interesting. My one and only long Oilhead ride seemed pretty boring.

 

[VANZEN]

oddly

just saw a pic....somewhere... of that very thing.
an oilhead engine in an airhead frame.
if I can locate it (remember where), I'll post it.

my thought at seeing this bike was: WHY?
why swap an engine from a superior design chassis
into an antiquated one based on 1950s NORTON FEATHERBED tech?

seemed like a big step backwards when that old school stock frame gets all wiggly with not much more power than the stock airhead1000 has to offer.

but then I'm one to ponder about the possibilities of an airhead engine/trans
grafted into a K75 frame... so go figure.

 

[jmerlino]

my thought at seeing this bike was: WHY?
why swap an engine from a superior design chassis
into an antiquated one based on 1950s NORTON FEATHERBED tech?

Hey, sometimes you gotta do stuff just to see what will happen.

 

[VANZEN]

why?

OK. I can understand, no, I can ACCEPT that.

seems the bike was built for some "lightweight racing class" in Europe.

can't place WHERE I saw it though....

 

[mika]

I asked the quesiton out of curiosity.

As stated before the hotrod airhead thread was great and reminded me of years ago spending many days doing engine swaps in just about anything that moved. Some made ÔÇ£senseÔÇØ some we did just because.

Then I remembered an article, I donÔÇÖt recall if it was in ON or some other magazine, about guys that were putting R100 engines in earlier BMW frames for use in sidecar rigs. The why there was more power and or replace a worn engine with a new one.

The idea of putting an oilhead in an airhead frame may make no great sense but that rarely stops the shade tree wrencher. When I posed the question I thought I might see a hack or GS that had been done over with the oilhead.

Just wondering, that is all.

 

[VANZEN]

found it:

 

[VANZEN]

another:

 

[VANZEN]

last one:

 

[VANZEN]

my thought

check out this one, and imagine, if you will, a LuftKopf engine instead of the oilhead that was used...K frame as a stable platform / chassis... simple, reliable air-head engine... just my thought.

 

[mika]

Thanks! It gives food for thought. In respect for the airhead section of the forum I will move any followup wondering to the Oilhead section. Thanks again.

 

[wanderer]

Wow

What magnificent machines

 

[VANZEN]

sorry

Didn't intend to inundate this thread with oilheads...
So as reparation, here's an airhead to ponder. Nico-Bakker's "Kangaroo":

Personally, I really dig the air-cooled engine.Best BMW engine made.
But it's frame tech IS (a little) outdated.
ÔÇô therefor my response to the oilhead engine in an air-head frame.
Just to show that it HAS been done!
To my thinking, they got it backwards, but to each his own, and everything under the sun. right?

 

[BUBBAZANETTI]

wow, didn't take them long to get a hexhead into that airhead, very cool.........

 

[CustomSarge]

Verrry cool

At the top of the thread, I was "why" & "just make a frame". After the pictures I'm "class 1 engineering talent" & "tasty hybrids"!

I prefer to go outside the breed for my cross-builds, but these are great examples of not letting stock stop you. I hope they inspire others... <<<)))