Wacky engine swaps

[firko]

If you think that engine swap bikes are the domain of the backyard builder/club racer, think again.
Swedish former World 500 champion Bill Nilsson built the below bike for the 1964 World 500 Motocross Championships using a highly modified Bultaco Metisse frame and an ESO unit construction scrambler engine. The bike performed admirably but a mid season broken leg put an end to the campaign. This is the bike that inspired Black Betty to be built.



In 1959 Brian Stonebridge was a works Greeves rider but as the factory didn't build an open class racer he built his own using a 250 Greeves rolling chassis and a 350cc NSU Sportmax 4 stroke engine. The bike was an instant success but unfortunately the factory 'weren't amused' and he was stopped from racing it and told to stick to the factory made products . Stonebridge was killed the following year and the bike lay in the family shed for 40 years until restored by his son (pictured with the bike). Frank Stanborough has built a tribute to this bike which is looking to be a good 250 class pre 65 racer in the making.

[Tim754]

Z1500R Nice............ Still I never have had a Mouldwing to muck about with!  :)worrying............

I must resurrect my CB500/4 powered SL125  from the ashes one day....

[Marc.com]

Is that one of yours, Marc? Very nice regardless. 
And looks close enough to the real thing that a lot of people wouldn't notice. Plus it would be a damn sight more reliable. 

Unfortunately not mine though I do have the bits to build one. Yeah along with Cocky's XR/CR/KLX one of the best finished specials I have seen.

Now here is a neat and tidy way to repower and RM400

[firko]

Totally usless for motocross but I reckon it's brilliant....... 750 Can-Am triple

sorry bout the little photo...I'm still battling my external hard drive.

[firko]

As I said earlier, some engine swaps make more sense to their builders than anyone else but one engine swap bike that seems to ring everyone's bells and has been extremely successful is 'Yamaico Pete's' legendary Yamaico which has been around nearly as long as vintage motocross and dirt track has been around in Oz.
Pete fitted a basket case Maico square barrel roller with a Yamaha MX250 engine, a Husky tank and a few other bits he had laying around the garage. The bike was a winner from the moment it first hit the track in both motocross and dirt track guise as shown here.

[head]

Most of these specials are made from scraps that are destined for the tip. Mine saved one completely ruined frame that had the lower half was rusted away, that section was removed as it was not needed. The motor was someone elses left over bits which I had to scrounge up the rest.
If it was not for specials there would be less bikes out there.
This is my Honda powered YZ. Do not care what anyone else thinks I am Happy with it and it is one more bike out there.

[Iain Cameron]

I have the urge to build a sc500 motor with 5speed mx 360 gears into a mx 1975 frame . put on yzb side covers yza/b tank have all the parts one day I 'll build it .

[chrisdespo]

although you cant see it this had a brand new RM250A engine fitted, dam fun bike that Hume wier 1976

[TM BILL]

Is that one of yours, Marc? Very nice regardless. 
And looks close enough to the real thing that a lot of people wouldn't notice. Plus it would be a damn sight more reliable. 

Unfortunately not mine though I do have the bits to build one. Yeah along with Cocky's XR/CR/KLX one of the best finished specials I have seen.

Now here is a neat and tidy way to repower and RM400

That looks to be well done , but you have to ask why  The bike came from the factory with a perfectly good motor, so WTF would you fit a diesal trail bike motor 

[firko]

This is my Honda powered YZ. Do not care what anyone else thinks I am Happy with it and it is one more bike out there.

For what it's worth, I love it Neil...it's ample proof that left over crap can be turned into a serious and well constructed race bike if you know what you're doing. .......... I notice the tail light of the Mustang poking into the photo...How's that project going mate?

[firko]

How's this for a beautiful little special? It's worth posting just to play the parts guessing game. I can see..........
*Husky frame
*Yamaha forks ??
*XR75 or XR80 motor
*Kawasaki tank
I love how it all falls so seamlessly together...if I didn't know better i'd swear it's a factory product.


This is one that could have been a reasonable swap if only somebody else had done it. I really hope that a decent MX250 Harley wasn't sacrificed to fit what looks to be a DT250 B motor. I'm figuring that the Harley engine shit itself, the hillbilly couldn't or wouldn't spend the money to fix it so he stuck an old Yammy motor he had laying around the shed. I guess he lost the momentum when he came to the pipe. The DT2 tank doesn't do the bike any favours either.

[David Lahey]

and you wouldn't need a headlight to ride at night either because of the light from the flames coming out the exhaust port

[VMX247]

BUMP

[TooFastTim]

Totally usless for motocross but I reckon it's brilliant....... 750 Can-Am triple

Pretty good for the holeshot though. If doesn't get to the first corner first on sheer blinding speed it will because all the other riders hung back to hear that glorious triple wail.

[Tim754]

hang back!!!! no way you would get totally covered in shit from the back wheel and the pilots ar....