Finlay
Part of things
Posts: 151
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hello all
i know this has been covered in other threads, somewhere out there deep in the fourm, but is a twin engined car road legal ?
i know there are people building twin engined cars out there, all power to you (awsome projects) but i don't think i ve seen a yes or no confirmation, the reason i m asking is that i want to do a twin engined conversion as my next project after i finish the current one, typical always thinking of the next one well before your ready for it lol (i m pretty sure I'm not the only one)
looking forward to the replys
cheers
Finlay
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95 clio 16V - modded track/road car
95 clio Williams 2 - restored to standard
95 TVR Griff 500 - Taraka engine upgrade
MNR Vortx (kit car) - busa power
Chevette SR20 engine
MK2 Escort GM LS1
Chevette XE (building)
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I've seen plenty of twin engined road cars, so it must be legal....
Can't think of any reason why they shouldn't be.
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1951 Split Window Beetle - SOLD! 1965 Mercedes 230SL 1966 VW Beetle 1968 Mercedes 280SE
1972 VW 412LE Variant - SOLD! err.... 2004 Toyota Corolla
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harris66
Part of things
drive it, break it, fix it and make it quicker!
Posts: 699
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there have been factory built twin engined cars built, and plenty around in the in various forms of motorsport that are taxed and tested, as long as the sva or mot man says ok jobs a gooden! anybody remember vw,s twin engined sciroco from the 80s??
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1.2 corsa daily, 1.8t a4 avante, 6.3ltr austin a40....
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xeandy
Part of things
Posts: 137
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I'm pretty sure the law states you are only allowed to use one engine on the road so can only really use a twin engined car to its ful pontential on a track etc
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there have been factory built twin engined cars built, and plenty around in the in various forms of motorsport that are taxed and tested, as long as the sva or mot man says ok jobs a gooden! anybody remember vw,s twin engined sciroco from the 80s?? a twin engined sciroco?
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Someone just shot the elephant in the room.
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Yeah a twin engine is road legal provided it has passed the relevant tests etc. There was the twinmini,scirocco sure there wasa volvo as well if memory serves me.
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1965 Morris Minor 1000 soon to be 1380 1997 MK1 MX-5 1.8 (sold) 2009 MK3 MX-5 2.0 (sold) 2008 Mini Cooper (sold) 2003 Mini Cooper S (sold) Fixed wheel Raleigh Clubman (sold) 1982 Yamaha RS125DX (sold)
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1965 Morris Minor 1000 soon to be 1380 1997 MK1 MX-5 1.8 (sold) 2009 MK3 MX-5 2.0 (sold) 2008 Mini Cooper (sold) 2003 Mini Cooper S (sold) Fixed wheel Raleigh Clubman (sold) 1982 Yamaha RS125DX (sold)
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i thought u can have 2 engnes but only one is allowed to be running at any one time?? that what scrappyraces taught me anyway
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I seem to remember something on TV (so it must be true) that the second engine is not allowed to be 'connected' whilst having a test done on it. after the test has been completed I don't know.
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street
Posted a lot
6.2 ft/lbs of talk
Posts: 4,662
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Here's the nearest i've found for confirmation that twin engine cars are legal on the uk roads: twin.me.uk/index.php/archives/2007/06"Okay. Spoke to the DVLA (VCS). They said there are no current regulations banning twin-engined vehicles (would be a bit of a problem for future hybrid vehicles!). They said it'd be adviseable to write them a letter detailing the (proposed) changes and they will investigate it and decide whether or not it will require an SVA test.""Good enough for me" I thaught!
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there have beenplentyof twin engine vehicles, home brewed and factory produced, and yeah, hybrids. The only source any one ever comes up wih re: them being illegal or have to have one diconnected for road use is "Scrapheap challenge" and thats hardly a full on statement of UK regs is it, I mean, have they ever got anything wrong on TV before?
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1937 Austin Street Rod - 1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1976 Rover V8 - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Finlay
Part of things
Posts: 151
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thanks for the replies and info
much appreiciated
Finlay
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95 clio 16V - modded track/road car
95 clio Williams 2 - restored to standard
95 TVR Griff 500 - Taraka engine upgrade
MNR Vortx (kit car) - busa power
Chevette SR20 engine
MK2 Escort GM LS1
Chevette XE (building)
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From my experience of the banded wheels question, the construction and use regs aren't that specific. There's no list of what you can and can't do as such. The basic proviso is that if it appears to be dangerous and/or stupid you probably shouldn't.
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Jaguar S-Type 3.0 SE
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The Constructions and Use Regulations state that wheels of a vehicle can only be driven from a single power source at any one time, so you could switch between the two engines, can cannot use them both in conjuction.
Even hybrid vehicles use either/or engine.
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Tim
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,340
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I'm sure some hybrids use both engines at once to power the wheels
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They do indeed. The Toyota Prius "Synergy Hybrid drive" will run off either engine or both at the same time. I've had that demonstrated to me by a mate who owns one. The on dash display tells you which engine is running and all that. With your boot in the carpet both engines come on line and it tells you off for driving in an unecological manner. (dashmounted wagging finger is only fitted on deluxe models)
I don't see why using two engines should be "dangerous".
I have heard it said that you can use as many engines as you like so long as they all act from the same throttle linkage and run through the same gearbox. No idea if thats true. But the twin engine Mini moke defo used two gearboxes and was diesigne3d to have both engines run together for 4x4.
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1937 Austin Street Rod - 1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1976 Rover V8 - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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If you car is new enough to have to meet emissions rules you will have trouble with two engines i would think, although there are a few cars now that switch off cylinders at low speed for more efficiency, so possibly you could argue that you only want one running while testing it?
two engines seem a very heavy and complicated way to get more power to me anyway though, why not fit a decent one in the first place?
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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two engines seem a very heavy and complicated way to get more power to me anyway though, why not fit a decent one in the first place? Double your horsepower and get four wheel drive at the same time! Obviously it depends on the target car but often it's just a case of hacking away the boot floor, strut mounts and all the rear suspension, and drop a front subframe from a donor car in the back. Yes it's a lot of work, but probably a lot cheaper than a lot of tuning and putting a 4WD system in.
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Never trust a man Who names himself Trevor. Or one day you might find He's not a real drug dealer.
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two engines seem a very heavy and complicated way to get more power to me anyway though, why not fit a decent one in the first place? Double your horsepower and get four wheel drive at the same time! Obviously it depends on the target car but often it's just a case of hacking away the boot floor, strut mounts and all the rear suspension, and drop a front subframe from a donor car in the back. Yes it's a lot of work, but probably a lot cheaper than a lot of tuning and putting a 4WD system in. still lots of extra weight right at both ends of the car which is where you really don't want it, would seem the same amount of work to me to whip a front engine out and fit a big one where the rear seats go, mid mounted rwd will probably out handle dumbell weighted 4x4 i would bet seeing as thats how all the fast race cars and super cars are built. its more of a pose thing than a sensible modification i think.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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Tim
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,340
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People do it because its quirky, interesting, cheap for donor parts and, well, fun :-)
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