Well here goes I think we are on topic here if not I'm sure the anxious salivating demographic that exist in all forums will point this out in obnoxious and overblown ways.

I have stumbled across a circa 1981 I believe Honda Odyssey which is more or less a complete vehicle but suffering from drive and powertrain issues. To say the least it is an affordable blight on the unfreindly neighborhood the owner has moved to. I have also knowledge of a balled up 900 Kaw ninja that is a viable powertrain donor for a couple of bucks. Now I remember seeing a few modded odysseys or a pilot or two with some swapped motors, RD400 based sticks out in memory as I in my juvenile years thought was quite hot to trot. My questions are mainly is this gonna be a workable match or am I hopelessly overpowering the chassi (a little too much is fine hehe- thermonuclear bbq's arent). Also the odyssey has a twisted axle any good suggestions for a replacement? I can McGuyver a fix to the existing but was wondering if there was a home run swap out there - low buck is great but Im already so cheap into this I feel I should spend a buck or two. I was planning on some additional braking mods to satiusfy that urge. So its either gonna go real fast real smooth and stop like a ninja with brakes from a tenspeed or not get going very smootly and stop on a mexican peso. Any other food for though I should be considering is more than welcome. Just trying to scare the hell out of everyone I know in the most efficeint manner possible.

Thx

 

Ok I'll let you in on as much as I know about Odyssey's. First off being I "think" the 81 doesn't have suspension. Next any motor you decide to put in there has to drive the rear wheels in some manner other than the stock setup so you might have to weld in a solid axle between the two dog bone shafts that turn the wheels. Will you have enough room in the engine area to put the motor in route a chain to drive the axles, have enough room for exhaust pipes, and have a radiator and gas tank? I'm not saying its impossible but your going to spend lots of time and money to do this swap not to mention going over 50 mph with no suspension is going to be painful.

 

I saw an early odyssey at the Oregon dunes with a rear suspension conversion. Apparently the stub axle splines from a civic (years unknown) will fit in the stock drive unit. I think he used the entire front section, arms and struts, hubs and brakes. This would also provide better breaking than a stock odyssey. If you went that far though, I've seen mini buggies that use the entire front clip with motor and tranny from a honda and build a tube frame forward. Front suspension from a donor quad or snowmobile. It's all been done, just time $$$ and effort.

 

Saw a converted oddity at the dunes last weekend... had a chapparal snowmobile engine in it... very easy conversion as the stock clutch bolted right on the crank.. a little exhaust mod, and he was off to the dunes..

I would think any setup with a gear box would be undesirable.

 

Yeah I was thinking on putting in my old piped 500 liquid-cooled twin sled engine in a pilot but I decided not to. I really didn't have a place to ride it at the time.

 

OH YEAH there fast with a sled engine mine has a 440 rotax and it keeps up with my buddys 400ex till 4th gear but on the sand its a blast! I used the odysseys rear clutch with the sleds clutch on the motor and it works fine almost to good it breaks the tires loose in my concrete driveway let me know if you need any help!

 

Greetings all thanks for all your responses. I'm intrigued by the suspension swap form the civic as I also know of a 83 1500 s that is gathering moss. But the best part is brakes and suspension in a single app. That is a solid hit so I am armed with tape measure and some great ideas for the civic and will see what we find (I picked up the oddesey for $50 last weekend). I am kicking myself for not picking up the govt surplus 22kw generator that i saw a few years back that woulda been a interesting (turbine) donor. I'll keep you guys aprised of my project and all the inevitable pratfalls and hopefully some successes so were in less than a buck and I've given myself a total of 5 to get me through so well see if i can get this to fly.

Thanks again guys[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]