[Dougie]

Sport Compact car is featuring a series of articles about turning an Insight into a drag racing car. Step one: Strip the interior and put in a roll bar. Step two: Put in a new motor.

Pretty cool! Will be interesting to see the MPG. :roll:

 

[kapps]

Yeah, I saw the 1st two articles. Should be interesting to see what they make of it.

 

[Aaron Cake]

I know I've always had this sick fantasy of modding the hell out of an Insight. Loose the Honda engine, and mount a 13BT rotary in the back on a VW transmission...Easy 10 second car....Too bad I don't read Sport Compact Car...

 

[originalbadbob]

I used to make sheet metal intake manifolds for the really big engines (632 cid - 740cid) in the pro-modifed class of drag racing years ago, and many of those guys get a fiberglass body from a classic car, narrow it and put it on one of their chassis. I thought about having someone make a fiberglass body of an insight to do that with, but they'd have to widen and lengthen it, but it would be cool to have a 225 mph insight. I guess it would have to be something like 1.25 scale or bigger.
robert

 

[Rick]

http://www.fred.net/wwmfarm/HighlandRacing.htm

There's a black one too some shop did that I've seen in person. I'll post it if I find it.

 

[Rick]

Hah, found something:

http://www.vtec-network.com/print.php?sid=42

also

http://www.clutchmasters.com/

uses it on the top of their page.

 

[originalbadbob]

Hey Rick, Thanks for the links and yup those are cool, but I had in mind something like 709 cubic inches, nitrous and a Lenco transmission, so it would run in the low 6 second 225mph range. :shock:
I know it wouldn't be a Honda anymore, but it would look like one sorta.:wink:
robert

 

[Rick]

Heh, yep, my dad says he wants to stuff a big block in one and retain the rear fender skirts. Basically two wide slicks would be about 3 inches apart from eachother. I'm still trying to figure out where that would fit underneath the hood though. He said he's probably only use the body though. I tell him I can find a wrecked one to get started on and I could have plenty of spare parts that way.

BTW, I have seen the clutchmaster car in person, couldn't get them to open it up though. No one there really knew much about the car. This was at SEMA.

 

[james]

I don't quite get it: you guys are talking about replacing the best part of the Insight - the drive train - while keeping the not-so-great (except for the low CD) body.

Now what I'd like is to take the engine & IMA and put it in a real sports car, say something like the little Smart roadster they have here in Europe. Or even a one-off, really lightweight carbon fiber body. Add MIMA and a turbo, and get 100 MPG in something with zip

 

[originalbadbob]

Hey Rick,
That's why you'd have to scale it up, so the suspension would fit underneath.
May have to go with the 10" tire class, and a small block now that I think about it. Where I used to work, we had a 472 inch small block that would run low 7's in a top sportsman car. I'm not sure what engine he has now, but he is running 6.70's with a small block now. It would be easier to fit and wouldn't stick up so high.

None of the drag cars listed were using the stock type engine or drivetrain with IMA anyway.
robert

 

[Dougie]

Latest issue shows an Insight speed record car. Not tried out yet, it seems...

 

[onefstsnake]

I had a vid of a Insight with a Turbo B16 swap that ran low 10's on its first run.

It spun most of the way down the track...

http://www.cluboc.net/downloads/carvids ... olume3.wmv

at 2:03 shows the Insight.

Might be NWS

 

[cheezoto]

I had a vid of a Insight with a Turbo B16 swap that ran low 10's on its first run.

It spun most of the way down the track...

http://www.cluboc.net/downloads/carvids ... olume3.wmv

at 2:03 shows the Insight.

Might be NWS

link dosent work

I really want to see a copy of this video, you know of anywhere else i could find this?

 

[gomarlins3]

Yeah, someone post a working link. I would like to see that as well.

 

[Kobushi]

I'd really like to take an accord hybrid v6, mate it to a 6spd, and put in the rear of the Insight Maybe turbo it for good measure.

Sort of a Honda Clio Hybrid

 

[Dougie]

Good luck jamming the drivetrain in between those back wheels--they're pretty close together!

 

[dont have one yet]

After I buy (find) an Insight, take advantage of the HOV pass, set a record for original miles then finally running it into the ground, I plan on saving the body to stick an H22 in and drag race it. Thats about three incentives for me to get this car.

 

[Aaron Cake]

Good luck jamming the drivetrain in between those back wheels--they're pretty close together!

CV joints can easily be shortened, and control arms can be fabbed...If the back half of the car is tubed this becomes trivial.