Last Call: Unsprung Weight Edition

Peter Tanshanomi

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Putting a 3-cylinder, 2-stroke snowmobile engine in the back of a Yugo is, in theory, an inspired idea. However, bolting the entire engine, exhaust and CVT transmission directly to a solid rear axle — as elegant in its simplicity as it may be — can’t bode well for the ride and handling.
Last Call indicates the end of the Hooniverse broadcast day. It’s meant to be an open forum for anyone and anything. Thread jacking is not only accepted, it’s encouraged.

About

Peter Tanshanomi

Peter Tanshanomi

Tanshanomi is Japanese [単車のみ] for “motorcycle(s) only.” Though primarily tasked with creating two-wheel oriented content for Hooniverse, Pete is a lover of all sorts of motorized vehicles.

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20 responses to “Last Call: Unsprung Weight Edition”

  1. outback_ute Avatar
    outback_ute

    Looks like it is not going to take much suspension travel before the last plug lead smashes on the body

    Reply
  2. Lokki Avatar
    Lokki

    When your life includes
    A snowmobile busted up badly enough to make it better to yank the engine rather than fix the thing,
    A old Yugo laying around in your front back yard,
    And enough free time to figure out how to combine the two, you have bigger problems than unsprung weight.

    Reply
  3. Tank Avatar
    Tank

    I…I want to drive this…

    Reply
  4. crank_case Avatar
    crank_case

    Is that the Suzuki three cylinder? Apparently the suzuki snowmobile engines are a common upgrade for Cappucinos.
    Cappucino update – having gearbox issues, but as I bought it from a classic dealer, I’m not too worried, he should sort something out for me. 24 year old kei car, bound to have gremlins.

    Reply
    1. Zentropy Avatar
      Zentropy

      I wouldn’t have guessed the Capp was that old. Pretty timeless looks on that one.

      Reply
    2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      Yes, I believe Arctic Cat used Suzuki engines through 2013.

      Reply
  5. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    So, I got home from two weeks in New Zealand a couple days ago, and I’ll likely be errantly hitting the windshield wipers when I want to turn for at least another week. I only had a couple hours worth of prior experience driving on the wrong side of the road, but I don’t know why that’s the hardest bit for me to adjust to (also, parking lots).

    Reply
    1. mdharrell Avatar
      mdharrell

      In switching between LHD and RHD my most persistent problem is remembering in which direction to glance for the center rear-view mirror.

      Reply
    2. Scubie Avatar
      Scubie

      From NZ, have driven in the US a couple of times… I know the challenges you face. Half the battle is won if you rent a Euro spec car over here – then at least the indicators are on the correct side of the steering column for you… The steering wheel is still on the other side… 😉
      We have to paint big arrows on the roads in tourist hot spots to stop travellers killing themselves (and us). https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/27c47f01611153b8891b32cc262bfc4b80bbb38f59169dfff2fe2f7332b8c31f.png

      Reply
      1. Maymar Avatar
        Maymar

        Oh yes, saw plenty of those, plenty of road signs to drive on the left too (although I didn’t need those like I need the London reminders of which way to prioritize looking when crossing the road). I think my wife and I each only tried to get in the wrong side of the vehicle a couple times each.
        https://myinkyfingers.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/look-left-2.jpg?w=341&h=255

        Reply
  6. neight428 Avatar
    neight428

    Did anything ever bode well for ride and handling in a Yugo?

    Reply
    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Yugo or you walk.

      Reply
      1. dead_elvis, inc. Avatar
        dead_elvis, inc.

        “you go or you walk” sounds like the title to the following song, after a couple trips through google translate.

        Reply
  7. Zentropy Avatar
    Zentropy

    Seems like going with an IRS would have been the better solution, but I’m sure it’d be tricky to find something that would fit. (Though an E30 IRS may have worked.)

    Reply
    1. wohho Avatar
      wohho

      The answer is always Miata

      Reply
      1. mdharrell Avatar
        mdharrell

        http://hooniverse.info/2014/01/21/video-deafen-yourself-with-a-racing-two-stroke-miata/

        Reply
  8. Manxman Avatar
    Manxman

    Pretty much the setup for most gasoline engined golf carts. My old one was a 2 stroker and to put it in reverse you used a big switch to change the polarity of the starter/generator and it would start the motor backwards. Fun stuff. This would make a very fast golf cart!

    Reply
  9. mdharrell Avatar
    mdharrell

    Having spent far too much time in the last few weeks under my Volvo 66 GL working on its Variomatic, including changing both belts, my main response to this photo is to stare longingly at the easy access to this CVT.
    This particular Yugo did make an earlier appearance here:
    http://hooniverse.info/2014/11/05/ebay-snowmobile-powered-yugo-gv-project-is-the-best-yugo-project/

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      So it has. Leave it to you to remember.

      Reply
      1. mdharrell Avatar
        mdharrell

        A confluence of a three-cylinder, two-stroke engine, a CVT, and a Yugo does speak to some of my interests, after all.

        Reply