Drift trike engine position

[Craggy]

Hi all,
I'm planning on building a drift trike this summer and I have already bought an old BMX to cut up for the front wheel and steering. I'm going to make a megal chassis which will attach to the BMX frame at the bottom bracket (where the pedals go normally). I have bought an old Honda GX110 (came with an old cylinder mower) and was intending on mounting the engine in the middle of the frame, and the seat just above it. This is just like Colin Furze's sesign, but with a different motor. However talking to some friends at school who are quite experienced at go karts and engines etc, they said that jof the piston blew and I was sitting on top of it, well - it'd go straight into me.
I was wondering of the safetyI'm of this design, an whether to mount the engine behind the seat or under it.
Here's a pic of the drift trike Colin Furze made ( which I'm basing my design off of):http://http://www.colinfurze.com/uploads/1/1/8/5/11851390/2862444_orig.jpg
Thanks,
Craggy

 

[Flyinhillbilly]

This is the too of a honda GX160 after it threw a rod.

 

[Jfive]

My drift trike has the engine under the seat like Colin's. I prefer the way it looks too. Just need to finish it and get the sleeves on.

 

[Craggy]

This is the too of a honda GX160 after it threw a rod.

So probably not a good idea to sit on it then?

 

[Flyinhillbilly]

So probably not a good idea to sit on it then?

You'll just have to use your own judgment on that one. When that blew it didn't hurt the 18guage sheetmetal top plate at all. I don't know if that was an isolated case, but it just mostly made a noise like I had lug nuts instead of oil in it and died. If I was going to sit on one and rev the snot out of it I'd at least want a good steel seat pan, got some valuable stuff in that area.

 

[Craggy]

Ok thanks,
I'll probably use a good steel seat pan then, and sit above the engine. I may even put in another layer in-between.
Got to protect that "valuable stuff" after all

 

[OzFab]

Correct Thread Position

This is NOT it...

Please consider where you post threads; the FAQ section is in the site announcements section, this SHOULD have been posted in the building section (where I've moved it)...