Harley Vtwin adapters

[BFB]

Buddy just sent this to me, not my thing but interesting nonetheless.
Ive seen several pictures of buggys and VW’s with a Harley engine, never one in person, and all seemed like custom builds not a kit or adapter.
Price on this seems a little high to me and could use something to add some style to the flat plates, but kudos to the guy for his designing a replicable adapter to market.

https://www.rtdadapters.com/
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[67rustavenger]

I saw that Blue car featured on the RTDadapters webpage last September in person.
It is a well sorted car and, it did set a Bonneville record for it's class.

Would I build one? Not likely but, it was fun to look at.
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[chrisflstf]

Hope he never has to change the plugs as they are on the far side of the heads once motor is in the car

[NJ John]

Can you join two Harley’s and make a V4?
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[Fender38]

I've never even thought about this type of conversion. But now that it's front of mind, I'm thinking a Hayabusa swap would be pretty sweet. In theory at least...

[Dan_Lockwood]

Interesting thread... I have been VERY interested in something like this for over 10 years.

I joined the Talk Morgan Three Wheeler forum in the UK, back in around '12. That's when they came back out with their new re-release trike. It was powered by a S&S Wedge 56 degree V-twin 2.0L. They ran that through a Mazda Miata 5-speed with a very antiquated early style Harley compensator from the Harley's primary drive system. They packed in a housing filled with grease, but the grease did not do much to lube it.

With a Harley style motor, you have the later Twin Cam motors that came out in '99 in the 88" version. They had an A version that was not counterbalanced and it was used in the touring bikes with very heavy rubber mounts. You've probably noticed a Harley stopped at a light has the motor bouncing around like crazy. They there's the B motor that was used in all Softail models. It had two counterbalance shafts running off a crank sprocket and driving the front/rear balancer. These motors were mounted solid in the frames and did NOT vibrate.

BUT... ALL Harleys have massive torque pulses and for long term reliability, must use some type of a cush coupling or compensator of sorts, to absorb the torque pulses. Without that, the trans gears will rattle wildly, some transmissions more than others. But it will quickly take its toll on the trans innards without some way to cush the pulsed down.

I'm going to be building a Harley powered car in a couple years and have all the main drive components now. I have an '05 CVO 103" B motor with counterbalance shafts, the Morgan cast adapter that bolts up to the primary mounts on the Harley with the other end having a bell housing mount to match my Miata C 5-speed transmission. In the rear I have an early MGB banjo rear end with the removable pig like a Ford 8" or 9".

The adaptor shown in the link looks to be a direct drive into the trans via a clutch of course, but no cush drive to be seen. Also, the motor they show is NOT counterbalanced and will REALLY vibrate.

Here's a link to Jay Leno's Garage and his late model Morgran Three Wheeler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhhNtuYWZ44

Still very interesting to hear from others on the subject.

Dan

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Kennedy and also a couple other European companies made the adapter kits back in the day ...... primarily used in trike conversions using the VW trans axle/clutch.
They were all discontinued due to crankshaft failures in the hardley engines.

This is the only truly functional adapter I have seen work well. An aftermarket clutch in the murdercycle engine is helpful.

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[FarmerBill]

Seems like the air flow around the heads and cylinders would be less than optimal.

[BFB]