Converted F500 Novakar to F600

[tedsimmons2]

Below are some pictures of my converted F500 Novakar to F600.
1.Before converting picture shows the 2-stroke Rotax engine installed


2.After installing the GSXR 600

3.The process of conversion
Remove Rotax and CVT drivetrain

Remove frame parts not needed

Fit new frame parts (Superbly fabricated by Dave Piontek and engineered by Jay Novak)

Ready for the welder

Back from the welder

Bolting on the suspension

Adding insulation between engine and fuel cell

More insulation

Install new oil pan


Install GSXR 600 engine


Plumb the water system

Routing the exhaust system (hardest part of the conversion)

Install the Individual Inlet Restrictors (two on the left)

Finished engine install

Ready to race

[flashburn]

You make it look easy and straightforward. What was your total time and cost for the conversion?

[tedsimmons2]

A conversion from 2-Stroke to MC engine is pretty straight forward. The packaging is pretty tight but makes a great race car - and fast too.

I'd ballpark the total cost at ~$17,500 minus ~$2000 for the 2-stroke stuff I was able to sell leaving me with a total invested cost of $15,500.

I can't weld nor do I have tools or the talent to do fabrication work. So, that cost represents paying other people for the conversion kit, welding and some other smaller fabrication. I can bolt stuff together and the kit supplied by Dave Piontek was excellent and fit with no modifications required.

I tried to use the best parts available for my conversion, which is not necessarily the cheapest way to go. One could convert a 2-Stroke engined car to MC engine for less money if you have the tools and can to use them. Depending upon the "donor" car cost I'd say a good conversion could be done for ~$12,500.

MC engines are readily available thanks to young motorcycle riders who do some pretty iffy things on the street. My engines have cost $750 off of Craigslist (local) and $850 (from Bill Bonow via the for sale ads on this forum).

Everyone thinks they have the best class but for the money I don't think you can beat the F500 with MC engine - and did I say they are fast!

[flashburn]

Thanks for the recap on such an old thread. I've been sizing your pictures up to get a feel for the total commitment in the project. Everyone is so helpful here and the F500 forums.

[jim murphy]

Our motorcycle supplier told me awhuile back that the reason that cheap 600's are so plentiful is that the plastic fairing is 51%+ of the total cost of a 600cc bike. So the insurance companies total them just because the fairing has to be replaced even though the rest of the bike is in good condition. He parts them out. He also said that this weird situation is not true for the bigger (750, 1000, etc) bikes because their fairings are less than 50% of the total value due to the higher value of the bike minus the fairing. Always ensure that the bike motor that you are about to buy is in good condition (compression, no leaks, etc) and always buy from a reputable seller.

HTH,
Jim
The cheerleader?

[ReynardF1000]

Bent forks, engine scratches, seat & body damage and presto, an engine for a car!

[rickb99]

I have a question.

Is your muffler still positioned as shown in the photos?

If so, have you had any problem with lubricants in and about the axle melting??

[jim murphy]

I have a question.

Is your muffler still positioned as shown in the photos?

If so, have you had any problem with lubricants in and about the axle melting??

For our Scorpion, we coated the whole pipe/muffler and then wrapped the exhaust pipe where it was near the axle and brake. Heat has been our biggest challenge. We even discovered that the heat would travel down a chassis piece (like the metal floor pan) and would heat up stuff about a foot or more away from the exhaust pipe. We ended up coating the entire exhaust system, wrapping it where it was near any object and heat shielding (DEI) it continuously on three sides (like a 3-sided box) - top would be open to allow the remaining heat to escape upward IF there was nothing there. Only then was the heat issue minimized.

Jim

[tedsimmons2]

If so, have you had any problem with lubricants in and about the axle melting??

Pipe is mounted in the same place and I've had no issues with bearings.