I have a couple Berkeleys in the garage for my winter projects.The one on the left is going back stock as I have enough parts to build it back orig.The one on the right I need some Ideas.I have some of my own and a Triumph bike with the 955i engine I'm going to us in it but I'm trying to come up with ideas about front or rear engine and suspension.IDEAS??? It will be street legal. 
Find 4x4 ATV. Put drivetrain into berkeley. Go berkeleying wild?
The one on the left looks more upset than usual 
Put it on the lawn tractor and use it to mow the lawn.
sachilles wrote: Put it on the lawn tractor and use it to mow the lawn.
YES!!!!!!!!! THIS.
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:sachilles wrote: Put it on the lawn tractor and use it to mow the lawn.YES!!!!!!!!! THIS.
Put the blades in the front grille and write "OM NOM NOM" on the side
sachilles wrote: Put it on the lawn tractor and use it to mow the lawn.
Damn, beat me to it. I was just going to say "rebody the Lawnboy".
Serious suggestion: S2k or AE86 powertrain?
they are physically too small for traditional drivetrains---without massive flares/stretching/widening.
GM 60* V6, t5, 7.5 s10 rear narrowd. mustang 2 front suspension. tube frame, no cage. tub the back a bit, and make it a auto-x/pro street style berkley.
use a camaro 3.4, with 3500 heads and intake. 7500+ rpm, 11.5:1 motor that weighs less than the motor in my neon.
michael
OK,these cars are really small.My ideas are custom build the susp.out of atv a-arms and motorcycle brakes.They were 700 lbs from the factory and would want to keep it that way.The Triumph engine makes 178hp so thats plenty and only weighs 134lbs.I'm going to tube the chassis with 1" pipes
really that small? and light? i was thinking midget sized, not go cart sized.
I know Samurai trannies are popular swaps into LBCs, they're reliable and affordable but they have the shifter feel of an old tractor, maybe a '50s car if they're in really good shape.
Go with car disc brakes to be safe, plenty of little Japanese cars have small disc brakes you can choose from. AE101 'rolla discs could be a good choice, I know AE92 rear discs have a handy built-in handbrake mechanism but they're hard to find.
Maybe a turbo R1 engine? I hear Yamahas are your best bet for BECs if you don't want lubrication problems.
speedbiu wrote: OK,these cars are really small.My ideas are custom build the susp.out of atv a-arms and motorcycle brakes.They were 700 lbs from the factory and would want to keep it that way.The Triumph engine makes 178hp so thats plenty and only weighs 134lbs.I'm going to tube the chassis with 1" pipes
You do know the history of the GRM Berkeley, don't you? That sort of power with that track width just doesn't work. It's all documented on your friendly GRM site. Actually that car with any sort of decent rubber is a problem. What I'd do is move ahead with the BEC idea, but put something reasonable in there - 60 HP is more than enough, and stick with skinny tires, so it'll slide before it wants to roll. I remember a popular trike kit manufacturer saying very explicitly that the front tires on their kit had to be motorcycle sourced for the same reason.
Car size is 48" x 110".
Moto Guzzi engine with a driveshaft going to a custom rear diff.
Like this but front engine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJgjFpzKpmU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ClN0n67wOQ
Per Schroeder wrote: they are physically too small for traditional drivetrains---without massive flares/stretching/widening.
You say that like massive flares/stretching/widening is a bad thing 
What's that Polaris sport ATV that uses a sport-bike engine? Yeah, that should be your motivation, and also supply motivation for the berkeley. (BTW I typed the f-word and let the filter correct it. 8) )
Per Schroeder wrote: they are physically too small for traditional drivetrains---without massive flares/stretching/widening.
So there's no way some kind of Locost chassis can be adapted to be put under a body, then? I've wondered if it were possible...
I think your going about this wrong..
Old F500 with chassis moded for Side by side seating, swap 955i engine in for less obnoxiousness.
Berkely body on top.
Done.
Also they arent' that small..
MG midget
WB: 80"
Track: 45"
Berkely
WB: 70"
Track: 44"
There is nothing about the Berkely that would make it impossible to have be a good handling car. I wonder how wide the floor pan is if it is EMod/Dmod legal or not. Also if you widen it by 11" you could build it for XP which would be a hoot.
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