Photo credit: Cory Klagunde via BrokenLeg2013
Auto enthusiasts have probably seen Ken Block’s Ford F-150-based Hoonitruck, now feast your eyes on the miniature version. It’s built upon a Honda N600 chassis – a small front-engine, front-wheel drive, two-passenger two-box automobile released in 1973 – and powered by a Suzuki GSX-R 1000 superbike engine that is mounted in the bed, mated to a six-speed sequential transmission functioning similar to a motorcycle gearbox.
Saint stuck with the GSX-R’s six-speed gearbox, which lets you shift gears one after another, but he set it up with a clutch lever you squeeze by hand since there’s no spot for a foot pedal like usual. There’s no tachometer to show engine speed either—he just listens to the engine’s roar to know when to shift. The power goes to a specially made back axle, and because the bike’s so light but has tons of strength (called torque), the rear end wiggles around a lot, especially in the lower gears. To stop it from bending or breaking, he added a strong tube frame, plus big 8-inch-wide wheels with 9.5-inch-wide, 18-inch-tall tires to help it stick to the road. Stopping is tricky—he has to use the clutch every time, or the engine pushes against the back and makes it hard to slow down.
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The car is owned by Alex Saint and according to him, it only weighs 1075 lbs (487 kg) and pumps out 190 hp, making for a power-to-weight ratio on par with expensive sports cars and supercars. When launched properly, the N600 can rocket down the quarter-mile in a mere 12.3 seconds at 104 mph (167 km/h), a time that’s simply staggering for such a tiny car,” according to Car Scoops.
