Two Stroke Engines, Cars & Snowmobiles

by Bill Lymburn
(Scotland)

Fantastic article, the best I have read in many years - confirms my own thoughts on the benefits of the two stroke engine. Having been a motorcycle sidecar racer, many years ago, and having used big four stokes until 1975, when I changed to the TZ700 Yamaha, there was no comparison. I have been a two stroke fan ever since.

I should have known as previously I had been a motocrosser on four strokes, but my last motocrosser was a 360 AJS which convinced me of the benefit of two strokes then. But when changing careers, no two strokes were available.

I've followed some of the Australian two stroke developments and I am a total supporter of the two strokes superiority. Car manufacturers seem locked in to the four stroke having spent so much on tooling etc that I don't see them willingly changing. Also so much has been spent on convincing the public that two strokes are nasty, oily things and only poor countries have to put up with things like Trabbants. We made them laughing stocks. When you see a big guy like Robbie Coltrane lift the engine out of a Trabbant in one hand, thinkers realize hey! that's what powers that car and the family of four in it. Gees, what would a Trabbant (Fast) be like now?

I want a three cylinder Saab with a (Fast) and Ski-doo injection, "bolt" on conversion. One hundred and sixty horses, sixty miles to the gallon no four stroking and purring like a cat. That'll do me! Long live the putt putt.

I'm amazed that small car manufacturers like Lotus, TVR and others that grew from the kit car scene don't pursue the two stroke route. I'm sure they could purchase snowmobile engines and adapt them. That would be the best way of getting two strokes re-accepted in our society.

CCs are still the big thing, and the performance that an 800cc Ski-doo engine would give a light sports car would soon have folks talking. And if it offered economy savings too it would be a winner.

Bill Lymburn.