I have looked into a Porsche 924 and 944 setup. I want to make my baby Corvette have a similar drivetrain in a c6. Prices for the parts are very expensive. I found a few people saying a normal beetle transmission could be flipped to use as a forward facing transaxle. I am not sure if it would damage it. I have seen a VW vanagon transaxle that is supposed to be connected to a mid engine.
I'm wondering if I could have a tail housing adapted to be connected to a 1.8t or 2.0t, but the Ford 1.5t 3 cylinder has 200hp and 214ft-lbs torque and have been upped close to 300 for both. The real place it shines is the weight and small size. My engine bay is extremely small.
Can anyone tell me what is the best option for a transaxle to face forward so I can have the clutch stay in the back and connect it to the engine with the tail housing bolted to the engine? Like an Alfa Romeo? Would I need to have a flywheel in the back of the engine or would the flywheel and clutch work like the Alfa Romeo?
Do you think this would work? How much is there in the difference in weight between an IRS and non? Is there a front facing irs transaxle?
I'm also wondering if trying to install a VW torsion bar suspension would be the easiest or best. I have trailing arms on each side to a springs in front of the solid axle and shocks behind it. Does anyone know a way to connect trailing arms to an IRS? If I used a leaf spring under the transaxle to hold it up by the connections to the spindles, would this be a lighter and stronger option? It would look like a Corvette suspension, that for sure.
I'm trying to keep this as light as possible. I'm not a mechanic so most of this will be done by someone I'm paying.
I went to a Subaru forum to look at the conversion kit but they suggested using a VW/Porsche 924 setup.
Currently it's 1500lbs, 1000lbs without the drivetrain. Using the Ford motor is more than enough but putting more power and having a closer 50/50 weight ratio would be nice. I don't want to spend huge amounts on this but being able to say it is like a smaller c6 would make me proud.
73 opel front engine rear transaxle
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73 opel front engine rear transaxle
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- V8Nate
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Re: 73 opel front engine rear transaxle
Leaving the straight axle in the rear would be the easiest. You could contact Kenedy and see if they could make you an adapter for the 3 cyl to bolt up to a borg Warner t5. I miss my old kadett
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Re: 73 opel front engine rear transaxle
I understand it would be easier but the power in the stock engine was 87hp with 110 ft-lbs and it had a lot of issues with keeping planted. Extra bars would help but only came in the euro cars. Not Canadian. Even though adding those would help a lot, I think if I'm going to improve the overall handling, I might as well do it right while it's all apart. I'm looking at the straight axle from a beetle instead of the IRS. The simple way would be to change the ring. I received how yesterday.
- Piledriver
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Re: 73 opel front engine rear transaxle
914 trans would probably be a more economical plan, but rigging the driveshaft to input shaft/support would be critical,
Downside of the 914 trans is 1st is an add-on, 1st gears are only supported on one side and cannot take drag launches.
Downside of the 914 trans is 1st is an add-on, 1st gears are only supported on one side and cannot take drag launches.
Addendum to Newtons first law:
zero vehicles on jackstands, square gets a fresh 090 and 1911, cabby gets a blower.
EZ3.6 Vanagon after that.(mounted, needs everything finished) then Creamsicle.
zero vehicles on jackstands, square gets a fresh 090 and 1911, cabby gets a blower.
EZ3.6 Vanagon after that.(mounted, needs everything finished) then Creamsicle.