I need a project
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Discussion

Jonboy_t

Original Poster:

5,038 posts

199 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
Chances are that I will be getting a couple of months off work in the near future, not through choice unfortunately! I've always wanted to do a kit car of some sort and think that this might give me a good chance to get going on one.

The plan (in my head, anyway!) is to get some kind of stock rolling chassis that's pre-built and powdercoated etc, something like a '7'/Westie/Locust etc, and fill it with a Civic typr R lump, or perhaps a V6/V8 of some kind if it would fit in. The overriding thing that I would absolutely love to do though, would be to make it 4wd. Don't know why I want to do this, I just do!! It would almost certainly be a track slag rather than a road car, but if I could make it useable as a road car, that would be preferable - the main aim is to get it as good as possible in all disciplines (0-60, top speed, cornering and handling etc) and if that means using a non road legal approach to it, it would be a track only beast.

Does anyone a) have experience of what it would be like putting something out of the ordinary into a car like this and b) know if a 4wd kit car is either doable or just a stupid idea?!

Also, recommendations for where to find a rolling chassis, and what type, would be most welcome!!

KaraK

13,415 posts

225 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
Jonboy_t said:
Chances are that I will be getting a couple of months off work in the near future, not through choice unfortunately! I've always wanted to do a kit car of some sort and think that this might give me a good chance to get going on one.

The plan (in my head, anyway!) is to get some kind of stock rolling chassis that's pre-built and powdercoated etc, something like a '7'/Westie/Locust etc, and fill it with a Civic typr R lump, or perhaps a V6/V8 of some kind if it would fit in. The overriding thing that I would absolutely love to do though, would be to make it 4wd. Don't know why I want to do this, I just do!! It would almost certainly be a track slag rather than a road car, but if I could make it useable as a road car, that would be preferable - the main aim is to get it as good as possible in all disciplines (0-60, top speed, cornering and handling etc) and if that means using a non road legal approach to it, it would be a track only beast.

Does anyone a) have experience of what it would be like putting something out of the ordinary into a car like this and b) know if a 4wd kit car is either doable or just a stupid idea?!


Also, recommendations for where to find a rolling chassis, and what type, would be most welcome!!
Well if you want a V6 engine and 4WD running gear I've got an XR4x4 sat on my drive...

Edit: Fixed the stupid quoting fail

Edited by KaraK on Monday 7th February 15:15

psymonr

148 posts

197 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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if you really want AWD, could try looking at a Murtaya kit

MotorsportTom

3,343 posts

177 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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When i was at college we had a project car, it was a slightly butchered and full caged locost chassis with the V6 4WD running gear from a sierra.

yes it can be done but it did require bits of chassis being cut/swapped/changed etc

Jollyclub

1,905 posts

262 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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Hawk Stratos Replica body.

Shoe-horn an integrale engine and running gear into it..

May need longer than 2 months to make it fit....


SEE YA

3,522 posts

261 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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Well first thing what are your skills ?. Can you weld, fab, handy with a set of spanners, got a nice warm garage.

Jonboy_t

Original Poster:

5,038 posts

199 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
SEE YA said:
Well first thing what are your skills ?. Can you weld, fab, handy with a set of spanners, got a nice warm garage.
One of the above....

Not too bad in all honesty. Personally, I can muddle through most things (had a 50% hand in building an AC cobra a couple of years back) but my father in law has done literally hundreds and my best mate is a top-tech at a main dealer, so I've got back up if it all goes pete-tong!


Cheers for the advice so far guys. I'm definitely leaning more towards the '7' style body, I'm 6"4' so the 7 allows for a little bit more space in the headroom department and is more 'changeable' in the leg room areas too.

SEE YA

3,522 posts

261 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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Good how about looking for a old classic car to save.

Jonboy_t

Original Poster:

5,038 posts

199 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
SEE YA said:
Good how about looking for a old classic car to save.
I'm not so into the older cars. I love things like the American classics, but to get something that I would really love, it would probably cost more than my budget just for the 'donor'!

(BTW, the budget would be about £10k all in)

busta

4,504 posts

249 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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A Subaru Impreza would seem like a good starting point to me, although not very in-keeping with 7 type kits.

TXWRX

312 posts

184 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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yeah, the murtaya is one way to go the subaru/ 4wd route, but its not cheap

I'm sure it would be possible to put a scoob engine and running gear in a 7esque chassis and it will have been done before, its not common and therefore would be more difficult than the usual engine choices

I'm currently rebuilding a Locost that was originally built for the 750mc locost series in 2003, its now going to go on the road to be enjoyed and possibly do some road car class sprints and hill climbs, the IVA if you are doing it yourself with a kit and collection of bits as we have is a lot of work! if you were to buy a package like a caterham or mnr etc i'm sure it'd be easier but still surprisingly easy to fail

I would say if you do have an ambition to put it on the road do this first, build it to get through the iva and then do what modifications you want afterwards, the way we've done it is really the wrong way round and its that which has led to a lot of extra effort

singlecoil

34,720 posts

262 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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TXWRX said:
I'm sure it would be possible to put a scoob engine and running gear in a 7esque chassis and it will have been done before, its not common and therefore would be more difficult than the usual engine choices
Not really, if the 4wd is to be retained. With the Subaru the engine sticks out in front of the gearbox, and it's from the gearbox that the driveshafts run to the front wheels. That's why Murtayas need a big bulge at the front to accommodate the engine. Locosts, and all 7s, have the engine behind the front axle. I dareay the gearbox could be converted to RWD only, but theh you are back to 2WD.

The Ford Sierra system is quite different, and the drive to the front wheels comes from a transfer box forward (similar to Land Rover).

anonymous-user

70 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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Not sure if they are still made but there is the Dax Rush Quadra. A "7" style car using Sierra 4wd components
http://www.daxcars.co.uk/rush/specificationquadra....

busta

4,504 posts

249 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
singlecoil said:
TXWRX said:
I'm sure it would be possible to put a scoob engine and running gear in a 7esque chassis and it will have been done before, its not common and therefore would be more difficult than the usual engine choices
Not really, if the 4wd is to be retained. With the Subaru the engine sticks out in front of the gearbox, and it's from the gearbox that the driveshafts run to the front wheels. That's why Murtayas need a big bulge at the front to accommodate the engine. Locosts, and all 7s, have the engine behind the front axle. I dareay the gearbox could be converted to RWD only, but theh you are back to 2WD.

The Ford Sierra system is quite different, and the drive to the front wheels comes from a transfer box forward (similar to Land Rover).
That's what I was thinking, although I didn't know for sure the Sierra had a transfer box. That renders the subaru setup a bit useless for most kits then, other than the aforementioned Murtaya and beetle based kits.

dmulally

6,316 posts

196 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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I remember a while ago a bunch of us at ozclubbies tried to design a 4wd middy just for the hell of it. Iirc we looked at reversing the subie layout and by using one of Todd Treibler's tricky diffs, to get it spinning the right way. Therefore it wasnt a middy as such but a rear-ry.

Much fun was had discussing how much power went to the front versus the rear and I think thats where it left off.


anonymous-user

70 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
dmulally said:
I remember a while ago a bunch of us at ozclubbies tried to design a 4wd middy just for the hell of it. Iirc we looked at reversing the subie layout and by using one of Todd Treibler's tricky diffs, to get it spinning the right way. Therefore it wasnt a middy as such but a rear-ry.

Much fun was had discussing how much power went to the front versus the rear and I think thats where it left off.
Was this the Subaru diff conversion you looked at using http://www.subarugears.com. Have had thoughts of building a 4wd 356 Speedster replica using it, A 356 Carrera 4 so to speak

magpies

5,185 posts

198 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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A couple of years ago I built an RS200 lookalike using a Toyota Celica GT4 as a base

Transverse engine 4wd easy 300bhp



cost in total less than £7k

Gakes

21 posts

175 months

Tuesday 8th February 2011
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Why not try one of these, easy to build and tons of fun:


andygtt

8,345 posts

280 months

Tuesday 8th February 2011
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seen 4wd dax rush's... used a 4x4 sierra cosworth and was a pretty handy tool.

striker1660

15 posts

189 months

Tuesday 8th February 2011
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http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2208851.htm

why not consider this either bike engine or even suburu sti engine in the back,if you wanta quick car then 4 wd drive is not necessarilly the best solution. You also need an aero shape for ultimate speed.

if intrested let me know striker1660