rear wheel drive conversion

[kanuno]

reading the building a dream thread the other day got me thinking, how hard would it be to convert a front wheel drive car with twist beam rear suspension to rear wheel drive - what would be involved?

[Spectre]

Economically, it makes more sense to sell it and get a RWD car.

You would have to completely re-engineer the back end of the car.

[Paddy]

Depends on the car, have seen loads of crazy conversions, anything is possible once you have the £££ ...

[Hidden_Hunter]

Someone made a mid engined rear wheel drive integra, what they did was got a front cut of a prelude and basically put that in the boot

[teletubby-warrior]

Someone made a mid engined rear wheel drive integra, what they did was got a front cut of a prelude and basically put that in the boot

You make it sound like a shitty hack job.

The amount of work that went into that Integra is simply astonishing.

Link to the build thread.

[Labcoatguy]

Ask MG Rover. They did that to convert the 75 into the RWD MG ZT260, so it's possible, if a bit overkill, for the dude in the shed.

[CraigB]

If you did a chassis under the car it would be alot of work, but basically straight forward. Something like this: http://www.jegs.com/p/Jegster/750603/10002/-1/10775

[Crazyjeeper]

There are a couple of companies that make conversions for the Ford Focus that swaps in a V8 and adds rear wheel drive.

http://www.tcf-v8-focus-conversions.com/

[argatoga]

reading the building a dream thread the other day got me thinking, how hard would it be to convert a front wheel drive car with twist beam rear suspension to rear wheel drive - what would be involved?

I agree with Spectre, it isn't worth it, unless you plan on doing it for fun and are a skilled mechanic. I'd look into a used Miata.

[Punisher Bass]

Nothing is impossible given enough time, money, and skill. But such projects are hardly ever practical.

[thedguy]

1. Buy small pick-up (s-10/Ranger) frame/chassis
2. Cut floor of FWD body up to fit frame in
3. ????
4. Profit

See this thread for what I mean:
http://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35479

Thats one way to do it. The other is to copy the Ford Shogun way, which is to pull the entire subframe/suspension/engine/trans unit out of a FWD car, and move it to the back.
http://www.grmotorsports.com/backiss...mean-no-go.php

If you want a Front engined RWD setup, rip apart a BMW or Ford Sierra, though I'd make a brace like on the miata called "PPF" or Power Plant Frame, it mounts from the back of the transmission to the front of the rear differential. It keeps the pinion from "climbing up" the ring gear and trying to rip the floor out of the car.

The expensive option would involve building a Lotus style "backbone" chassis, cut the floor of said car up to fit the chassis in and weld it all back together (or make mounts and bolt it together).

There are a couple of companies that make conversions for the Ford Focus that swaps in a V8 and adds rear wheel drive.

Hell one of those kids is sold BY Ford Performance. I'd love to do one, though I'd prefer to just turn the Duratec sideways and warm it over, those Duratec 2.3's are potent little engines.

[CraigB]

Of course the Chevette was RWD to begin with. Cool project though. Makes me want a Pinto even more...