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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ 4 Wheel drive 914

Posted by: nbscooters Feb 9 2006, 02:23 AM

Has anyone ever taken a 911 C4 power train and modded it to fit a 914 chassis? Could something be done to send power to the front wheels even though it would be mid engined? Perhaps a new project idea???

Posted by: nbscooters Feb 9 2006, 02:28 AM

haha. oh yeah? ive seen that image before. hmm. well, that idea, minus mudders and the sand rail look. i was thinking more of a street car.

Posted by: Rand Feb 9 2006, 02:30 AM

Oops. I deleted my post because I knew what you meant and I was just being silly. You were quick!

I had said, "anything is possible but not everything is sensible," along with the baja 914 photo...

It would be an amazing project. Don't know about the net benefit to cost/effort ratio, but I would love to see it!!

Attached image(s)

Posted by: nbscooters Feb 9 2006, 02:34 AM

haha. i know. its the thought that counts. right?

Posted by: Twystd1 Feb 9 2006, 02:51 AM

I have no doubt that it could be done.

There are at least a couple of guys on this forum that I think could do it..
No problem.

The $s to do it would be the only issue.

Might be a bad ass rally car.

In what class.. I don't know..

I was just thinking about torque steer and how fun (interesting) that can be on a 4x4 car.. especially a turbo 4x4 car. (way fun..gulp)

Lets go race WRXs and STIs... Yee Haw...

It's just a simple test of economics. Dam near ANYTHING can be built with enough money.

Then again... WHY?

Twystd1

Twystd1

Posted by: Brando Feb 9 2006, 02:58 AM

To do it effectively... you'd have to raise the chassis up in reference to the driveline. There is no "tunnel" to really speak of on a 914 chassis to run a driveshaft in between the front and rear wheels. Then comes the question of engine placement. You'd have to mount it like the 911s because the engine is mounted behind the trans, instead of in front on our cars.

Wouldn't it just be easier and more economical to do a body conversion on a 964 C4, or 993 C4?

Posted by: BIGKAT_83 Feb 9 2006, 03:07 AM

QUOTE (nbscooters @ Feb 9 2006, 04:23 AM)
Has anyone ever taken a 911 C4 power train and modded it to fit a 914 chassis? Could something be done to send power to the front wheels even though it would be mid engined? Perhaps a new project idea???

Seems like it would be kind of hard to do it in a mid engine lay out. Here are some pictures from a Corvair forum that I belong to. Is a corvair with a complete C4 drivetrain also used the porsche interior and dash.

user posted image

Posted by: Twystd1 Feb 9 2006, 03:33 AM

Dude,

That Corvair is seriously sick..

How do I get to that corvair club URL???

I want to look at that thread... cause it's it giving me sick ideas for another project...

Aaron................ OOOppssss...

I mean Twystd1

Posted by: Howard Feb 9 2006, 10:21 AM

Absolutely. Come over and bring lots of $$.

Posted by: fiid Feb 9 2006, 11:05 AM

It's definately doable, and it's definately hard.

There are some examples of systems setup this way that have already been done - the best example would be something like the Laborghini Gaillardo (sp?), which is mid-engined, AWD.

The problem really is that there are no commonly available parts to do it. The systems usually run the driveshaft forward off-center. The main issue I see with a setup like this is you can't get the bits to do this from anything common. Pintos and escorts don't use mid-engine 4wd drivetrains

There is another solution that could be slick though and that is to use something like a porsche 6 with a massive alternator on it, and run an electric drivetrain at the front - that would be pretty sick.

The shame of it to me though is that the 914 front suspension is so gorgeous and elegant that it would be a shame to have to replace it to get a steerable drivetrain. Also - there would be a lot of weight gain from batteries etc since one would really have a gas/electric hybrid at this point.

Just my 2c. It's also possible to do it with 2 gas engines - there was a Lotus 7 with 2 1300cc Hayabusa engines in it (one front, one rear) on 5th gear once... that setup would also be possible, and wicked quick.

Posted by: Rand Feb 9 2006, 11:52 AM

QUOTE
It's also possible to do it with 2 gas engines

My dad saw a VW Rabbit with an engine and transaxle at each end at the drag races once. He said it was super quick. A total sleeper that shocked everyone.