Has anyone ever done this? I'm sure that there will be clearance issues with the bell housing, but the subframe could be modified to fit. The question is if it's worth the trouble? I'm thinking of something along the lines of a Subaru/Porsche 915 transmission.
Randy Zimmer put a 13b with hewland? transaxle in a Miata with the stock subframe and suspension. Evanb has pictures.
The VW Type III/squareback/fastback/notchback used a bolt-in sub frame to hang the transaxle, engine, suspension all in one. It could easily be modified to mid-engine configuration if needed.
I think it could be done, and fairly easily too.
What problem will you overcome by putting transaxle in the back or what advantage do expect to get from doing so?
Dunno if he's thinking this way but I've often wondered if that could be adapted to a 914; add upgraded engine, trans, brakes and suspension geometry all in one fell swoop. Plus have it easily removeable for repairs.
Curmudgeon wrote: Dunno if he's thinking this way but I've often wondered if that could be adapted to a 914; add upgraded engine, trans, brakes and suspension geometry all in one fell swoop. Plus have it easily removeable for repairs.
A buddy of mine swap the suspension from a Lotus Elise into his STi powered 914 EMod car. Goes like Shtink!
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f91/lotus-elise-suspension-conversion-into-porsche-914-a-107379/
With enough cutting and welding anything is possible.
RossD wrote: What problem will you overcome by putting transaxle in the back or what advantage do expect to get from doing so?
For some reason, I dig rear-engined cars - Fiat, Corvair, VW, Renault, P-word... The rear end weights are probably in the same ballpark as the Miata, but the Miata's suspension is a big step up.
Curmudgeon wrote: Dunno if he's thinking this way but I've often wondered if that could be adapted to a 914; add upgraded engine, trans, brakes and suspension geometry all in one fell swoop. Plus have it easily removeable for repairs.
I think similarly, but 914s aren't as disposable as they used to be, so I'd be tempted to do it on a Ghia. You could lift the body off to facilitate installation as well.
If its a way to get an affordable transmission that can handle more than 350ftlbs, that also has good gearing for road racing AND auto-x, and it has the fringe benefit of moving weight rearward I'm all ears.
I am missing something here
...you want to keep the Miata body and suspension. And the Miata engine in front. But you want to get rid of one of the best gear stirring devices ever made.
Even if the new box itself has dream gear-change performance, the final say is going to depend on the linkage design. Not trivial.
Why?
I think he wants the Miata suspension in a bug type car. I have been wondering something similar
There are precious few ways to greatly improve a Miata. More power, mainly. OTOH there are many cars that can benefit from a Miata goodness infusion.
I keep going back to this - The Frankenfiat has such a bodacious power-to-weight ratio that the rear swingarm suspension seems like the big weak-point in realizing the car's potential. So if I were to graft on the Miata rear subframe/suspension, the rear end would be significantly wider than the front. Porsche has done this repeatedly - most notably on the 930. What would the handling ramifications of doing that be? In theory, with a rigid chasis (not yet!) the wider rear track would experience more unweighting of the inside rear tire, which would help rotation. But I'm sure that there are other dynamic forces at play. What says the brain trust?
kreb wrote:Curmudgeon wrote: Dunno if he's thinking this way but I've often wondered if that could be adapted to a 914; add upgraded engine, trans, brakes and suspension geometry all in one fell swoop. Plus have it easily removeable for repairs.I think similarly, but 914s aren't as disposable as they used to be, so I'd be tempted to do it on a Ghia. You could lift the body off to facilitate installation as well.
Wait, you're thinking of a Ghia as more disposable? Jeez, I haven't seen a Ghia for sale for less than $6k in years, meanwhile there are 914's that people can't seem to give away.
In reply to sobe_death:
Ghias are all over the place in Kalifornia. Many are rats, and one rarely sees them on the roads, which is unfortunate. I think they're a really gorgeous vehicle. 914s are slowly appreciating. But are cheap and plentiful as well.
So what you are saying is can you take one of these:
And stuff it between/under one of these:
Such that you can hand some random engine out the back?
Cant see why not as long as someone can build the axles for you. It is going to get tight between the lower control arm pickups and the bellhousing area.
I have this vision that in 10 years you will slowly have swapped everything on frankenfiat for miata parts
NOHOME wrote: Cant see why not as long as someone can build the axles for you.
I have had Dutchman make custom axles for us. Surprisingly affordable. Vw type 3 inner spline to Fiat X19 outer splines 10" long were less than $200 for the pair. I just packaged up the relevant CV's and shipped them to them with a note stating overall length and they showed up a month later absolutely perfect
I'd be looking at the rear suspension from Corvettes, 944s and 928s.
Why so?
Keith Tanner wrote: I'd be looking at the rear suspension from Corvettes, 944s and 928s. /Because they already straddle a gearbox would be my guess. However, if this is for a rear engine vehicle, the bellhousing will face the wrong way for the application.
kreb wrote: Why so?
Because those cars have transaxles.
I wasn't sure if you were trying to do a rear engined setup. If you are, consider using the Miata geometry, hubs and control arms but ditch the subframe. There's nothing magical about the subframe itself, it's the geometry you want.
Yeah, he's going for rear engined
The Vette rear trans/axle setup is a bit long, the engine would end up literally in the middle of the car. Here is a one going in a 1st gen Camaro http://www.lateral-g.net/5050/Photo0036.jpg
The other mentioned transaxles would be a better choice I would think.
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