Rear engine transaxle?
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Rear engine transaxle? Looking into the possibility of an LS1 conversion for a rear-engine car. Fiero guys put Northstars and such back there with little problem, I was wondering if I could do the same with an LS1 and a T56. Should be possible since I hear of 911 guys doing this conversion. Any input welcome. Thanks.
The T56 is a longitudinal transmission -- power goes in the front and out the back. You'd want to adapt a transaxle, normally from the donor vehicle itself.. You can have adapter plates CNC'ed for your setup to bolt everything together.
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Nevermind, I'm stupid...
What kind of transaxle would I be looking at to hold a relatively serious amount of power? Manual trans preferred...
What kind of transaxle would I be looking at to hold a relatively serious amount of power? Manual trans preferred...
Last edited by Birdie2000; May 3, 2004 at 06:00 PM.
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Can't do that, need the engine to be on top of the transaxle like in a FWD setup. No room to do the mid-engine thing, that would put the engine in the back seat. 
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Well, most of the V8 swaps that I have seen for Corvairs HAVE been midengine swaps that take up the back seat. The transaxles that are made for any other type of configuration just won't be up to the task of handling the power of an LS1... especially one that has been hopped up with performance parts.
http://www.corvaircorsa.com/crown1.html
An option, if you are willing to go automatic, is the Olds Toronado TH-425 transaxle. It is based off of the TH-400, so it is PLENTY strong for just about anything you will put it behind. But, I still think you would end up losing your backseat with this.
Other options are to look into a different kind of swap... maybe something like a Northstar V8/transaxle from a FWD car, and install it in the rear.
http://www.corvaircorsa.com/crown1.html
An option, if you are willing to go automatic, is the Olds Toronado TH-425 transaxle. It is based off of the TH-400, so it is PLENTY strong for just about anything you will put it behind. But, I still think you would end up losing your backseat with this.
Other options are to look into a different kind of swap... maybe something like a Northstar V8/transaxle from a FWD car, and install it in the rear.
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Yea, I've seen the midengine swaps that take up the back seat. I don't really want that, I want this to remain a street car and a "driver". I first thought of the Northstar, and may end up being what I go with if this ever happens, but the next thought was an LS1 cause it was much easier to make more powerful. I really wanted the car to remain a manual trans, so I guess I'll have to decide between power or the stick. I've seen LT1/SBC engines in Fieros, I wonder how/if they got a stick shift to work behind that.
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I beleive Fieros have a bit more room in the back than a corvair does as they are sort of in between a rear-engine and a mid-engine configuration. But, you could look into the Fiero V8 swap kits. Perhaps using a Fiero transaxle would allow you to get what you are after. Just don't expect it to put up to a lot of abuse.
http://www.v8archie.com
I saw a V8 conversion with a SBC at a car show one time that had the engine mounted in the standard North-South style of RWD vehicles, and STILL retained the back seat. It had a VERY compact transaxle (possibly an automatic), but I have NO idea what was used... never saw anything else like that from scouring the internet. I'm thinking it MAY have been a toronado, but I haven't actually SEEN what a Toronado transaxle looks like, so I don't know. But, I beleive it has the axles come out underneath the engine... so it requires a special oil pan.
http://www.v8archie.com
I saw a V8 conversion with a SBC at a car show one time that had the engine mounted in the standard North-South style of RWD vehicles, and STILL retained the back seat. It had a VERY compact transaxle (possibly an automatic), but I have NO idea what was used... never saw anything else like that from scouring the internet. I'm thinking it MAY have been a toronado, but I haven't actually SEEN what a Toronado transaxle looks like, so I don't know. But, I beleive it has the axles come out underneath the engine... so it requires a special oil pan.
Another midengine Corvair. They used an A4, would it work with a T56?
http://www.pro-touring.com/featured_...west_corv8.htm
http://www.pro-touring.com/featured_...west_corv8.htm
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Found another link you might find of interest: http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...03GMH_homerun/
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it's a longitudinal transaxle, but for serious power you could use a ZF 5-speed from a DeTomaso Pantera, BMW M1, or Maserati Bora. your best bet for transverse would be a 4T80E from a Northstar-powered Cadillac or an Olds Aurora, but be ready for starter mounting modifications because those engines had the starter under the intake manifold
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Don't want to step on this forum's sponsors, but a 4T65E-HD W-body transaxle can be built to handle about 675 crank hp. www.IntenseRacing.com and www.DomesticPerformance.com -DP claims 500+ hp for theirs. There are several others, but those are the leaders. Intense has a turbo 6 FWD running 10.3's with their trans.
Fellow named Loyde does Fiero swaps at www.fastfieros.com. He's putting an LS1 stroker in my 2001 Grand Prix right now.
HTH. []
Fellow named Loyde does Fiero swaps at www.fastfieros.com. He's putting an LS1 stroker in my 2001 Grand Prix right now.
HTH. [
] Last edited by TeeKay; Jun 2, 2004 at 09:07 PM.
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From: Mefis
Originally Posted by 93Polo
Another midengine Corvair. They used an A4, would it work with a T56?
http://www.pro-touring.com/featured_...west_corv8.htm
http://www.pro-touring.com/featured_...west_corv8.htm
That looks like a corvette transaxle with a different bellhousing bolted on. That would be a cool if that is what it is.
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Why not flip the Corvair like the old Crown conversion kits did?I have frend that had BAD *** 327 Corvair back in the early 70s,I don't remember him having any transmission trouble.I remember a guy did a 327 VW bug, bit he had to do a reverse rotation cam to make it work.
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