It can't be THAT hard
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 16
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It can't be THAT hard Looking aorund this forum I have seen little love for the FWD-to-RWD conversions. I can see where everyone is coming from but the most difficult task is fabrication. I don't have the knowhow (I'm a bodyman/painter) but I do know who does. I have a 1997 Honda Civic EX coupe that I bought thinking it would be a good driver instead of driving my Nissan pickup everywherew, but it turns out the previous owner treated it horribly and it's on its last breath. I was thinking of converting it to LS1 power, and taking cues from a couple threads in the forum, using a modified front-engine Porsche drivetrain to help traction. I know it would fit in the engine bay but I would want it under the hood so I would set it way back into the firewall which would also help traction and let me use the stock front suspension components and steering. The thing that has me worried isn't the fabrication, but the wiring. Any help in that regard would be great and please don't go off on my for the whole FWD-to-RWD thing, I already know what's going to be said. Oh yeah and this site KICKS ***!!! 
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 80
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It's not so much the FWD RWD thing as it is ease of task. I just put a geniii4.8 in my el camino, and it was more of a task than expected.
Just seems like an awful lot of work to put into a fwd car to convert it when there are lots of swap candidiates out there that already have the proper architecture.
Just seems like an awful lot of work to put into a fwd car to convert it when there are lots of swap candidiates out there that already have the proper architecture.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2005
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Now, I know that the C5 transaxle isn't a true transaxle, it's more of a transmission with a differential housing instead of a tailhousing. In that, it has the gears in front of the differential and thus makes it so that the differential is very far from the engine. Even if it were a traditional transaxle with the gears behind the differential, there wouldn't be enough room for the engine to sit behind the front seats as it would in a typical mid-engine car. Believe it or not, I have given this project serious thought and I feel my intended layout will work well. The difference in wheelbases of the Civic and, say, a 944 is enough that it would allow a good engine setback without shortening the 944 drivetrain, even factoring in the adapter plate that Renegade provides. WHat I really need is the necessary wiring and, if there is one, an accessory mounting system that puts the accessories in FRONT of the engine, possible one that mounts everything backwards. Thanks for the interest, but I have most of it pretty much figured out.
TECH Regular
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 419
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as an 8-year-long Honda/Integra swapper, autocrosser and Integra-motor/trans-Rebuilding guy turned LS1-RX7 head, I gotta say you are way over your head.
why?
the steering rack AND subframe in a Civic is on the firewall.
this occupies the space where the LS1T56 bellhousing must pass thru so you are looking at relocating it all and it would be a completely custom setup with different steering knuckles because the tie rod ends would need to be located on the leading edge of the knuckle instead of facing the rear of the car.
Dude, if I coulda, I woulda.
the way to get a Civic to be RWD with an LS1 is to go all out drag car with the big-dollar tube framing at all four corners to stuff in the common steering and suspension components that you would see on 7 secodn drag cars... it doesnt matter what they began life as because after tube framign they are essentially a body-on-tubeframe design.
why not join us in the world of LS1-RX7's ? come over to www.torquecentral.com and see some of the cars people have put together for all sorts of budgets.
why?
the steering rack AND subframe in a Civic is on the firewall.
this occupies the space where the LS1T56 bellhousing must pass thru so you are looking at relocating it all and it would be a completely custom setup with different steering knuckles because the tie rod ends would need to be located on the leading edge of the knuckle instead of facing the rear of the car.
Dude, if I coulda, I woulda.
the way to get a Civic to be RWD with an LS1 is to go all out drag car with the big-dollar tube framing at all four corners to stuff in the common steering and suspension components that you would see on 7 secodn drag cars... it doesnt matter what they began life as because after tube framign they are essentially a body-on-tubeframe design.
why not join us in the world of LS1-RX7's ? come over to www.torquecentral.com and see some of the cars people have put together for all sorts of budgets.
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Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2005
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Just so you know, all that's just making me want to do it more. I may need to modify my plans a little bit but I can do that. And the whole reason for me wanting to do this is me nwanting to join anyone. It's different, and, i think, pretty cool.
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harness the harnes is easy it just costs $$ it will only run the drive train and stands alone. the car harness will still run the rest of the car. I built my harness out of a truck harness and pined it to be a f body/ street rod harness. I had a aftermarket harness for a street rod and used a ohm meter to find out where things needed to be then changed mine to match. this still sucked some but it all worked out well. Good Luck
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 44
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From: San Antonio
Crx We had a customer that converted a 2002 PT Cruiser from FWD to RWD, fabricated the transmission tunnel and made custom mounts. The engine he decided to go with was a 3.8.Gen II w 4L60E. If you need any custom wire work or programming, give us a call or email 210-651-1895 x 12